Healthy eating: what you can eat. Healthy food recipes Proper nutrition healthy food

Healthy eating: what you can eat.  Healthy food recipes Proper nutrition healthy food
Healthy eating: what you can eat. Healthy food recipes Proper nutrition healthy food

How to start eating right is a question that worries many today. The popularization of a healthy lifestyle and careful attention to our body has made us more responsible in terms of choosing the products that end up on our table. Another thing is that all this sounds good only in theory.

In fact, an irregular work schedule, weekly meetings with friends at the bar, skipping meals and the need to snack on the run force us to put off a healthy lifestyle until better times. But we know what to do: this material contains everything you need to know to switch to proper nutrition.

Maintain balance

The best diet is a balanced diet. That is, you should consume enough fat, protein and carbohydrates, eat 4-5 times a day and keep your portions small. Do not deny yourself pleasures, but replace store-bought desserts with yogurt with fresh fruit, homemade granola (oatmeal + honey + nuts) or smoothie with banana.

In addition, try to cook yourself, but do not resort to delivery services and fast food products - this way you will not be able to control the amount of oil and salt used.

Watch your calories

Calories are the energy contained in food. The more active you lead, the more important your caloric intake should be (and vice versa). The number of calories you need per day also depends on age, gender and certain characteristics of the body, including pregnancy, breastfeeding and a number of chronic diseases. Here are the general rules:

Women and older people - 1600-2000 calories per day;

Active women and less active men - 2000-2400 calories per day;

Active men - 2400-3000 calories per day.

You don't have to count every calorie you eat; it can turn healthy eating into an unpleasant chore and forever discourage you from trying again. But if you have a rough idea of ​​the caloric content of each dish in your diet, this will help you learn how to create a healthy menu without additional effort.

Listen to yourself

Nutritionists say that if you are just starting your journey to proper nutrition, it will be useful to adopt a “trick” that is typical for children. Thus, young children eat only when they are really hungry and stop when they feel full.

Adults tend to ignore these signals: we continue to eat even when we do not feel hungry (for example, when we are bored, cold or sad). This, in turn, threatens overeating, breakdowns, and in the long term, loss of the ability to notice signals of satiety and the risk of obesity.

Remember that:

Hunger- this is when you want to eat something. The body sends a signal to the brain indicating that the stomach is empty and blood sugar levels are low. Symptoms of hunger may include slight stomach cramps or rumbling. A person is able to ignore hunger for a while, but the longer this continues, the less able to concentrate on anything other than food he becomes.

Saturation- this is a feeling of satisfaction. Saturation occurs when the stomach sends a signal to the brain that it is satisfied, and you can rest assured about your well-being for 3-4 hours.

Appetite- this is the desire to feel the taste of food, as well as the pleasure that we get from our favorite dishes. Appetite is usually associated with the senses of sight and smell, as well as thoughts about food.

Add variety

Eating a variety of foods will help you get all the nutrients you need without resorting to supplements like vitamin supplements. Let's remember that our body needs a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in order to receive enough energy for work and rest. It is these elements that help our heart beat, our muscles function normally, and our brain stay active.

Best sources of nutrients:

Unsaturated fats: olive and rapeseed oil, nuts and fatty fish;

Carbohydrates: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (peas, beans and lentils) and low-fat dairy products;

Lean Protein: all types of fish, skinless poultry, dairy products and legumes;

Add to this minerals (so you shouldn’t give up salt, but you should reduce the amount) and water (you need to drink at least two liters of water a day).

In addition to nutrients, food contains other elements that are essential for health:

Fibers that help control blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and are also responsible for normal intestinal function. They can be obtained from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts;

Phytochemicals are active components of plants that can counteract cancer cells;

Antioxidants, also found in fruits and vegetables, protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Remember moderation

Moderation is the key to a healthy and balanced diet. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt, sugar or calories, limit the amount or look for healthy alternatives.

Healthy eating has long occupied an important place in people's lives. Modern canons of beauty are increasingly inclined to believe that a person should not only be slim and fit, but, first of all, healthy. Therefore, harsh short-term methods, based on significant dietary restrictions and creating stress for the body, are confidently being replaced by gentle ones, which, along with normalizing body weight, improve the health of the body and rejuvenate the appearance. A “classic of the genre” in such weight loss is the “Healthy Eating” diet, the name of which directly speaks of its focus. This very clear and simple, but very effective system allows you to lose weight without starving, without experiencing discomfort and without limiting the intake of all necessary substances, vitamins, micro- and macroelements into the body. It is suitable for people of all ages and fits perfectly into their usual lifestyle.

Principles and rules

At its core, a healthy diet for weight loss is a proper balanced diet of healthy foods. It does not give quick results, but the lost kilograms go away and never come back. Moreover, excess weight will go away without causing any negative feelings, but, on the contrary, improving overall well-being and psycho-emotional state. This technique helps even those who constantly fail on other diets, since it is absolutely not associated with hunger.

