PROPER NUTRITION: HOW TO EAT AND LOSE WEIGHT
Quick snacks, fast food and an unbalanced diet ruin your figure. The body suffers from poor dietary habits and stores fat to conserve energy. This is how excess weight appears. Today we will tell you how to eat in order to lose weight.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PROPER NUTRITION
The main principle of proper nutrition is maintaining a balance between the consumption of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. On average, the total number of calories consumed per day is 2000. Of these, 45–65% are carbohydrates, 20–35% are fats, and 10–35% are proteins. With such a system, the body receives all the nutrients in the right doses.
In addition to proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, you need to add fiber and foods containing vitamins and minerals that the body needs for life to the menu.
In addition to maintaining a balance between minerals, it is necessary to control the number of calories consumed. Eliminate junk food from your diet: foods high in fat, flour products, fast food, sweets, carbonated drinks. Reduce the amount of salt in your diet to a minimum. The fact is that salt retains fluid in the body – this leads to edema.
The restrictions also apply to the portion size – 250-300 grams. In this case, it is necessary to eat fractionally – it is recommended to eat every 2–2.5 hours.
In addition to food, do not forget that you need to drink 2 liters of fluid daily. Water cleanses the body of toxins and removes harmful substances.
LEGENDS AND MYTHS ABOUT NUTRITION
Let’s debunk the most popular myth: there are no special foods that help you lose weight.
Losing weight occurs by burning the calories consumed. At the same time, it is not so important from what products you get energy. You can also get better on a strict chicken breast and buckwheat diet if you eat a lot.
There are no foods with negative calorie content, for the processing of which the body spends more energy than it receives. Cucumbers, celery, and cabbage are usually considered as such. In reality, the body spends about 30% of its energy value on processing any product.
WHY DIETS DON’T WORK
Don’t be fooled by the reviews for the “most effective diets”. All popular nutritional systems for weight loss are based on reducing the daily calorie intake. In some cases, for example, when restricting carbohydrates, weight can be reduced due to fluid loss, but this effect is short-lived.
The main reasons why diets are ineffective:
- Refusal to eat leads to a slowdown in metabolism.
- The diet will not add strength and muscle mass to you, but will only lead to depletion of the body.
- Express diets “lose weight by 10 kg in two days” – just a loss of fluid.
- A diet that has helped others may not work for you. In the body, everything is arranged very individually, so an improperly selected nutrition system can seriously harm your health.
HOW TO PLAN THE RIGHT DIET FOR WEIGHT LOSS
For proper weight loss, you need to carefully consider your diet. Try to eat at the same time every day. Make a schedule, including all meals, even snacks, and stick to it. Try not to skip breakfast. In the morning, hunger is not felt, but breakfast is an important ritual, thanks to which the body is energized for the whole day.
Don’t ignore your hunger. With a shortage of food, the body begins to store fat. As soon as you feel the need for food, have a small snack – eat an apple or drink a glass of kefir.
In addition to all meals, include daily exercise in your schedule. Plan your day so as not to exercise on a full stomach or, conversely, do not gorge themselves after exercise.
If you constantly think about a piece of chocolate while dieting, eat it and take it easy. Just keep yourself in control and remember that all the calories consumed will need to be burned.
IDEAL DIET FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Daily diet for weight loss is divided into 5-6 meals. It is best to steam, boil or bake food. Foods fried in fat or refined sunflower oil are prohibited. A good alternative is a flaxseed or olive oil.
The ideal breakfast menu consists of complex carbohydrates, a small amount of protein and a small serving of fruit. For lunch, you can eat vegetables or dairy products. A healthy lunch is lean meats (chicken or turkey), vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.
As an afternoon snack, we recommend having a snack with vegetables or cottage cheese. For dinner – proteins and vegetables. That being said, try not to eat a lot of potatoes, corn, beets and carrots. These vegetables raise blood sugar levels. Before going to bed, eat a portion of cottage cheese or drink a glass of kefir. This will satisfy hunger and help you fall asleep quickly.
We recommend nuts and vegetables for snacks throughout the day. If you’re feeling really hungry and it’s still a long way from your next meal, grab whole grain bread and place sliced avocado on top of it. This dish contains healthy fats and carbohydrates, from which you will not get fat. You can also eat a handful of almonds if you don’t feel like eating too much.
NUTRITIONAL ADVICE
First of all, nutrition should be balanced – it is necessary to comply with the norm of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, while not going beyond the daily calorie intake.
Nutritionists recommend keeping a food diary where you can write down everything you eat during the day. Such control will help you not to fall for prohibited foods.
Drink a glass of warm water with lemon half an hour before your first meal. This will speed up your metabolism.
Remember that while losing weight, you shouldn’t feel bad. Do not force yourself into a strict framework. Proper nutrition does not harm the body and helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.