Nutrition guide

What does a healthy diet look like for weight loss? What kinds of foods should be excluded from the diet for PP, how much protein, carbohydrate and fat should you eat daily?

Basic principles and rules of a healthy diet

healthy food

For optimal results, especially if you are just starting a healthy lifestyle, you can follow the MyPlate method. In other words, you divide each meal into 5 food groups. Learn more about them.

Protein

Protein should ideally make up about 20 percent of your total daily calories.

How much protein should you eat?

You should be consuming around 0. 8 to 1. 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of your body weight per day. You should try to distribute this amount over all meals and snacks throughout the day, rather than turning them into one or two meals. Protein is especially important if you are trying to lose weight by burning fat in your body. The point is, it takes more energy to break down and assimilate protein than any other macronutrient, resulting in higher calorie expenditure.

Cereals

Cereals often get a bad rap because most foods containing cereals today are industrially processed into fast carbohydrates such as sugary cereals and white breads. If you choose unprocessed grains and grains, you will immediately benefit from all the benefits of grains: energy, vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

How much grain do you need?

You need about six servings of cereal or 170 grams per day. A slice of bread and half a cup of cooked rice or pasta count as one serving. At least half of your servings should be whole grains.

Fruits

What else should you include in your diet to lose weight? Fruit. Even the fact that fruits contain sugar, specifically fructose, isn't a problem as long as you don't exceed your daily calorie intake. Your body needs fructose to stay healthy. So, fruits are naturally sweet which means they can satisfy your sugar cravings if you don't want to eat chocolates at night.

How many fruits do you need?

You should consume about two servings per day. A whole apple, orange or banana counts as one serving.

Which fruit to choose?

You should eat mostly fresh fruit and limit your intake of fruit juices and processed foods like applesauce, for example (unless you have done it yourself).

Vegetables

If you really want to know how to eat well for weight loss, just remember vegetables - your new best friend. They are high in fiber, which is good for your digestive system. They are also low in calories and low in satiety, so you can eat more vegetables than other foods and consume fewer calories at the same time, which ultimately leads to quality weight loss.

How many vegetables should you eat?

You need three to four servings.

Which vegetables to choose?

Try to eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, and asparagus. Starchy vegetables like potatoes are also beneficial. Cooking vegetables (not boiling, as this removes all nutrients) is one way to enhance the flavor if you don't like to eat them raw.

Dairy products

We consume dairy products because of their high amount of vitamins and minerals. They're high in protein, so a snack like cottage cheese is great if you need to eat something before your next full meal. Since dairy products are generally a great source of protein, they are also part of a weight loss program.

How many dairy products do you need?

Basically, you need about three servings of dairy products a day. One cup of milk or yogurt counts as one serving.

What if you can't / don't want to consume dairy products?

It is not the dairy products themselves, but their nutrients that are important for a healthy diet. So if you can't eat dairy because of allergies or lactose intolerance, or if you just don't like them, there are other potential ways to get these essential vitamins and minerals and'always achieve excellent results.

  • Broccoli, cabbage, figs and oranges are rich in calcium.
  • Dark green leafy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli), tomatoes and citrus fruits contain vitamin C.
  • Minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, and iron are found in many other foods that you already eat.
  • You can also take a daily multivitamin to fill all of these micronutrient gaps.

And the fat?

Fats and oils are no longer technically a separate food group. While on a diet, you are likely to automatically consume the fats you need to stay healthy.

And where does the fat come from?

If you eat a variety of healthy foods, you should be getting all of the healthy fats you need. But no more than 30% of your daily calories should come from fat.

The Truth About Carbs

You may have heard that not all carbohydrates (sugars) are bad. When you see the experts talking about how serious sugar is for you, they're usually talking about added sugar. This sugar is added to our foods during processing for a number of reasons and should be limited or even excluded.

However, the carbohydrates found in grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products are not harmful in moderation. You shouldn't be intimidated by this type of sugar. In your body, it turns into the energy you need to stay healthy.

How many calories should I eat per day?

How many calories should you eat

Now that you know how to eat well for weight loss, you are probably still wondering how many calories you can eat per day. Technically, you don't need to count calories if you don't want to. The norm for men and women is 2000 kcal. You can calculate your calorie needs if you really want to know and track them on a daily basis, but it all depends on what you eat and how active you are. Instead, pay attention to food types and portion sizes, as this can be a much more effective but less difficult way to get results.

Calculation of daily calorie intake for weight loss

To find out how many calories you need per day, you can use one of the calorie formulas. The most commonly used formula is Tom Venut. It looks like this:

Men: 66 + (13. 7 x body weight) + (5 x height in cm) - (6. 8 x age in years)

Women: 665 + (9. 6 x body weight) + (1. 8 x height in cm) - (4. 7 x age in years)

The resulting figure is multiplied by the coefficient of physical activity:

  • Sedentary work, sedentary lifestyle: 1. 2
  • Average stress level (morning exercises 3 times a week) 1. 38
  • Heavy loads1, 56
  • Very heavy loads1, 73
  • Really extreme (you can't take that much, don't even think. 1. 9

But if you start asking yourself questions like "Why can't you lose weight? " then it could be that the daily calorie intake is vastly overestimated and the body just doesn't need to. spend fat stores. In this case, it is better to calculate your daily calorie intake and make a menu based on the data obtained. It is especially important to know the calorie content of the diet, when the weight has stopped after achieving certain results, then it will be easier to reduce the diet by an additional 500 calories and continue to lose weight.

One portion corresponds to:

  • 100-150 grams of vegetables (the size of your fist);
  • 150 ml of dairy products;
  • 120 g of meat or fish (about the size of a palm tree; )
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil;
  • 12 grapes;
  • 1 apple, banana, orange or pear;
  • 1/2 mango or grapefruit;
  • 1/4 avocado.