The main task that the “Healthy Food” diet solves is the comprehensive elimination of the problem of excess weight, its consequences and related diseases. But To achieve the best possible result, you must strictly follow the established rules:

  1. Stick to a 5-meal diet, eating every 3 hours. However, it is not necessary to eat strictly according to a set schedule. You need to listen to your body’s signals - if you feel hungry, you can reschedule your meal and have a snack or a full meal.
  2. Reduce portion sizes - a single amount of food should not exceed 300 g. To control the volume, plates should be replaced with saucers. If the next meal is missed, you cannot increase the portion. And if the feeling of hunger appears earlier than 3 hours later, then the amount of food should be reduced to 150–200 g.
  3. Consume carbohydrates and other high-calorie foods in the first half of the day. Then the energy received will be completely consumed and nothing will be stored in fat reserves. In general, the scheme should be as follows: for breakfast and lunch - complex carbohydrates (porridge, fruits); for lunch and afternoon snack - vegetables, fiber, protein; for dinner – mostly protein.
  4. For snacks between these five meals, it is recommended to use nuts (necessarily without additives), but in small quantities (no more than a handful), since they are very high in calories.
  5. It is necessary to have a full breakfast no later than 2 hours after waking up. On the contrary, have dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime and very lightly.
  6. The menu should be varied. There is no need to prepare dishes for future use, since only freshly prepared dishes retain the entire range of useful components.
  7. Follow the rules of heat treatment - steam or boil in water, simmer, bake without oil. Frying with added fat is completely avoided.
  8. Drink 1.5–2 liters of clean water throughout the day. You can determine the optimal volume for yourself by multiplying your own weight by 0.3 liters.
  9. Eat food slowly, savoring every bite with pleasure. You can't eat on the go.
  10. Once a week, do a “load” - eat a small portion of one forbidden food. This will help prevent breakdowns.
  11. Increase calorie expenditure in every possible way - do not use the elevator, walk more, do exercises, play sports.

The rules of a healthy eating diet are simple and do not require any special effort to follow. But the effectiveness of the entire technique and how useful it will be depends entirely on the strict implementation of each. By changing your eating habits and lifestyle in accordance with these recommendations, you can lose up to 3-5 extra pounds in a month.

The system has no contraindications, since it is a proper diet. For some people, it may simply not be suitable due to the need to eat a therapeutic diet for certain diseases.

Sample menu

In addition to following these rules, when switching to a healthy diet, you should eliminate or minimize the consumption of prohibited foods and eat mainly permitted ones.

You should completely avoid the following foods and drinks:

  • chips, sweet soda;
  • alcohol and its derivatives;
  • baking;
  • pickles;
  • mayonnaise;
  • packaged juices;
  • fatty meat, lard;
  • sausages, semi-finished products;
  • refined sugar.

To follow a truly healthy diet for weight loss, the menu must be compiled using:

  • lean meats and fish;
  • fermented milk products, milk;
  • vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits;
  • cereals;
  • baked goods and breads made from whole grain flour;
  • unsweetened drinks - tea, herbal infusions, fruit drinks, compotes.

It’s easy to create a daily diet yourself, adjusting it to your personal taste preferences. You can give preference to your favorite dishes, and refuse your least favorite ones, even if they are allowed.

You can use the following examples of basic meals to help you understand a healthy diet plan and make it easier to design your weekly menu.

Breakfast options:

  • porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, millet) with water or milk with the addition of pieces of fruit, dried fruit, and a small amount of honey;
  • boiled eggs (2 or 3 pieces), vegetable salad with a dressing of unrefined olive (linseed) oil or natural yogurt, a couple of slices of hard cheese;
  • steamed omelette of 2-3 eggs with milk, 50 g of hard cheese, orange juice;
  • scrambled eggs from 2-3 eggs with slices of tomatoes, fruit salad with natural yogurt dressing;

Lunch options:

  • baked apples stuffed with cottage cheese and raisins;
  • carrot-apple casserole;
  • raw fruits - apple, pear, banana, plums;
  • fruit smoothies;
  • kefir or yogurt with berries, fruits, dried fruits.

Lunch options:

  • lean soup with mushrooms or cereals, meat stewed in its juice, steamed asparagus;
  • meat broth, boiled meat, raw vegetable salad;
  • fish soup, boiled fish, boiled vegetable salad;
  • vegetable stew with rice, cabbage salad with herbs and sour cream;
  • durum wheat pasta with cheese and tomato sauce, seafood.

Afternoon snack options:

  • fruit and vegetable or vegetable smoothie;
  • kefir, yogurt, curdled milk with bran;
  • cottage cheese with various additives, preferably with herbs and spices;
  • cereal bread with hard cheese;
  • sandwiches made from whole grain bread and homemade boiled pork.

Dinner options:

  • boiled or baked veal with stewed vegetables;
  • grilled fish, beet salad;
  • chicken in its juice, boiled beans in tomato sauce;
  • salad of boiled vegetables and eggs with canned tuna;
  • assorted seafood.

It is important to always have something healthy with you so that if you need a snack you don’t have to buy cookies or fast food. The best ones for this are:

  • nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts);
  • dried fruits;
  • fruits;
  • whole grain breads or buns;
  • yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese without additives.

The diet must include a small amount (1–2 tbsp) of cold-pressed vegetable oil. It can be added to salads or other prepared meals, which will help prevent many health and appearance problems.

TOP 5 healthy diets

The issue of achieving optimal weight and proportions without harm to health interests not only nutritionists, but also the world community. Therefore, a rating of the best diets is determined annually, with the help of which it is possible to achieve the maximum effect in losing weight while simultaneously improving the health of the body. Based on the results of 2016, the best diets for a healthy diet were determined, the TOP 5 of which included:

  • diet "2016";
  • Dr. Ionova’s technique;
  • "Model Diet";
  • system of Margarita Koroleva;
  • The “correct” diet.

