Breakfast

• Options for breakfast in a 1,200-calories-per-day meal plan include a cup each of low-fat yogurt and fruit juice, half a cup of oatmeal and herbal tea, tea or black coffee. You could also have two slices of whole wheat bread with a teaspoon of butter, half a cup of fruit and a cup of skimmed milk, or choose half a cup of oats with 2 tablespoons of cranberry raisins and 4 ounces of orange juice. Breakfast could also be a medium-sized banana, a cup each of skimmed milk and bran cereal and herbal tea.
  
  

Lunch

• Lunch could comprise two slices of whole wheat bread with half a cup of tuna in water and a tomato, cucumber and lettuce salad served with a teaspoon each of mayonnaise and olive oil dressing, or half a dozen crackers with low-fat cheese, a handful of almonds, Brazil nuts and walnuts, and an apple. You could replace either of these plans with a 6-inch sandwich made with roast chicken, lettuce, mustard, peppers, onions, olives and 8 ounces of skimmed milk, or have a similar tuna sandwich with whole-grain bread and mayonnaise, uncooked baby carrots and an apple. Wash any of your meals down with water.
  
  

Dinner

• Dinner could be a combination of about 3 1/2 ounces of grilled boneless and skinless chicken with a cup of broccoli and half a cup of brown rice. Another option is a medium baked potato with about 3 ounces of sirloin steak with a cup of boiled vegetables, and half a cup of mushrooms and a quarter cup of onions with a teaspoon of olive oil dressing. Dinner also could be half a dozen small pieces of cheese ravioli with a few tablespoons of spaghetti sauce and half a cup of stir-fried zucchini, washed down with tea, coffee, water or diet soda. Another option is 3 ounces of broiled cod with lemon juice, three-quarters of a cup of boiled beans, half a cup of sliced beets, and a lettuce, tomato, cucumber salad with vinegar and olive oil dressing, alonga cup of skimmed milk and water.
  
  

Snacks

• Snacks could include small or medium fruits, such as a banana or pear, or half a cup of grapefruit or apple, taken at most twice a day. You could replace either of these with nonfat yogurt.