Keep track of your balance

In order to lose weight without harm to health and maintain good health, harmony, the body needs enough protein, fat and carbohydrate. Approximate proportions - 75g of protein: 60g of fat: 250g of carbohydrates: 30g of fiber. Foods containing protein are sources of amino acids for building muscle fibers, maintaining healthy skin, hair, nails, fat for healthy brain and nervous system function, as well as forthe skin, and carbohydrates are a source of energy.

Does timing of meals matter?

Optional. Make it easy on yourself and eat when you're hungry, even if it's just a snack. If you'd rather eat six small meals a day rather than three large meals a day, then do so. If you like to binge on every few hours, just eat 3 times a day at a convenient time. Don't skip meals (you will end up eating, but somewhere overnight and sabotaging any potential quality results). Diet is important, but not in terms of time, but quality.

Meal and meal planning

Eat several complete, balanced meals each day while maintaining a healthy diet. The secret is to eat different foods. Below is a sample menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner to help you plan your meals.

Daily ration:

Breakfast

  • Lean Greek yogurt or oatmeal with fruit and granola
  • Half a bagel with low fat cream cheese

Lunch

  • 2 pieces of shawarma (tortilla, beef, lettuce, guacomole, sour cream)
  • 1 bowl of brown rice cooked with baked beans

Dinner

  • Small salad (lettuce, red onion, tomato, cheese, Italian vinaigrette)
  • Baked chicken breast
  • 1 bowl of green beans
  • Baked potatoes with cheese

Snack ideas

  • Celery and nut butter
  • Fresh vegetables with hummus
  • Fruit slices and whipped cream
  • Applesauce
  • Pretzel
  • Dried fruits
  • Walnuts
  • Tortilla and salsa
  • Pickled cucumbers

Shopping list

Here are some examples of healthy foods you can buy at your local grocery store. Knowing what foods to buy is part of the weight loss program.

Healthy eating:

  • Meat (steak, pork, beef)
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Eggs
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Cereals
  • Whole grain pasta
  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Whole grain bread
  • Greek yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Milk or soy milk
  • Avocado
  • Fatty fish like salmon
  • Walnuts
  • Fat yogurt

A Beginner's Guide to Healthy Eating Planning

Meal planning

Meal planning is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do to achieve weight loss results through healthy eating. Whether it's just for a day or an entire week is up to you. Properly formulated diet not only gives us the opportunity to lose weight, but it is also convenient when all dietary issues are resolved in advance. When the ingredients for a tasty and healthy dish are waiting for us at home, it becomes easier to avoid buying something harmful.

1. How many meals do you need?

First of all, let's think about our plans and the plans of our loved ones for the week. From there we can get a rough idea of ​​how many meals we need. This could be, for example: six breakfasts for all, five dinners with the family, one lunch four times and one afternoon snack.

2. How long does it take to cook?

This is a very important part of effective meal planning and is often overlooked or forgotten. You can make as many shots as you want, but if you don't have enough time to complete them, what's the point? With that in mind, expand your list with pre-prepared dinners and lunches. This means that you first need to familiarize yourself with the dishes you are going to prepare - the more information you can find about them, the easier it will be for you to find dishes that easily fit into your schedule.

If you have a tough work week ahead, watch out for quick meals, meals that can be reheated, or pre-cooked meals that can be served quickly. After all, we don't want to waste time cooking, doing it five times a day. After working once as a cook, you can immediately cook several dishes that will be eaten throughout the week. For example, make a chili or fry two chickens at once, so that it is enough for dinner today and the next. Plus, it will be a tasty and healthy addition to sandwiches and salads.

3. Selection and program of dishes

Using your list, choose meals that fit naturally into your schedule. Also watch the favorite dishes of your loved ones or flip through a cookbook. You should also consider the time of year, what is currently on sale from seasonal vegetables, and what everyone would like to eat. When planning, you should also remember the shelf life of products. For example, fish dishes should be cooked within one to two days of purchasing fish, while frozen or dry foods can be cooked later.

You also need to be able to use all the ingredients wisely so you don't have to throw anything away. This way you can save time and money. If you want to eat better and spend less money, buy seasonal produce and look for products with discounts and promotions.

Make a list of the best recipes. Having a list of meals that work for you and your family is one of the easiest ways to calculate and streamline your meal planning process. Anytime you find a recipe for a dish you love, put it on this list. You can also keep recipes in your fitness journal. This will not only help you with your diet, but will also make meal planning easier.

4. Enter whatever is in the calendar

It doesn't matter what calendar you use, whether it's on your computer screen or on the wall. But it's always best to keep a hard copy of your calendar in sight. Usually it is hung in the refrigerator. When today's meal plan is visible, we become more responsible for their preparation. Also, your family won't constantly ask, “What's for dinner today? ” They can just check the calendar.

If you prefer a digital calendar, you can create a meal plan for the day on your phone and share this menu with your friends and family.

5. Create shopping lists

This is best done at the same time as filling the calendar. Remember to write down how much of each product you need and also check how much you have left so you don't accidentally buy too much. You can save time by sorting the listed products into groups as they appear in the store. For many supermarkets this is:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Bread and cereals
  • Spices and bakery products
  • Oils
  • Crackers
  • Drinks
  • Dairy products
  • Meat and eggs

6. Preparation and preparation of meals

Chop vegetables, grate cheese, make sauces - just prepare what we can in advance. You can even measure spices, boil potatoes, or fry vegetables.

Meal planning not only puts us in a prime position for healthy eating, but it also saves us a lot of time as we can prepare ingredients while you have free time.