This list does not include strict mono-diets or “miracle-speed” weight loss programs based on synthetic drugs. The ranking is dominated only by methods developed by renowned nutritionists based on a wide range of natural products. It is with this approach that the body is fully saturated with everything it needs, thanks to which it begins to work like a well-oiled mechanism and independently gets rid of everything unnecessary.

Diet "2016"

The healthy eating diet, considered the best by experts, was proposed by Australian nutritionists. It provides beneficial yet fastest weight loss compared to other health-based weight loss systems.

Rules and principles

The essence of the “2016” methodology is a clear division of products into 3 categories:

  • completely excluded;
  • consumed in limited quantities;
  • forming the basis of the diet.

Products from the first category are forbidden, so you need to forget about them, from the second category - you can include them in the menu no more than 3 times a week. The third category is the main food for the period of weight loss.

All other requirements do not differ from the general rules given above. The most important of them are recommendations for drinking enough clean water and preparing dishes without oil.

Sample menu

There is no special menu in the Australian method “2016”. It must meet the specified requirements, and the diet must be compiled in accordance with the list of permitted and prohibited foods.

Completely excluded:

  • chocolate, sugar;
  • bread, muffins, cookies, white flour products;
  • dried fruits, honey;
  • fast food, chips;
  • sweet soda;
  • alcohol.

Can be consumed 3 times a week:

  • potato;
  • cereals;
  • fruits, berries;
  • fatty meats and fish;
  • milk;
  • hard cheeses.

Basic diet products:

  • vegetables;
  • eggs;
  • cottage cheese, kefir;
  • lean meats and fish;
  • seafood.

Doctor Ionova's technique

The weight loss program of one of the best Russian nutritionists Lidia Ionova is a professionally developed healthy diet aimed at treating excess weight. The method is based on adherence to a proper balanced diet, which ensures smooth weight loss, the speed of which complies with WHO standards.

Rules and principles

The basis for normalizing body weight, according to Dr. Ionova, should be correct eating habits that help you switch to a healthy diet, which in turn is designed to ensure weight loss and maintenance. All these principles are outlined by a nutritionist in the book “Healthy Habits,” which talks not only about losing weight, but also about rethinking your behavior and lifestyle.

The essence of Dr. Ionova’s diet is to follow 5 main rules:

  1. The problem of excess weight must be solved comprehensively in order to maintain health during the period of weight loss and consolidate stable results in the future.
  2. Weight loss should be gradual, without sudden jumps, since it is significant weight fluctuations that negatively affect the state of the body and psyche.
  3. The process of normalizing weight should be comfortable - eliminating strict restrictions on the menu and providing freedom of choice of certain permitted products.
  4. The diet should be organized in such a way as to ensure the formation of correct eating habits, which will subsequently prevent a return to “harmful” food.
  5. The goal of all activities should be long-term preservation of the results obtained.

The advantages of Dr. Ionova’s technique include:

  • no strict restrictions on food choice;
  • safe weight loss with further preservation of the obtained indicators;
  • improved health, increased energy and performance.

Sample menu

A healthy diet plan for weight loss according to the principles of Dr. Ionova is a food pyramid consisting of foods whose glycemic index does not exceed 50 units. If this indicator is higher, the products are completely excluded from the menu. In addition, Ionova’s food pyramid takes into account the time during which certain foods are consumed:

  • breakfast (until 11:00) – cereals: brown rice, legumes, oatmeal, barley (except corn);
  • lunch (11:00–14:00) – seafood, fish, meat;
  • lunch (14:00–17:00) – milk, fermented milk products;
  • afternoon snack (17:00–19:00) – raw fruits, berries (except mango and watermelon);
  • dinner (19:00–23:00) – vegetables (except potatoes).

Daily consumption of fat-containing foods (fats, oils, nuts) should not exceed 20 g. The required amount of water is determined at the rate of 30 ml per 1 kg of weight.

First day:

  • breakfast - pearl barley, salted to taste and seasoned with butter;
  • lunch - boiled shrimp;
  • lunch - kefir;
  • afternoon snack - oranges;
  • dinner – stewed vegetables (bell peppers, tomatoes).
  • breakfast – buckwheat porridge with salt and butter;
  • lunch – grilled fish fillet, greens;
  • lunch - fermented baked milk;
  • afternoon snack - apples;
  • dinner - baked or boiled broccoli with salt, greens.
  • breakfast - instant oatmeal with salt and butter;
  • lunch – boiled veal;
  • lunch – cottage cheese with sour cream;
  • afternoon snack - pears;
  • dinner - tomato salad with leafy vegetables.

Fourth:

  • breakfast – lentil puree with salt (no butter);
  • lunch – chicken breast;
  • lunch - milk;
  • afternoon snack - persimmon;
  • dinner - cabbage and carrot salad, salted and seasoned with flaxseed oil.
  • breakfast – rice porridge with butter and salt;
  • lunch – steamed fish fillet with salt;
  • lunch - yogurt;
  • afternoon snack – pineapple;
  • dinner – beetroot salad with garlic and lemon juice.
  • breakfast – millet porridge (salted);
  • lunch - boiled squid;
  • lunch – milk drink;
  • afternoon snack - kiwi;
  • dinner – cucumber salad with herbs and flaxseed oil.
  • breakfast - bean puree, seasoned with butter and salt;
  • lunch – boiled lamb;
  • lunch - fermented baked milk;
  • afternoon snack – apricots;
  • dinner – grilled vegetables.

