According to the survey, when asked what would make them happier, 42% of women said losing weight. And in fact, for many people, losing excess weight is the key to a happy life. It is no coincidence that more than 50% of women in developed countries follow diets.
However, despite the fact that many people dream of losing weight, making these dreams come true is not so easy. The dieters report that the most important thing here is proper nutrition and physical activity. Now let's talk about losing weight with proper nutrition at home.
Does proper nutrition help you lose weight?
Proper nutrition is one of the main elements of getting rid of extra pounds.It is very important to emphasize here
- What to eat
- if there is,
- in what quantity?
No wonder the most popular book in history says, "Take care of yourself, lest your heart be burdened by overeating. ""Yes, overeating definitely leads to unwanted weight gain and causes physical and emotional problems.
But what is the connection between weight loss and healthy eating?
- No harmful products enter the body. Such as fried cakes and hamburgers.
- Food is consumed in small portions at short intervals. As a result, the person is full and the body does not experience stress like it does when hungry.
- Food tolerance and circadian rhythms are taken into account to ensure optimal digestion and the maximum benefit of your diet.
- The action lasts for a long time, there are no failures or rollbacks. Weight loss is smooth and very physiological.
Therefore, proper nutrition for weight loss is the safest way. We are created this way. Overeating and junk food do not bring us any good.
Therefore, it is very important for weight loss and health:
- healthy food,
- in the required quantity,
- In the right time.
How much weight can you lose with the right diet?
The result here is very individual. But he will definitely be there. No special miracles are to be expected. PP is not the best option for rapid weight loss. However, the improvement in health and gradual weight loss are very gratifying and encourage us to continue.
At the beginning, people usually lose between 1 and 3 kilograms per week. But that literally takes 1-3 weeks. During this time, the body eliminates swelling and restores proper metabolism. If a person also increases their physical activity, the result becomes even clearer.
This results in an average weight loss of 3-5 kilograms per month. This is the best option from a physiological point of view. However, this only happens in the first two to three months. Then the weight loss will be less. Approximately 0. 5-1 kilograms per week. But that is also a great result. According to this scheme, you can lose up to 50 kilograms per year if you eat more of it. Great result, right? It's worth a try!
In summary:
- unnecessary weight disappears completely,
- health improves,
- The person becomes more active and positive.
Therefore, people who have learned the beauty of proper nutrition rarely give up on it later. The difference between right and wrong nutrition for health and figure is too clear.
Basic principles of proper nutrition for weight loss
- Strict diets quickly achieve amazing results. However, the kilograms lost usually return just as quickly. And PP becomes the norm of life, in which excess weight disappears more smoothly, but then no longer forms again.
- Proper nutrition allows you to eat tasty and varied meals at home without causing depression or anxiety. The menu is made accessible from simple products, no special costs are required. There are new delicious dishes every day, they are neither boring nor boring. There are no strict standards, which is why PN is often referred to as a "free diet. "
- The daily and weekly menu is compiled taking into account the presence of essential fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals. Exhaustion of the body or lack of strength are not allowed.
- Proper nutrition includes eating relatively often. There should be three main meals and two additional meals. About 25% of the daily food is consumed at breakfast, 40% at lunch, 15% at dinner and two snacks for 10%. In this mode, a person does not feel a strong feeling of hunger, he seems to be constantly full, but eats less, digestion is more efficient.
What does proper nutrition mean?
Proper nutrition means switching almost completely to healthy foods and eliminating harmful ones from the diet. The answer to the question of what proper nutrition is also means:
- eliminate unhealthy cooking options;
- make the frequency of meals as physiological as possible,
- Consider the compatibility of foods on a plate or at a meal.
These are the basics of the PP course. To a greater extent, such a plan is aimed not at weight loss, but at improving health in general, losing extra pounds is simply a bonus.
A balanced diet improves metabolism, increases performance and improves well-being. Surprisingly, many chronic diseases in people improve. Well, there are no contraindications to switching to proper nutrition.
