Some people follow 1,200-calorie diet plans to promote fat loss and reach their goal weight as quickly as possible. While it’s true that cutting calories is an effective way to lose weight,, There are plenty of ways to preserve lean muscle mass while you’re losing weight. The most obvious one is resistance training, which can help build and maintain muscle, and includes everything from lifting weights to body-weight exercises to Pilates class., Consuming only 1,200 calories per day is simply not enough for many adults and can lead to a slower metabolism and nutritional deficiencies (more on that later). Mediterranean Diet. This, Given the average woman requires 2100 calories to maintain a healthy weight, the 1,200 calorie diet should be a sizeable yet manageable caloric deficit for most. That said, eating 1,200 calories may mean a mild reduction in calorie intake for some, yet quite drastic and unhealthy for others., Consuming too many calories can cause weight gain and other health problems. Poor eating choices can raise blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels. High-calorie foods with few to no nutrients, For example, a lower intake of protein could lead to the loss of some lean body mass (muscle and bone). This might mean that you’ll be at risk for developing osteoporosis or other conditions that are associated with the deterioration of muscles and bones (3)..