This menu is completely balanced in terms of nutrients, is not too strict, but allows you to lose up to 7 kg in a week. Many obese patients who could not lose weight using other methods lost up to 20 kg in 1 month using Dr. Ionova’s method. In addition, after completing the course, they had no desire to return to their usual diet.

Diet of models

In third place in the ranking of useful weight loss programs is one of the varieties of so-called model diets. Unlike rigid express methods with the same name, this weight loss program is characterized by variety, satiety and ease of adherence. She is followed by such recognized symbols of female beauty as Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz.

Rules and principles

With all these benefits during the period of weight loss, it is imperative to maintain certain proportions in the daily diet. The nutrition plan uses a diagram in the shape of a triangle, at the base of which are complex carbohydrates in their healthy variety:

  • whole grain cereals;
  • bran bread;
  • durum wheat pasta.

The products are listed above in the following order:

  • vegetables fruits;
  • unrefined vegetable oil;
  • nuts, seeds;
  • fermented milk products, milk.

All this is used daily. In addition, some product categories are included in the menu in a more limited manner:

  • lean meats, poultry, fish – 5 times a week;
  • eggs – every other day;
  • potatoes - once a week.

Since the healthy diet of models is intended for show business figures, if it is followed, it is allowed to drink dry red wine 2 times a day - a glass for lunch and dinner.

You also need to follow some rules:

  1. Eat 5 times a day - 3 of them full meals (main meals), plus 2 light snacks.
  2. There are no restrictions on portion sizes, but you should not overeat.

The advantage of this diet is the presence of a large amount of fiber in vegetables and cereals, which form the basis of the diet. It provides quick satiety and a long-lasting feeling of fullness. At the same time, a variety of permitted foods helps to avoid breakdowns typical of other weight loss methods.

Sample menu

There can be an infinite number of menu options for such a healthy diet. But to understand the principle of its compilation, you can use the example below.

First day:

  • breakfast – whole grain cereal with yogurt, apple;
  • lunch – grilled vegetables, baked fish, dry red wine (can be replaced with fresh wine);
  • dinner – vegetable salad, cheese, dry red wine (can be replaced with a glass of fresh juice).
  • breakfast – milk porridge, whole grain toast with cheese;
  • lunch – egg and tomato salad with herbs, boiled rice, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner – grilled fish with herbs, dry red wine (fresh).
  • breakfast – fruit and yoghurt salad;
  • lunch - vegetables, pasta with seafood and butter, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner - steamed or grilled meat with olives, herbs and butter, dry red wine (fresh).

Fourth:

  • breakfast - sandwiches with boiled pork, vegetable salad with herbs and butter;
  • lunch – seaweed with boiled squid rings, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner - boiled rice with spicy seasonings and herbs, dry red wine (fresh).
  • breakfast - omelet with slices of tomato, olives and herbs;
  • lunch – pasta with grated cheese, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner – vegetable stew with lentils, dry red wine (fresh).
  • breakfast – oatmeal, grapefruit;
  • lunch – lean soup, seafood, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner – grilled fish with vegetables, dry red wine (fresh).
  • breakfast - boiled eggs, cheese, bread;
  • lunch – boiled rice with vegetables, dry red wine (fresh);
  • dinner – vegetable stew with chicken, dry red wine (fresh).

For snacks between main meals, you can consume kefir, milk, fruits, and nuts.

The main disadvantage of the healthy version of the models’ diet is considered to be its high cost, since the required components - cold-pressed olive oil, seafood, fresh vegetables, cheese - are classified as expensive. However, such an opinion is only a stereotype. After all, semi-finished products, sauces, meat, sausages, which are excluded by the rules of this method, are not much cheaper. Moreover, if you add the costs of treating diseases caused by obesity or improper consumption of foods, the models' healthy diet will be quite affordable.

Margarita Koroleva's system

Margarita Koroleva is the author of many books and the creator of a large number of weight loss techniques. The Queen is also called a “star” nutritionist, since she has been preparing dietary diets for many domestic show business stars for more than 20 years. One of the most famous methods of Margarita Koroleva, designed for quick and healthy weight loss, is a nine-day diet, which allows you to lose up to 10 kg of excess weight without harm to the body. However, it should be borne in mind that, despite its safety and balance, the weight loss system according to Margarita Koroleva is quite difficult to tolerate.

Rules and principles

This technique is incredibly easy to follow because it is based on eating only three dishes:

  • boiled rice;
  • chicken meat, which can be replaced with fish;
  • vegetables, raw or cooked.

But they should not be consumed at the same time, but on different days. It turns out 3 mono-diets - rice, protein and vegetable, each lasting 3 days.

For 9 days you need to follow several rules:

  • completely avoid salt;
  • drink 2.5 liters of clean water (evenly throughout the day);
  • start the morning with a glass of water (20 minutes before breakfast).

In addition, there are separate rules regarding the preparation of the menu for each trimester.

Sample menu

Each mono-diet that makes up Margarita Koroleva’s system has a targeted effect. The first trimester on boiled rice is intended to saturate the body with carbohydrates. In addition to rice, water and honey are allowed.

You need to take white long-grain rice and cook it according to this recipe:

  • Rinse 1 glass of cereal, pour water overnight to swell;
  • In the morning, rinse again, add hot water 1:2;
  • simmer at low simmer for 15 minutes.

Divide the resulting porridge into 6 equal portions, which should be eaten throughout the day at equal intervals. The last portion should be consumed no later than 20:00. In addition, you can consume 3 tbsp per day. l. honey separately from water and rice.