On the contrary, this diet is invariably recommended for daily use to patients with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, problems with the musculoskeletal system and all other diseases. So we are not just talking about a weight loss menu, but a program to improve the health of the entire body.
What is proper nutrition?
Currently, nutritionists do not have a clear opinion about what constitutes proper nutrition. There are different possibilities. But most of them still agree that proper nutrition is the most organic food. It does not contain various food additives – flavor enhancers, artificial colors and flavors.
As a result, it turns out that the basis of PP is a list of products that are very simple and without chemical treatment:
- Vegetables,
- Fruit,
- Grain
This is the basis of the diet of modern healthy people. Then, if desired, dairy products and meat are added in small proportions. It's interesting, but vegetables, fruits and grains are usually considered inexpensive products and are prepared quite quickly.
The secret of the success of the health and weight loss program in the format discussed is that it is healthy nutrition on a budget: the products are simple, easily accessible, inexpensive, one could even say cheap. And these are natural products. We were originally created to eat them.
In addition, a woman or man does not have to spend a lot of time preparing complex dishes. Everything brilliant is simple. And very practical. Recipes for every day and a sample PP menu only confirm this.
And the detailed list of products recommended for easy proper nutrition is very extensive and appetizing:
- Vegetables (carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, potatoes, beets, radishes, pumpkin, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, chickpeas, corn, etc. );
- grains (buckwheat, oatmeal, barley, rye, wheat, quinoa, rice, etc. );
- Fruits (apple, pear, apricot, quince, orange, banana, pomegranate, grapefruit, melon, fig, kiwi, lemon, mango, peach, persimmon and much more);
- Berries (watermelon, barberry, cranberry, grapes, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, viburnum, cranberries, gooseberries, raspberries, sea buckthorn, etc. );
- Vegetables (spring onions, dill, parsley, basil, asparagus, oregano, rhubarb, arugula, lettuce, celery, etc. ).
According to WHO recommendations, cereals should make up 40% of the diet of modern humans. Another 40% is recommended for vegetables, 15% for fruits and herbs. And only 5% should be used for foods of animal origin (meat, dairy products, fish, seafood). We can safely say that this is a dietary food that nutritionists around the world advise all people to adhere to.
And we've specifically listed a lot of things so that people trying to lose weight don't think that if they just buy and prepare simple foods, "then there definitely won't be anything to eat. ""
What foods should you avoid when following a healthy diet?
- any canned goods,
- semi-finished and finished industrially prepared dishes,
- store-bought confectionery,
- sausage products,
- refined products (sugar, vegetable oil),
- white bread, white rice,
- mayonnaise, margarine,
- purchased sauces,
- sweet fermented milk products,
- meat broths,
- any fast food,
- Carbonated drinks.
Unfortunately, many people's weekly diet consists only of these products. They eat processed foods, canned fruits, drink soda, eat sausage, cakes and chips. They don't think it's bad. Although there will definitely be negative consequences.
The principle "What goes around comes around" works here 100%. Due to poor nutrition, there are more and more sick people in our society. What is their main problem? These are oncology, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatism. Even without losing weight, there are enough hereproblems, although obesity and overweight are the scourge of modern society.
Where to start losing weight with proper nutrition?
Of course, the hardest part of losing weight is getting started. Therefore, now we will find out where to start and how to switch to the type of diet discussed.
The unlimited and free weight loss program in the initial phase offers:
- Set your goals correctly. This will be the answer to the question of how to adapt to a new way of eating. Perhaps someone's goal is a certain number of lost kilograms, someone's goal is a disease that they would like to get rid of, and someone's goal is simply not to get sick for as long as possible and to have a healthy appearance. Everything is individual. However, you should not focus on quick weight loss, but rather on a systematic approach to get yourself in the right shape.
- Set screensavers on your phone and computer to images or photos that motivate you and reflect the essence of your dreams. For girls, for example, this could be a photo of themselves in a swimsuit before they became overweight, or just a beautiful, athletic woman that they would like to be.
