How to eat right to lose weight (main principles and recipes)

Which diet should you choose to stay in shape? We talk about the principles of proper nutrition, the menu for every day and important restrictions.

Principles of healthy eating

The main principle for long-term weight loss is not to go on a diet. It has been proven that in the process of following a diet, especially if it is quite rigid, with calorie restrictions, there is a decrease in metabolism. The harder and longer the diet, the lower the metabolism. The problem is that the metabolism is very difficult to restore, it can take months and even years, and for those people who have gone through several cycles of weight loss and weight gain, the metabolism is almost impossible to restore. Therefore, in scientific dietetics there is such a thing as rational, that is, just a healthy diet for every day, and a competent dietician will advise you exactly that for weight loss.

An important principle is a long-term change of the nutritional paradigm, that is, adherence to the principles of rational nutrition throughout life, and not only for the period of weight loss. This is how people who are not prone to obesity eat. They do it unconsciously, they learned it in childhood without even knowing it was right, or they came to it intuitively. Obese people will have to learn the principles of rational nutrition at a conscious age, but it is possible.

The first rule of a rational diet is a food variety with a combination of products that contain the most important macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, biologically active substances). Dietary diversity can be symbolized by the plate rule formulated by Harvard Medical School. Half of the plate should be occupied by complex carbohydrates - vegetables and fruits, a quarter - protein products and the remaining quarter - cereal products (cereals). Milk or an acidified milk product or water is offered to the plate as a drink. There should be 3 such meals during the day.

I must say that snacks are not required, but if you feel the need for them, they are possible. 2-3 snacks per day are allowed. As a snack, there can be a variety of vegetables (carrots, turnips, daikon, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, etc. ), nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, unroasted) - 10-15 g per day, fruits (a total of 3-4 fruits per day weighing 150-200 g each), dried fruits - no more than 50 g, fermented milk products without added sugar, cottage cheese and dishes from it.

Important limitations

There are certain restrictions that should be followed by people who want to lose weight. First, we limit products that contain explicit and hidden fats. Everything is clear about explicit fats - this is fatty meat, confectionery with cream, mayonnaise, vegetable oil. And hidden fats are those foods that contain a lot of fat, but you might not even know about it. This is the danger because you do not know that you are getting an excess of fat and calories from these products. An example of such products: all meat gastronomy (sausages, frankfurters, carbonated and other meat products, dumplings, etc. ), almost all industrial baked goods (except those that contain hidden fats, since they are still mostly represented by trans fatty acids, which violate the metabolism), fast food, junk food (chips, crackers, etc. ), fatty dairy products (especially cheese), nuts and seeds, salads, vegetable side dishes seasoned with vegetable oil.

Secondly, we are aware of trans fats. These are fats that do not occur naturally, but are formed during the production of margarine and spreads, as well as in the process of industrial frying. Trans fats disrupt the metabolism, affect the state of the satiety center and may also play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. Trans fats are found in fast food and junk food, industrial baked goods as well as margarine and spreads. These products are not recommended for people who want to maintain a normal body weight.

Third, drinks. You should try to drink only drinks with a minimum calorie content: water, tea, coffee, herbal tea. You can use milk, dairy products, but no more than 2-3 portions per day. Sugary drinks should be completely eliminated, even freshly squeezed juice and sweet yogurt, as this is a source of readily available carbohydrates that do not even need to be digested, they are quickly absorbed and contribute to weight gain.

But you can eat sweets. We add them as a dessert to the main course. You can eat up to 25 grams of added sugar per day. This is about 50-100 grams of candy, depending on their composition. Exception: people with diabetes.

You can eat bread and even need it! Black, 2nd class, grain, bran. White bread is limited. One day, 3-4 slices of bread of 30 grams will be added! Bread gives a feeling of satiety, contains fibre, complete protein and B vitamins, reduces the risk of overeating and cravings for sweets. Exception: People with gluten intolerance, wheat protein allergy or celiac disease.

You must be aware of the use of alcohol. This in itself is a very high calorie product. In addition, high-calorie snacks are usually served: cheese, sweets, snacks, etc. Alcohol also increases appetite and we end up eating more than usual. Sometimes it is he who is the cause of excess weight, although a person can eat right the rest of the time and not overeat.

It is believed that the combination of food groups affects the speed and correctness of the digestion of food (and thus metabolism and weight loss). There are different methods - for example, separate nutrition, where special product compatibility tables have been developed for proper nutrition. But in fact they have nothing to do with a balanced diet that should be followed daily.

Should I drink a lot of water to lose weight?

I would like to discuss another such popular topic as the use of water. Water by itself has no effect on metabolism or calorie burning. But it can be useful in some aspects. So sometimes a person experiencing hunger is actually experiencing a feeling of thirst. Therefore, if less than 3 hours have passed after eating and you are hungry again, it is recommended to drink a glass of water, and if the feeling of hunger has passed, then it was thirsty. It is also recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of water just before or during meals. This means that the fibers in your food can absorb water and create volume in the stomach, which means that you get full quickly and you don't overeat. This is also facilitated by the consumption of drinks (water, tea) during meals, which is not at all harmful, as some patients and even doctors believe. So water must be included in the menu for proper nutrition for a week for weight loss.

Example of a weekly nutrition menu

It is very important that the diet is varied and balanced. We offer a menu with proper nutrition for each day for weight loss. In our menu, food without drinks, you can add tea, coffee without sugar or water to each meal.