The second trimester on chicken or fish is designed to saturate the body with proteins and start the fat burning process. For each of these days, 1.2 kg of raw chicken or 0.8 kg of fish is allocated, which must be prepared as follows:

  • Boil in the evening (preferably steamed);
  • remove skin and bones (mix chicken fillet and red meat).

Consume in the same way as rice, but the last portion must be eaten before 19:00. Honey is excluded. Chicken and fish days are allowed to alternate, but do not mix these products within one day.

The third trimester on vegetables is aimed at cleansing the intestines. It is allowed to eat 1 kg of raw and boiled vegetables, preferably white and green. Vegetables of other colors can be used to a limited extent. The specified amount should be divided in half - boil 0.5 kg, and prepare a salad from the remaining 0.5 kg.

Two volumes are divided into 6 equal portions and eaten according to the same principle. Add 3 tbsp to the diet. l. honey, but already diluted in water.

Rice and vegetable days are the hardest to tolerate, but in general, Margarita Koroleva’s weight loss program does not have a negative effect on the body and is considered useful. But due to the severity of the restrictions, it is contraindicated in anemia and diabetes.

For those who do not want to endure hunger, Margarita Koroleva suggests simply switching to a healthy diet, for which she recommends adhering to the following rules:

  1. Eat food consciously so that it not only provides energy, but also has a healing effect.
  2. Avoid eating white flour, bleached cereals, and refined sugar.
  3. Replace table salt with ground seaweed or sea salt.
  4. Dress salads with a minimum amount of olive oil and lemon juice, adding a lot of greens to them.
  5. Drink 2 liters of clean water per day, taking the first portion immediately after waking up.
  6. Each serving size should be 250 ml or 1 glass.
  7. Between meals, keep intervals of no longer than 3 hours, so that you get 5-6 meals a day.
  8. When preparing dishes, use only water; add oil to the plate before use.

It is also important to lead an active lifestyle and play sports. Workouts should be moderate in physical activity, but to lose weight their duration should be at least 40 minutes - fat burning begins only 20 minutes after the start of the session.

Proper diet

The rating of the best methods for healthy weight loss is completed by a diet called “Correct”. Its peculiarity is that it is intended for family use. Very often, even on safe and very nutritious diets, breakdowns occur, since there are always many prohibited foods in the refrigerator. Therefore, nutritionists suggest that the whole family lose weight using the “Correct” nutrition system - balanced and healthy, but low in calories. It is designed for 1 month, during which you can lose up to 5 kg every week for two people.

Rules and principles

The “correct family” method of losing weight is based on eating a variety of healthy foods with low calorie content. This approach allows you to maintain the usual serving size, but at the same time significantly reduce their energy value.

When following such a program, you must follow fairly simple rules:

  1. Make your diet smaller - eat 5-6 times a day.
  2. Eliminate sugar and all products containing it, fast food, processed foods, fatty, fried and other heavy foods from the diet.
  3. Drink 1.5–2 liters of purified water per day.
  4. Drink a glass of water 20 minutes before each meal to eliminate false feelings of hunger and prevent overeating.
  5. Don't skip breakfast, have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  6. Cook dishes by steaming or in water, baking in the oven, stewing.
  7. The basis of nutrition should be proteins and fiber.
  8. Avoid alcohol - it has a high calorie content, increases appetite, deprives you of control over the amount of food you eat and is harmful to your health.

With this regimen, the body will receive all the necessary substances, so taking additional vitamin and mineral complexes is not required. Following such a healthy diet can be combined with active sports, which, against the backdrop of a low calorie diet, will help you lose weight faster.

Sample menu

You can come up with quite a lot of options for the right family menu. Indicative examples may be as follows.

Option 1:

  • breakfast – instant oatmeal, yogurt;
  • lunch – cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits;
  • lunch – mushroom soup, buckwheat porridge, a portion of chicken in its own juice, vegetable salad with olive oil;
  • afternoon snack - a handful of almonds, an orange or an apple;
  • dinner – vegetable stew, a portion of boiled fish;
  • before bed - kefir.

Option 2:

  • breakfast - eggs (boiled, scrambled or scrambled eggs), whole grain bread with boiled pork or cheese;
  • lunch - fruits;
  • lunch – vegetable soup (borsch), 2 potatoes, a portion of boiled veal, fresh tomato;
  • afternoon snack - kefir;
  • dinner – fish cutlets with green peas, cottage cheese;
  • before bed – yogurt or apple.

The “correct” family diet is a nourishing, balanced method, but if at first you don’t have enough sweets, you can consume 1 tbsp once a day. l. honey, a handful of dried fruits or 2 sweet fruits. This will give you a boost of energy and improve your mood.

Quitting the diet

If following a healthy diet is not a temporary phenomenon, but a way of life, then there is no need to leave it at all. For those who switched to a proper diet temporarily just to normalize weight, and in the future cannot live without fast food, alcohol and other harmful foods, it is recommended to adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. Introduce such foods gradually, starting with minimal quantities.
  2. Try not to abuse such products, consuming them as rarely as possible.

You definitely need to work on yourself so that healthy eating becomes a way of life. To do this, you should train correct eating habits, find pleasure in healthy food, understanding its enormous benefits for the body and appearance.

If there are healthy food products, then, first of all, these are apples.

They are low in calories, high in vitamins and iron. But try eating only apples for two weeks: you will experience a sharp weight loss, loss of immunity, the first symptoms of anemia and other signs of protein-calorie deficiency.