- A nutritionist's advice is to collect information about unhealthy and healthy foods. Understand the impact our diet has on the body – positive or negative. Understand healthy and unhealthy foods and dishes. The more clearly you understand the essence of the process, the easier it will be for you to get used to the new diet. Then the new rules will not seem like a burden to you, but you will understand their advantages.
- It is recommended that you download certain applications to your phone. For example, we can talk about "helpers" when counting calories in food, about the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in it. Since PP also requires drinking enough water, it is recommended to install an appropriate reminder program. In addition, there are appsproven to remind you of your meal plan.
- Start keeping a food diary. You write down what, when and how much you ate. There you can also record the results of your new diet, create a menu, plan what you will cook every day, and plan dishes by days of the week.
- In addition to adjusting to a new eating routine, plan enough time for physical activity. Integrate specific sports exercises into your lifestyle, among other things. They make your body even healthier and more attractive. Also adjust your sleep schedule. You should sleep at night and be awake during the day. Such a complex of PP, treatment and physical activity allows you to achieve the desired results faster and more efficiently.
How to create a proper nutrition plan?
After you have done everything necessary to live with proper nutrition, you need to move on to the actual process. But in order for everything to run smoothly, a little preparation is required. A weekly diet should be drawn up, indicating the dishes for each day. How to choose it? Now we will explain it to you step by step.
First stage
You need to determine how many calories you need to burn each day. For this calculation you can use ready-made tables, which are available in sufficient quantities on the Internet. The main thing is that the energy value of food corresponds to the cost of the body.
If you are overweight, the total calorie content of meals per day should not exceed 1000 kcal. According to the norm, for people with normal weight and moderate activity, the average daily energy value is 1200-1500 kcal. And if a person does a lot of physical activity during the day, his daily diet should be between 1600 and 1900 kcal.
Second phase
Daily calorie intake is divided by the number of meals. The best option here would be five meals a day. If you need to eat 1000 kcal worth of food per day, then conditionally it is 200 kcal per meal.
But we have already said that with PN it is better to stick to the "three main and two additional meals". If you follow a pattern of five meals a day in which breakfast makes up 25% of the total daily diet, lunch 40%, dinner 15% and two other snacks of 10% each, then in terms of calories it looks like this:
- Breakfast – 250 kcal,
- first snack – 100 kcal,
- Lunch – 400 kcal,
- second snack – 100 kcal,
- Dinner – 150 kcal.
This means there is no strong feeling of hunger, which is important for the psyche and is the best option for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Third section
The best time to eat is determined. Recommendations from nutritionists are here:
- Breakfast - from 6: 00 to 8: 00.
- First snack – from 9: 00 a. m. to 12: 00 p. m.
- Lunch – from 1: 00 p. m. to 3: 00 p. m.
- Second snack – from 4: 00 p. m. to 5: 00 p. m.
- Dinner – from 6: 00 p. m. to 8: 00 p. m.
The timings are, of course, approximate, everyone can choose the most suitable option, but the main thing is:
- the intervals between meals should not exceed 3 hours,
- There is no need to overeat at night.
And don't be afraid of the last point. You quickly get used to it. Especially if sleep in this mode is of the highest quality and the person looks good and full of energy in the morning.
Fourth stage
A specific menu is created for each meal for each day of the week. At the same time, the menu should be varied, and the dishes should be appetizing and desirable. The Internet will also help you here, where there are many menu options available for free.
Also in this article below we offer an inexpensive sample menu, the dishes of which will be both tasty and healthy. There you can clearly see what you can cook and what you should avoid. Well, there are many ways to prepare food in a way that does not harm yourself but brings the maximum benefit to the body and emotions.
At the same time, the diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates as well as minerals and vitamins. They should be present in dishes, you just have to be a little confused and count them.
According to the standard, proteins, fats and carbohydrates must correspond to the ratio 1: 1: 4. Also, the calculation is based on the fact that per 1 kg of weight a person needs:
- Proteins – 1. 5-2 grams,
- Fat – 0. 5 grams,
- Carbohydrates – 2. 5-3 grams.