Day 1

• Breakfast:oatmeal (150 g), multigrain bread (30 g), hard cheese (20 g), baked apple (150 g).
• Dinner:buckwheat soup with meatballs (200 g), rye bread (30 g), tomato and cucumber salad (100 g).
• Afternoon snack:cottage cheese 5% (50 g), walnuts (15 g), dried apricots (20 g), kefir 1% (200 g).
• Dinner:chicken baked in the oven (100 g. ), boiled potatoes (100 g. ), multigrain bread (30 g. )

Day 2

• Breakfast:cottage cheese syrniki (100 g) with apricot jam (20 g), pear (150 g).
• Dinner:chicken soup with vermicelli (150 g), vegetable salad (100 g), rye bread (30 g).
• Afternoon snack:fruit (200 g), unsweetened yogurt (100 g).
• Dinner:steamed fish meatballs (100 g. ), cherry tomatoes 50 g. , multigrain bread 30 g.

Day 3

• Breakfast:millet porridge (150 g), rye bread (2 pcs. ), avocado (80 g).
• Dinner:mushroom soup (200 g), multi-grain bread (30 g), cabbage salad with cucumbers and vegetable oil (100 g).
• Afternoon snack:cottage cheese (150 g), 1 tsp honey, baked pear (180 g).
• Dinner:stewed vegetables (200 g), boiled chicken fillet (150 g).

Day 4

• Breakfast:rye bread toast, hard cheese (20 g), banana.
• Dinner:potato soup with herring (200 g), rye bread (30 g), apple.
• Afternoon snack:fruit jelly (200 g), kefir 1% (150 g).
• Dinner:kale rolls (100 g), salad of celery, radish, cucumbers (100 g), bread 2nd grade 30 gr.

Day 5

• Breakfast:omelet of 2 eggs with vegetables, rye bread (2 pcs. ), orange.
• Dinner:pilaf with lean meat (200 g), stewed vegetables (150 g).
• Afternoon snack:yogurt (200 g), apple.
• Dinner:lean boiled meat (chicken, rabbit, veal) (250 g), fresh or pickled cucumber, 2nd class bread (30 g).

Day 6

• Breakfast:rye bread (2 pcs. ), lightly salted trout (60 g. ), avocado (80 g. ), fruit (150 g. ).
• Dinner:soup with meatballs and spinach (200 g), rye bread (30 g).
• Afternoon snack:low-fat cottage cheese (100 g), dried fruit (50 g), nuts (15 g), apple.
• Dinner:stew (100 g), boiled buckwheat (100 g), vegetable salad 100 gr.

Day 7

• Breakfast:poached eggs (100 g), tomato, grain bread (30 g), orange.
• Dinner:baked fish (200 g. ), cabbage salad or green leafy vegetables with olive oil (150 g. ), 2nd class bread (30 g. ).
• Afternoon snack:vegan cherry strudel (100 g).
• Dinner:boiled or baked fish (100 g), brown rice (100 g), stewed vegetables (100 g).

Recipes for pp from simple products

Many people think that healthy living is difficult and expensive. But it is not like that at all. There are a large number of recipes for proper nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, there are dishes that are easy to prepare at home on your own.

Green soup puree

Ingredients:

• broccoli - 400 g;
• spinach - 100 g;
• bulb of medium size;
• cream 10% - 200 g;
• vegetable or chicken broth - 200 g;
• salt to taste.

Cooking:

1. Chop broccoli, onion, pour hot broth, cook for 15 minutes.
2. Ready vegetables to get (do not pour out the broth), add spinach, chop in a blender.
3. Pour the resulting mass back into the broth, add cream, salt, cook for 10 minutes.

vegetable frittata

Ingredients:

• eggs - 5 pcs. ;
• tomatoes - 2 pcs. ;
• sweet pepper - 2 pcs. ;
• broccoli - 100 g;
• green onion - 50 g;
• cheese - 50 g.

Cooking:

1. Cut vegetables.
2. Beat eggs, add to vegetables.
3. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with chopped onions and cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Chicken with spinach

Ingredients:

• chicken fillet - 400 g. ,
• bulb - 1 pc. ,
• garlic - 1 clove,
• spinach - 40 g. ,
• salt, pepper to taste.

Cooking:

1. Cut the chicken fillet lengthwise into several pieces with a thickness of approximately 1 cm, salt and pepper.
2. Chop the onion, wash the spinach.
3. Pour 1 tbsp into a heated pan. l. butter, put spinach, sour cream, onion, garlic and salt through a press.
4. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.
5. Arrange the chicken pieces in the bottom of an ovenproof dish followed by the braised spinach and grated cheese. Bake the dish in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Oatmeal banana cookies

Ingredients:

• oatmeal - 1 cup;
• banana - 2 pcs. ;
• raisins - 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking:

1. Blend peeled, chopped bananas with flakes until smooth.
2. Add washed raisins.
3. Form round patties.
4. Place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

But what about sports?

A few words must be said about physical activity. They are necessary when you want to lose weight, and it does not have to be a visit to a sports club. Start by walking at a brisk pace, exercise at home, use the machines in the yard, dance, do yoga, do whatever you like.

In conclusion, I would like to say that one of the most important principles is to build a relationship with your body, listen to the feelings of hunger and fullness, eat mindfully, and this will help reduce body weight and maintain a healthy weight.