If there are unhealthy foods, then, first of all, it is butter. It's "all fat." However, a “web” of butter spread on a piece of fresh rye bread is not only a mind-blowing taste, but also 20-25 kilocalories, that is, about 1 percent of an adult’s energy requirement and quite noticeable amounts of vitamin A.

There are many such examples. The fact is that Each product is unique in its chemical composition, and among the products there is no one that could fully satisfy the needs of an adult for all the nutritional and biologically active substances necessary to ensure health. Only combination of different products is capable of solving this problem.

Let's talk about exactly how the foundations of a healthy diet should be formed.

If vitamins do not enter our body, diseases called vitamin deficiencies develop.

The first law of healthy eating

The correspondence between the calorie content of food that a person consumes and the energy that his body expends.

Human energy is spent on maintaining body temperature, performing all physiological functions and biochemical processes, performing mechanical work by muscles, as well as on digesting and assimilation of food. The human body gets calories from macronutrients, the name of this word comes from the words “macro” - large long and “nutrition” - nutrition. These are the substances that a person should consume a lot with food, that is, tens and hundreds of grams. On our website there is the most accurate table of calorie content of foods, which was prepared with the support of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Let's talk in more detail about each type of macronutrient.

FATS. Energy value fat more than twice the energy value of proteins or carbohydrates. This means that foods containing fat are the most high in calories. However don't give them up at all, because fats are also a building material for the synthesis of substances that serve as building materials for cell membranes and other structures of the body.

Calorie content of 1 gram of nutrients

Protein – 4 kcal

Fat - 9 kcal

Carbohydrates - 4 kcal

Fatty acids are involved in the synthesis of compounds that regulate immunity mechanisms, allergies and other processes.

Because of their special chemical structure, animal fats are called saturated, and vegetable - unsaturated. They have different physical properties and physiological and biochemical effects. High consumption of saturated fatty acids leads to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so their intake should be limited. Another thing is vegetable fats.

Among them, doctors especially highlight the so-called polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6. Their consumption helps prevent cardiovascular diseases and has a beneficial effect on the condition of all body tissues. Your need for these healthy fats can be met by 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil per day and at least three servings of fish per week.

PROTEINS are the most important components of food. In the human body, proteins are broken down into amino acids, from which the body itself synthesizes the thousands of proteins it needs with diverse functions. All the great variety proteins are actually different combinations of 20 amino acids. Some amino acids can be converted into one another, and only 9 are essential for an adult and 10 for a child, that is, they are simply not synthesized by the body.

These amino acids must be supplied day after day throughout our lives as part of the proteins we consume. It doesn’t matter from what products the proteins will be obtained: meat or potatoes, milk or peas, fish or bread or other products - the main thing is that your body receives all the essential and essential amino acids in sufficient quantities.

The most protein is found in products of animal origin: meat, fish, dairy products, poultry, eggs. In significant quantities, complete protein is present in legumes, that is, in peas, beans, lentils and soybeans, as well as in nuts and seeds.

Proteins are the most important components of food.

CARBOHYDRATES. Function carbohydrates in the human body, mainly comes down to supplying it with energy. They are widely present in plant foods in the form of complex carbohydrates such as starch and simple sugars such as glucose and fructose. Fruits and vegetables contain both simple sugars and starch. All grain products: flour, cereals and pasta contain mainly starch.

Of course, refined sugar, as well as sugar-containing confectionery, are sources exclusively of simple carbohydrates. It has received the definition of “added sugar” because it is added to various foods and drinks. Consumption of significant amounts of added sugar leads to the development of diabetes, obesity, tooth decay, and cardiovascular diseases.

Therefore, if you strive for health, then the amount of sweets in your diet should be limited, and if possible, exclude it altogether.

CELLULOSE. Complex carbohydrates include: polysaccharides, like cellulose, which are not absorbed by the body. Such substances are called dietary fiber, one of their representatives is cellulose. Dietary fiber is practically not digested. However, they significantly affect the processes: digestion, assimilation and evacuation of food, and are also important for maintaining intestinal microflora.

Dietary fiber is found in large quantities in vegetables and fruits, unrefined grains such as rolled oats, and bran.

The second law of healthy eating

The chemical composition of a person’s daily diet must correspond to his physiological needs for nutritional and biologically active substances.

Vitamins and minerals are often called micronutrients, because the daily amounts required by the body are quite small and are most often measured in milligrams and even fractions of a milligram. The human body cannot produce these substances on its own and store them for future use for any long period of time. For normal functioning, the human body requires several hundred different micronutrients- these are vitamins and minerals, as well as many biologically active substances from other groups. Micronutrients are found in a wide variety of foods, and different ones in different foods. Therefore, for the normal functioning of your body, include in your diet fruits and vegetables, and always grain products, and other products of plant origin, meat, and dairy products.

Making your own menu

Let's move on to planning your meals

We hope that we have convinced you of the need to have a variety of products on your table. Now let's try to figure out how to eat properly - how often and in what quantities should one or another product or dish be included in the daily diet.

