7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (2024)

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons to protect against heart disease. In fact, incorporating heart-healthy foods, getting adequate exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, avoiding excess alcohol and getting enough quality sleep can have a major impact on reducing cardiovascular disease-related deaths, according to a 2023 review in the Journal of Translational Medicine.

The meals and snacks in this diet plan feature heart-healthy foods, like fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats, like olive oil and avocado. Saturated fat, added sugars and sodium—nutrients that can harm your heart when eaten in large amounts—are kept to a minimum. Instead, dishes are seasoned with lots of herbs and spices to keep things flavorful and exciting.

By following this simple 1,200-calorie meal plan, you'll help protect your heart, lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds weekly and have healthy meals for the week at the ready!

Looking for a different calorie level? See this same meal plan at 1,500 and 2,000 calories.

Don't Miss: Delicious Heart-Healthy Recipes

How to Meal Prep Your Week of Meals

Meal prep the to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5. Store the salad in an airtight container (To buy: amazon.com, $30 for 5) and the dressing separately in a small container (To buy: amazon.com, $11 for 8).

Day 1

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (1)

Breakfast (271 calories)

1 serving Avocado-Egg Toast

A.M. Snack (84 calories)

1 cup blueberries

Lunch (350 calories)

1 serving Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Dinner (457 calories)

1 serving Seared Salmon with Green Peppercorn Sauce
1 cup steamed green beans
1 baked medium red potato, drizzled with 1 tsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt and a pinch of pepper

Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 60 g protein, 142 g carbohydrates, 28 g fiber, 52 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 828 mg sodium

Day 2

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (2)

Breakfast (265 calories)

1 cup bran cereal
1 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack (95 calories)

1 medium apple

Lunch (374 calories)

1 serving

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Dinner (429 calories)

1 serving

Daily Totals: 1,225 calories, 75 g protein, 148 g carbohydrates, 39 g fiber, 50 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,363 mg sodium

Day 3

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (3)

Breakfast (297 calories)

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup blueberries
1 1/2 Tbsp. slivered almonds
2 tsp. honey

A.M. Snack (64 calories)

1 cup raspberries

Lunch (374 calories)

1 serving

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Dinner (416 calories)

1 serving
1 slice whole-wheat bread, toasted

Daily Totals: 1,212 calories, 70 g protein, 132 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 51 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,332 mg sodium

Day 4

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (4)

Breakfast (265 calories)

3/4 cup bran cereal
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack (95 calories)

1 medium apple

Lunch (374 calories)

1 serving

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Dinner (427 calories)

1 serving Cod with Tomato Cream Sauce
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup steamed broccoli

Daily Totals: 1,223 calories, 67 g protein, 170 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 39 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,284 mg sodium

Day 5

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (5)

Breakfast (333 calories)

1/2 cup rolled oats, cooked in 1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup raspberries

Cook oats and top with raspberries and a pinch of cinnamon.

A.M. Snack (102 calories)

1 medium bell pepper, sliced
3 Tbsp. hummus

Lunch (374 calories)

1 serving

P.M. Snack (84 calories)

1 cup blueberries

Dinner (304 calories)

1 1/4 cups Cauliflower Chicken Fried "Rice"

Daily Totals: 1,198 calories, 77 g protein, 120 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 48 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,405 mg sodium.

Day 6

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (6)

Breakfast (328 calories)

1 cup bran cereal
1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Lunch (296 calories)

1 serving

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the tuna salad to have for lunch on Day 7.

P.M. Snack (64 calories)

1 cup raspberries

Dinner (457 calories)

1 serving Toaster-Oven Tostadas

Daily Totals: 1,206 calories, 55 g protein, 187 g carbohydrates, 55 g fiber, 39 g fat, 8 g saturated, 1,203 mg sodium.

Day 7

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (7)

Breakfast (355 calories)

1 serving Avocado-Egg Toast
1 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack (64 calories)

1 cup raspberries

Lunch (366 calories)

1 serving
1 slice whole-wheat bread, toasted

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Dinner (374 calories)

1 serving

Daily Totals: 1,220 calories, 64 g protein, 132 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 51 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,275 mg sodium.

7-Day Heart-Healthy Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories (2024)

FAQs

What is an example of a 1200 calorie a day diet? ›

Another example of a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet:

Breakfast. One serving of whole-grain toast (100 calories) Two eggs (140 calories) ...
Lunch. Three ounces of grilled chicken breast (120 calories) One cup of steamed broccoli (55 calories) ...
Dinner. Three ounces of fish (120 calories) One cup of mixed greens (5 calories)

Jan 24, 2023

Get More Info Here ›

What is the cardiac diet menu? ›

The plan should include plenty of lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Limit high-fat foods such as red meat, cheese and baked goods. Also limit foods that are high in sodium such as sandwiches, pizza, soup and processed foods. Cut back on foods and drinks with added sugar too.

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What is the 7 day challenge diet? ›

Easy To Follow 7 Day GM Diet Plan & Menu To Transform Your Body: The Indian Version

Day 1: Fruits.
‍Day 2: Vegetables.
Day 3: Fruits and Vegetables.
Day 4: Bananas and Milk.
Day 5: Meat.
Day 6: Meat & Vegetables.
Day 7: Rice, Fruit and Vegetable Juice.

Mar 26, 2024

How to lose 5 pounds in a week? ›

Losing 5 pounds a week comes to reducing your food intake by 3500 calories over seven days. The value that represents the decrease in calorie intake is known as the calorie deficit. If you want to lose 5 pounds in a week, you will need to reduce your food intake by 17,500 calories, which is a huge calorie deficit.

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How to lose 20 lbs in one month? ›

Losing 20 lbs in a month is unrealistic and could have negative health implications. It would be more realistic to lose 20 lbs over 12-16 weeks. You can do this by creating a calorie deficit of 500-800 calories per day by eating less, exercising more, and increasing your activity levels throughout the day.

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How much weight will you lose if you eat 1200 calories a day? ›

Low calorie diets, including 1200 calorie per day diets, have been shown to be effective for weight loss in some studies. For example, a study of 2093 people with obesity found that a medically supervised 1200 calorie per day meal replacement diet resulted in an average weight loss of 4.7% over 12 months.

Can you eat anything on a 1200 calorie diet and still lose weight? ›

The short answer is yes -you can lose weight in a healthy way on a 1200 calorie diet. When done right, the 1200 calorie diet can be an effective way to kick start your weight loss journey and give you the motivation you need to keep going as you begin to lose weight. However, navigating this diet can be tricky.

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How many calories should breakfast be on a 1200 calorie diet? ›

Breakfast on a 1,200-Calorie Meal Plan

For breakfast, choose something between 250 and 300 calories.

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Can I lose weight by eating 1200 calories a day? ›

Many studies have shown that following low calorie diets, including 1,200-calorie diets, can promote weight loss. For example, a study including 2,093 people with obesity demonstrated that a medically supervised 1,200-calorie meal replacement diet resulted in an average fat loss of 4.7% over 12 months ( 6 ).

Find Out More ›