Fifth stage
The volume of the portions is given in grams. Yes, the main thing here is that the portions are small. Usually their volume is 200-300 grams. This is enough for an adult to eat, but not to overeat. Again, this usually corresponds to the volume of the stomach that can hold about two fists of compressed food. So, from a physiological point of view, this approach is the most correct.
After drawing up a weekly menu, all you have to do is stick to the established schedule and prepare dishes according to the prepared "price list". Only at first glance it may seem difficult. However, a conscious approach to food will quickly justify itself with the pounds lost, lightness in the body and good health.
You quickly get used to such a system and literally after 2-3 weeks, creating a daily and weekly menu is more fun than stressful.
Additional advice from a nutritionist
- Imagine the transition to proper nutrition as a kind of exciting gastrotour that will bring you only positive emotions. If the approach is exactly this, then the attitude towards the process is no longer "necessary" but "I want". Let's cook and eat for fun!
- Drink more water. It accelerates metabolic processes and removes harmful substances from the body more quickly. Water also quenches thirst, which many today perceive as a craving for food. A good rule applies here: if you want to eat, drink a glass of water, and if the craving hasn't gone away after 20 minutes, then eat. But most of the time you don't want to eat at the "wrong" time, you just want to drink.
- Don't skip meals. Otherwise, you will feel more hungry. The body goes into stress mode and starts accumulating fat stores again "for a rainy day. "
- Discover a new world of interesting products and dishes. Use more spices and herbs. They make food tastier and healthier. In general, the diet should be as varied and interesting as possible.
- Replace unhealthy sugar with honey, sweets with dried fruits, white rice with brown rice. When baking, use wholemeal flour, pasta made only from it or spelled and make your own sourdough instead of rapid yeast.
- It is recommended to eat for the last time 3-4 hours before bedtime. And if you want to eat, you're better off just drinking some water. If this doesn't help, you can solve the problem with a cup of your favorite herbal tea. Or eat something light – for example vegetables and fruit. And gradually shift the timing of administration further away from sleep.
- Choose your products carefully. Prefer natural foods. If you still decide to buy something that says "ingredients" on it, then study it carefully. And remember: the shorter it is, the more beneficial it is for the body. Give preference to simple vegetables, fruits and grains. You can never go wrong with this one.
- Remember that fatty, fried and high-calorie foods are no longer suitable for you. Braise, boil, bake, steam, but not fry. When frying, firstly, a lot of high-calorie vegetable or animal oil is used, which secondly usually turns into harmful carcinogens that cause cancer.
- Chew your food thoroughly. Do not watch TV or use gadgets while eating. Bon appetit. Then you will eat much less and have more fun.
Menu for a week with proper nutrition
We present you an indicative menu for the week. It is based on the following principles:
- The diet should be healthy but tasty and the dishes should be varied. In this case, we will also focus on their budget option. So that they are accessible to as many people as possible.
- Since the body needs energy, vitamins and minerals in the morning, vegetable salads, cereals, cottage cheese and (or) fruits are an excellent option.
- At lunchtime, the digestive system is ready to process large amounts of food. Here you can use meat dishes with side dishes from cereals and vegetables, soups and vegetable salads.
- At the end of the day, when digestive processes slow down, fish, steamed vegetables and fermented milk products are a good alternative.
- Vegetable salads, nuts, fruits, sandwiches made from whole grain bread and healthy "side dishes" make great snacks. At the same time, snacks are only slightly behind breakfast and dinner in terms of calories. They can be considered complete meals.
And now the menu itself
Monday
- Breakfast – buckwheat with vegetables, green tea with lemon.
- The first snack consists of an apple and a pear.
- Lunch – vinaigrette, vegetable soup with turkey, berry compote without sugar.
- The second snack is sandwiches made from whole grain bread with low-fat cheese slices and herbal tea.
- Dinner – rice with vegetables and cod, cabbage, cucumber and tomato salad, rosehip broth.