Main food groups and recommended amounts for their consumption:

Product group Essential Nutrients Recommendations
Bread, cereals and potatoesSimple and complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, B vitaminsConsume every day, preferably at every meal, give preference to products made from unrefined grains or containing bran.
Vegetables and fruitsSimple and complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, folic acid, many biologically active substancesUse in any form 5 or more times a day. Eat at least 400 grams of raw or cooked vegetables and fruits daily.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and legumesOne of the main sources of protein, an easily digestible form of iron, vitamin B12Include in your daily diet in the amount of 120-150 g in prepared form in 1-3 meals. Try to reduce the number of eggs to 3-5 per week. Don't forget about legumes - they are a healthy and affordable source of protein.
DairyThe only significant source of calcium, contains protein, B vitamins, vitamin DConsume up to 500 ml of milk, 50-100 grams of cottage cheese and cheese per day. Choose low-fat dairy options.
FatsVegetable oils and fish oil are sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E.Polyunsaturated fatty acids provide prevention of cardiovascular diseases. 1-2 tablespoons are needed for dressing vegetable salads. Try to reduce the amount of fat you use in cooking. Reduce the use of animal fats to a minimum.
Sugar and confectionerySimple carbohydrates, saturated fatsContribute to the development of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases! Consume them in limited quantities and only if all the other foods listed above are present in your diet. Reduce your daily sugar intake to 50 grams.

Check yourself!

Body mass index
Your own weight will help you understand whether you are following the first law of healthy eating. Calculate your body mass index and compare it with the numbers below.
BMI less than 18.5 is underweight. Increase your nutrition.
BMI ranging from 18.5 to 25 - Your weight is normal. You are consuming enough calories.
BMI from 25 to 30 is overweight. Urgently reduce portions and increase physical activity.
BMI over 30 is obese. Consult your doctor and immediately change your diet and take up a suitable sport for you.

Easy test
Form a fold of skin over the sternum with your fingers. If the skin fold exceeds the thickness of a finger or 2 cm, then this indicates excess weight, and you need to reduce the number and size of portions to a minimum value. And if the fold is less than 1 cm, then this is a signal of lack of weight.

Are you taking in enough vitamins and minerals?

It is much more difficult to check whether the second law of nutrition science is fulfilled in your diet. There are special medical tests that your doctor can prescribe for you if you have health problems and suspect a deficiency of any micronutrient.

However, if you follow the recommendations of nutritionists on creating a diet, and it contains products from all groups in sufficient quantities, including fish, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, then you satisfy most of your body’s needs. To prevent vitamin deficiency, use fortified foods (bread, milk).

But still, vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet may not be enough, especially if a person’s physical activity is very low, and not a very large amount of food is required to provide the body with energy. But, if physical activity is very high, then a person needs additional microelements and vitamins.

Consult your doctor and describe your diet to him. Perhaps he will advise you to regularly use vitamin-mineral complexes or individual medications.

Information provided by the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Edited by Prof., Dr. med. Sciences A.K. Baturina. Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, 2009

The materials were created specifically for health centers. about health centers and their work in your region.

“What can I eat to lose weight?” We are used to taking this expression as a joke, but there is nothing funny here. Any nutritionist will tell you that the processes of “irreversible” weight loss begin only when we come to a healthy eating system, and do not experience all kinds of diets full of restrictions and prohibitions. Healthy eating for weight loss also involves banning certain foods, but believe me, the human body can do just fine without them.

How does a healthy eating system differ from diets that promise real results, but are modestly silent about the consequences? Any diet is not only a complete or partial exclusion from the diet of certain foods that are vital for the normal functioning of the body. A diet is always finite; sooner or later you will have to “get off” it so as not to cause irreparable harm to your health. And as soon as the diet is stopped and the person returns to his normal diet, his kilograms return. Healthy eating is not a diet, but a lifestyle. A diet is always stressful, because it, even temporarily, prohibits the consumption of certain foods. Following the principles of a healthy diet, you will only get stress from the ban on drinking cola, fast food and store-bought convenience foods. It’s terrible, of course, but we are able to survive this shock.

Healthy eating for weight loss is a set of simple rules and principles that are not difficult to follow. It is known that any habit is developed in 40 days. By following these simple rules, in a month and a half you will teach yourself to eat right, improve your body’s health, and a healthy body is a slim body. Shall we start?

A glass of hot water is the first meal since early in the morning. It is advisable to drink clean hot water, since it is this that cleanses the gastrointestinal tract and smoothly launches all body systems. Just water - boring? Add lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey, ginger juice or ground cinnamon to a glass - these spices enhance metabolism. You can have breakfast after water 15-30 minutes later.

. The drinking regime must be strictly observed throughout the day. If there are no contraindications, you should drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day. Train yourself to drink a glass of water every hour, and you will immediately notice that swelling will go away, shortness of breath will disappear, and the desire to eat will turn out to be just thirst. Tea, coffee, juices and soups are not considered drinks, they are all food.

Get into the healthy habit of eating “like in kindergarten,” that is, 4-5 times a day in small portions. Long breaks between meals contribute to larger portions and overeating.

Don’t overeat at night, but don’t go hungry either, following the strange instruction “don’t eat after 6 p.m.” The last meal should be no later than 3 hours before bedtime, so if you are used to going to bed at midnight, your dinner should be at 21-00.

When preparing dishes, give preference to stewing, baking and steaming. These cooking methods do not use fat, which automatically reduces the calorie content of your dishes.

. You can fry. But! Rarely, on fresh vegetable or animal fats and without mixing the latter in one dish. Translated into human language, this means that potatoes need to be fried in vegetable oil, and meat in melted lard or butter. From this it follows that fried potatoes and a piece of fried meat, in principle, should not appear on your plate. That is, you need to prepare stewed vegetables for a fried dish, and deep-fried potatoes are ideal for steamed fish.

