The 21 Day Fix is a popular diet and exercise program that utilizes color-coded containers to help you portion your meals and control calories. Many people following the 21 Day Fix aim to consume around 1200 calories per day. But how many containers can you eat on the 21 Day Fix if your daily calorie target is 1200 calories? Here’s a quick overview of the 21 Day Fix containers and how many you can eat per day on a 1200 calorie diet.
21 Day Fix Container System
The 21 Day Fix utilizes 7 color-coded containers to portion your foods:
- Green container – Veggies (1 cup)
- Purple container – Fruits (1 cup)
- Red container – Proteins (3 oz)
- Yellow container – Carbs (1/2 cup)
- Blue container – Healthy Fats (1.5 tbsp)
- Orange container – Seeds and Dressings (2 tbsp)
- Teal container – Shakeology (1 scoop)
Each container represents a certain food group and contains a specified portion size. The plan recommends eating a certain number of containers from each food group daily.
21 Day Fix 1200 Calorie Plan
The typical 21 Day Fix 1200 calorie plan recommends the following number of containers per day:
- Green container – 3
- Purple container – 2
- Red container – 1
- Yellow container – 2
- Blue container – 1
- Orange container – 1
- Teal container – 1
So in total, the 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix plan includes:
- 3 green containers (3 cups veggies)
- 2 purple containers (2 cups fruit)
- 1 red container (3 oz protein)
- 2 yellow containers (1 cup carbs)
- 1 blue container (1.5 tbsp healthy fat)
- 1 orange container (2 tbsp seeds/dressings)
- 1 teal container (1 scoop Shakeology)
This combination provides a balanced distribution of macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It allows for sufficient portions of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. It also includes lean proteins, whole grain carbs, and healthy fats.
Calories Per 21 Day Fix Container
To determine how many containers you can eat within a 1200 calorie budget, it helps to know the approximate calories per container:
- Green container – 25 calories
- Purple container – 60 calories
- Red container – 150 calories
- Yellow container – 140 calories
- Blue container – 90 calories
- Orange container – 45 calories
- Teal container – 140 calories
These are estimated averages since calories will vary based on the specific foods you choose to put in each container.
Calculating Your 1200 Calorie 21 Day Fix Plan
Now that we know the typical container recommendations for 1200 calories and the average calories per container, we can calculate a sample 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix meal plan.
Based on the standard recommendations, eating 3 green, 2 purple, 1 red, 2 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange, and 1 teal container would equate to:
- 3 green containers (3 * 25 calories = 75 calories)
- 2 purple containers (2 * 60 calories = 120 calories)
- 1 red container (1 * 150 calories = 150 calories)
- 2 yellow containers (2 * 140 calories = 280 calories)
- 1 blue container (1 * 90 calories = 90 calories)
- 1 orange container (1 * 45 calories = 45 calories)
- 1 teal container (1 * 140 calories = 140 calories)
Total = 75 + 120 + 150 + 280 + 90 + 45 + 140 = 900 calories
As you can see, simply following the standard container recommendations for a 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix plan only adds up to 900 calories.
To actually reach 1200 calories, you would need to add some additional containers. Here is one way to do it:
- 3 green containers (75 calories)
- 2 purple containers (120 calories)
- 1 red container (150 calories)
- 3 yellow containers (420 calories)
- 1 blue container (90 calories)
- 1 orange container (45 calories)
- 1 teal container (140 calories)
- 1 additional yellow container (140 calories)
This totals:
75 + 120 + 150 + 420 + 90 + 45 + 140 + 140 = 1180 calories
As you can see, adding an extra yellow container brings the total up to 1180 calories, which is just under the 1200 calorie target.
The exact containers and portions may vary day to day, but this gives you a general guideline for how to achieve 1200 calories with the 21 Day Fix containers.