Tuesday
- Breakfast – wheat porridge, a piece of cheese, green tea.
- The first snack is a banana and kiwi.
- Lunch – soup with mushrooms, stewed rabbit with vegetables, berry juice without sugar.
- The second snack is a spicy carrot salad, whole grain bread, herbal tea.
- Dinner – pike perch with vegetables, rose hips and apple compote.
Wednesday
- Breakfast – cottage cheese with berries (strawberries, raspberries), green tea.
- The first snack is a banana and a pear.
- Lunch – pureed pea soup, fresh cabbage and carrot salad.
- Second snack – cottage cheese, tea with honey.
- Dinner – vegetable stew with pollock, green tea with lemon.
Thursday
- Breakfast – oatmeal with banana, herbal tea.
- The first snack is an apple and an orange.
- Lunch – salad of raw carrots, beets and apples, chicken breast with stewed vegetables, green tea.
- The second snack is sandwiches made from whole grain bread and cheese.
- Dinner – cheesecake in the oven with sour cream, rosehip broth.
Friday
- Breakfast - omelette, cabbage and pepper salad.
- The first snack is kiwi and apple.
- Lunch – pink salmon fish soup, cabbage and carrot salad, green tea.
- The second snack is cottage cheese with banana.
- Dinner – chicken and vegetable casserole, fruit tea.
Saturday
- Breakfast – barley porridge with vegetables, herbal tea with lemon.
- The first snack is carrot salad with raisins.
- Lunch – cucumber and tomato salad, turkey with bulgur and vegetables.
- The second snack is low-fat yogurt without artificial additives.
- Dinner – Navaga with vegetables, beet salad with garlic and prunes.
Sunday
- Breakfast – scrambled eggs with vegetables, whole grain bread, green tea.
- The first snack is a pear and an orange.
- Lunch – Caesar salad, borscht, fruit tea.
- The second snack is sandwiches made from whole grain bread and cottage cheese with herbs.
- Dinner – brown rice with vegetables and carp.
Recipes from the healthy eating series
Finally, we give two more recipes. They also belong to the range of proper nutrition. Quick, easy, cheap and the dishes are very tasty and healthy.
Salad made from raw carrots, beets and apples
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- carrots - half of a medium-sized root vegetable,
- apple - half of a medium-sized fruit,
- Beets - half of a medium-sized root vegetable,
- Greens - as desired, mint also works well here,
- apple cider vinegar or lemon juice - 1 tablespoon,
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon,
- Salt, pepper - to taste.
Preparation:
- Peel the carrots and beets and grate them on a coarse grater along with the apple.
- Chop the greens finely and mix with the remaining ingredients.
- Add apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
The dish is ready! The cooking time is only 10 minutes. But very tasty and healthy. It is also popularly known as broom salad. Optionally, you can also add sauerkraut, garlic and ginger here. The result is an exceptional taste.
Braised rabbit with vegetables
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- Rabbit – 0. 5 kg,
- Carrots – 0. 5 kg,
- Onions – 0. 5 kg,
- Zucchini – 0. 2 kg,
- Paprika – 0. 2 kg,
- Tomato – 0. 3 kg,
- water – 300 ml,
- ground black pepper or any favorite spice, salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Cut the rabbit meat into portions. Simmer in a little water for about 20 minutes.
- While the meat is stewing, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots, grate on a coarse grater, peel the onions and cut them into small cubes. We also cut the zucchini, peppers and tomatoes into small cubes.
- Add vegetables to the rabbit meat, cover with a lid and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add spices. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
The total cooking time is approximately 1 hour. But most of the time the dish cooks itself. And it takes literally half an hour to prepare and add the ingredients. Using the same principle, you can prepare fish or any meat, including chicken, in combination with any vegetables of your choice. Everything will be very tasty and healthy.
Bon appetit! We wish you to integrate proper nutrition into your life, improve your health, lose extra pounds and ultimately become happier. You can do it!