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

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

Proper diet for weight loss

Principles of healthy eating

The basic principle for long-term weight loss is not to diet. It has been proven that in the process of following a diet, especially if it is rather 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 recover, it can take months or 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 what is called rational, that is, just a healthy diet for every day, and a competent dietician will advise you precisely on weight loss.

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

The first rule in a rational diet is a variety of foods with a combination of products containing the main 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 (cereal) products. Milk or fermented milk product or water is offered on the plate as a beverage. 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, then 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, uncooked) - 10-15 g per day, fruits ( total3-4 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 must be followed by people who want to lose weight. First, we limit products that contain clear and hidden fats. Everything is clear about clear fats - this is fatty meat, pastry with cream, mayonnaise, vegetable oil. And hidden fats are those foods that contain a lot of fat, but you may not even know it. That's the danger, because you don't know that you're getting excess fat and calories from these products. Example of such products: all meat gastronomy (sausages, sausages, charcuterie and other meat products, pasta, etc. ), almost all industrial pastries (except those containing hidden fats, as they are still mainly represented by trans fats, which violate the metabolism), fast food, junk food (chips, crackers, etc. ), fatty dairy products (mainly cheese), nuts and seeds, salads, side dishes with vegetables seasoned with vegetable oil.

Second, watch out for trans fats. These are fats that do not exist naturally, but are formed during the preparation of margarine and spreads, as well as during the industrial frying process. Trans fats disrupt 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 minimal calorie content: water, tea, coffee, herbal teas. You can use milk, dairy products, but no more than 2-3 portions per day. Sugary drinks should be completely eliminated, even freshly squeezed juices and sweet yogurts, as they are a source of readily available carbohydrates that do not even need to be digested, 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 a day. This is about 50-100 grams of sweets, depending on their composition. Exception: people with diabetes.

You can eat bread and even need it! Black, 2nd grade, grain, bran. White bread is limited. A day requires 3-4 slices of bread of 30 grams! Bread gives a feeling of satiety, contains fiber, complete proteins and vitamins of the B complex, reduces the risk of overeating and damage to sweets. Exception: People with gluten intolerance, wheat protein allergy or celiac disease.

You need to pay attention to the use of alcohol. This in itself is a high-calorie product. In addition, high-calorie snacks are usually served with it: 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 properly the rest of the time and not overeat.

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

Do I need to 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. Thus, sometimes a person, experiencing hunger, really experiences 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 thirst. It is also recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of water shortly before or during meals. This allows the fiber in your food to absorb water and create bulk in the stomach, which makes you feel full quickly and doesn't overeat. This is facilitated by the intake of beverages (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 of the right diet for a week for weight loss.

Sample weekly food menu

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

Day 1

  • BREAKFAST:oatmeal (150 g), multi-grain 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), multi-grain bread (30 g)

Day 2

  • BREAKFAST:cheese curd (100 g) with apricot jam (20 g), pear (150 g).
  • Dinner:chicken noodle soup (150 g), vegetable salad (100 g), rye bread (30 g).
  • Afternoon snack:fruit (200 g), unsweetened yogurt (100 g).
  • Dinner:steamed fish cake (100 g), cherry tomatoes 50 g. , multi-grain 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 chutmeli, pear in the oven (180 g).
  • Dinner:boiled 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), 1% kefir (150 g).
  • Dinner:lazy cabbage rolls (100 g), salad with celery, radish, cucumbers (100 g), 2nd class bread 30 g.

Day 5

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

Day 6

  • BREAKFAST:rye bread (2 pcs. ), lightly salted trout (60 g), avocado (80 g), fruit (150 g).
  • Dinner:of 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 g

Day 7

  • BREAKFAST:poached eggs (100 g), tomato, grain bread (30 g), orange.
  • Dinner:baked fish (200 g), salad of cabbage 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), boiled vegetables (100 g).

Recipes for pp from simple products

Green soup with mashed broccoli and spinach on the healthy food menu

Many people think that living a healthy lifestyle is difficult and expensive. But this is not so at all. There are a large number of recipes for proper nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, there are dishes that are easy to cook at home yourself.

Green soup puree

Components:

  • broccoli - 400 g;
  • spinach - 100 g;
  • Medium sized lamp.
  • sour cream 10% - 200 g;
  • vegetable or chicken broth - 200 g.
  • salt to taste.

Cooking:

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

vegetable frittata

Components:

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

Cooking:

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

Chicken with spinach

Components:

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

Cooking:

  1. Cut the chicken fillet lengthwise into several pieces about 1 cm thick, salt and pepper.
  2. Chop the onion, wash the spinach.
  3. Pour 1 tablespoon into a hot pan. large. butter, put the spinach, cream, onion, garlic and salt passed through a press.
  4. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  5. Place the chicken pieces in the bottom of a pan, then the braised spinach and grated cheese. Bake the pan in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Banana-oatmeal cookies with raisins - a healthy dessert for weight loss

Components:

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

Cooking:

  1. Stir in the peeled, chopped flaked bananas until smooth.
  2. Add washed raisins.
  3. Form into round patties.
  4. Place in a greased pan. Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

But what about sports?

A few words should be said about physical activity. They are essential when losing weight and it doesn't have to be a visit to a sports club. Start by walking briskly, exercising at home, using the machines in the yard, dancing, doing yoga, doing 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 feelings of hunger and satiety, eat carefully and this will help you reduce body weight and maintain a healthy weight.