Sample 1200 Calorie 21 Day Fix Meal Plan
Here is a sample 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix meal plan using the container formula we calculated above:
| Container | Food | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 1 cup broccoli | 25 |
| Green | 1 cup spinach | 25 |
| Green | 1 cup kale | 25 |
| Purple | 1 cup blueberries | 60 |
| Purple | 1 cup strawberries | 60 |
| Red | 3 oz chicken breast | 150 |
| Yellow | 1/2 cup quinoa | 140 |
| Yellow | 1/2 cup oats | 140 |
| Yellow | 1/2 cup sweet potato | 140 |
| Yellow | 1/2 cup brown rice | 140 |
| Blue | 1.5 tbsp olive oil | 90 |
| Orange | 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar | 45 |
| Teal | 1 scoop plant protein powder | 140 |
| Total | 1180 |
As you can see, this meal plan uses the adjusted container counts (3 green, 2 purple, 1 red, 4 yellow, 1 blue, 1 orange, 1 teal) to create a delicious 1200 calorie day of meals and snacks. The portions are satisfying and provide a variety of whole, nutrient-dense foods.
Tips for Maximizing Your 1200 Calorie 21 Day Fix Plan
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix plan:
- Choose lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and plant-based options to maximize calories for nutrient density.
- Pick complex carbs like oats, quinoa, brown rice and starchy vegetables over refined grains.
- Load up your green container with a variety of non-starchy veggies for fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Incorporate healthy fats from oils, nuts, seeds and avocado to help absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
- Pick nutrient-packed fruits like berries and limit higher sugar varieties.
- Season your food with calorie-free herbs, spices and flavored vinegars.
- Drink plenty of water and limit beverages with extra calories.
- Measure your portions carefully using a food scale for accuracy.
- Plan your meals and containers in advance to hit your calorie target each day.
Sticking to mostly whole, minimally processed foods within your container system will help ensure you meet your health and nutrition goals on the 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix plan.
Sample 21 Day Fix 1200 Calorie Meal Plan
Here is a full day sample 1200 calorie 21 Day Fix meal plan:
| Meal | Food | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1/2 cup oats (yellow) | 140 |
| Breakfast | 1 cup blueberries (purple) | 60 |
| Breakfast | 1 tbsp almond butter (blue) | 45 |
| Breakfast | 1 scoop protein powder (teal) | 140 |
| Snack | 1 medium apple (green) | 25 |
| Lunch | 3 oz grilled chicken (red) | 150 |
| Lunch | 1 cup kale salad (green) | 25 |
| Lunch | 1/2 cup quinoa (yellow) | 140 |
| Lunch | 1 cup strawberries (purple) | 60 |
| Snack | 1.5 tbsp hummus (blue) | 45 |
| Snack | Veggies (green) | 25 |
| Dinner | 1/2 cup brown rice (yellow) | 140 |
| Dinner | 3 oz salmon (red) | 150 |
| Dinner | 1 cup roasted cauliflower (green) | 25 |
| Total | 1200 |
This provides a balanced mix of proteins, carbs, fats and vegetables and fruits throughout the day. It hits all the recommended 21 Day Fix containers for 1200 calories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about the 21 Day Fix 1200 calorie plan:
How many calories should I eat in a day?
The 21 Day Fix 1200 plan is designed for most women. Men and some active women may need around 1500 calories. Speak to your doctor about your individual calorie needs.
Can I have an extra snack if I’m still hungry?
Yes, you can add an extra green or purple snack container if needed to reach satiety. Just account for those extra calories.
What if I want to substitute containers?
The plan is designed for nutrition balance, but you can make reasonable substitutions if needed. For example, swap fruit for veggies or carbs for protein while keeping calories similar.
Can I have an occasional glass of wine or dessert?
The program recommends avoiding alcohol and sugary treats. But an occasional small indulgence won’t sabotage your results if it fits into your calories for the day.
Isn’t 1200 calories too low?
For some people yes. Use the 21 Day Fix calorie calculator to determine your needs. Men or very active women may require closer to 1500-2000 calories. Check with your doctor.
How much weight will I lose on 1200 calories?
Most women can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week eating 1200 calories and exercising. Amount of weight loss will depend on your metabolism and commitment to the program.
Conclusion
To recap, the typical 21 Day Fix 1200 calorie plan includes 3 green containers, 2 purple containers, 1 red container, around 2-4 yellow containers, 1 blue container, 1 orange container, and 1 teal container. Exact amounts may vary day to day. Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbs to maximize nutrition in 1200 calories. Adjust portions based on your individual needs and listen to your body. Combining the 21 Day Fix container system with exercise gives the best chance of losing weight and keeping it off long-term.