. When choosing a side dish, give preference to vegetables. This way you will greatly facilitate the work of the digestive system. Followers of the separate power supply system will understand me.

Complex carbohydrates - cereals, pasta - are good on their own. They are best consumed with vegetables. By the way, no one forbids eating pasta; the main thing is to choose products made from durum wheat and do not accompany pasta dishes with fatty sauces and heavy meat dishes.

The diet of a modern person must contain fiber, because it has long been no secret that most of the products that appear on our table are cleared of everything “unnecessary” to such an extent that this becomes the cause of many diseases, including obesity. Therefore, in addition to the wishes to eat more vegetables and fruits and eat whole grain bread, nutritionists recommend using various bran in dishes. They can be steamed and consumed according to the scheme, but it is much easier to add bran to porridges, salads, curd masses and pates. Bran is not noticeable in dishes, but the benefits of its use are obvious: bran passing through the gastrointestinal tract is not digested and removes harmful substances from the intestines, which, in turn, improves the absorption of nutrients, speeds up metabolism and promotes weight loss.

. When preparing food, pay attention to spices that promote weight loss. Anise, cayenne pepper, turmeric, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, horseradish and other hot spices speed up metabolism, reduce bad cholesterol, improve digestion and have fat-burning properties. On our website you can always find a detailed description of each spice and recommendations for its use. Keep in mind that monosodium glutamate, which has recently become very popular, is not a spice, but only has flavor enhancing properties. Its harmlessness, by the way, raises strong doubts.

Instead of the usual tea and coffee, brew ginger tea or prepare a lemonade drink based on ginger and lemon. Ginger is a powerful remedy for beauty and slimness. And in cold times, ginger will also help not to come down with a cold.

When preparing salads, season them with lemon or other citrus juice, fruit or balsamic vinegar, natural soy sauce and cold-pressed vegetable oils.

. For many, obesity is due to poor functioning of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland produces hormones that affect metabolism, and if the problem is not associated with any disease, it is enough to increase the amount of iodine-rich foods in your diet to make the weight loss process much more fun. Iodine is vital for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, so eat seafood, sea fish, kelp more often, and also use natural sea salt in your food.

. Calcium is another substance responsible for normal metabolism. Calcium is responsible for ensuring the supply of nutrients to the body's cells. Make sure that foods containing calcium regularly appear on your table: milk and dairy products (especially lactic acid), sesame seeds and almonds (they can be added to dishes, or you can prepare healthy nut milk, a glass of which contains many times more calcium than in a glass of milk), fish, etc.

When creating a menu, consider the glycemic index of foods. This is important, since excess glucose is always stored in our body in the form of fat, and getting rid of fat is oh so difficult. On our website there are tables of foods with low (up to 40 units), medium (40-60 units) and high (over 60 units) glycemic index - use them and decide what you can eat with almost no restrictions, and from what If you don’t give up altogether, you should at least eat less often.

. Reduce the amount of salt! Thanks to the huge number of semi-finished products and sausages, the amount of salt in our daily diet is off the charts.

The same can be said for another type of “white death,” sugar. Sugar and its artificial substitutes are present, either explicitly or implicitly, in all types of industrial sweets, sugary drinks, juices, ice cream, muesli, cereals, products made from refined flour, and even in tomato ketchup and lecho. It is better to prepare all these products and dishes yourself, replacing sugar with honey, fructose or reducing its amount to a minimum.

. It is very unwise to completely stop eating fat. Reducing their number is yes, it is necessary, but the body cannot live without fat at all. Eat nuts, fatty fish, flaxseed porridge, do not give up butter - the main thing is that the total amount of fat does not exceed 30 g per day. In the morning you can drink flaxseed oil or an infusion of ground flaxseed in olive oil, this will help cleanse the intestines, reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, improve the functioning of the endocrine glands and liver, normalize fat metabolism, and also help improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails You need to drink the oil in the morning on an empty stomach, 10 minutes after you drink a glass of hot water. Breakfast is in 40 minutes.

Healthy eating for weight loss does not involve strict restrictions, because it is not a diet. But there are foods that should still be avoided if possible, since they not only do not bring any benefit to the body, but can even be harmful to your health. Such products include: alcohol, cigarettes (this is not food, but a healthy diet and smoking are incompatible things), white flour products, any fast food, mayonnaise, ketchup, chips, crackers, sweet soda (not only bourgeois cola, but and any lemonades, and do not be fooled by the inscription “GOST”!), confectionery products of all types and varieties, sausage, frankfurters and other “meat” semi-finished products, white polished rice and semolina, fried and smoked products (especially store-bought). The non-benefits of all these products have already been discussed and discussed, but the habit turns out to be stronger...

You should absolutely not consume artificial fats! Margarine and so-called “soft” or “light” butter are made from low-quality vegetable oils by sublimation, resulting in the formation of trans fats in products that have a distorted molecular structure that is not found anywhere in living nature. Trans fats can disrupt cellular metabolism, contribute to the accumulation of toxins and increase the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood and cause significant harm to our health. Trans fats are perhaps one of the most deadly inventions of mankind. You can learn more about fats and trans fats on the pages of our website.

There’s not much that needs to be excluded, don’t you think? Of course, you will have to fight with your own habits, because it is much easier to throw a couple of sausages into the water, stir instant mashed potatoes and flavor this dinner with mayonnaise and ketchup, or simply boil or fry dumplings from a pack... Both quickly and tasty, but not healthy. By the way, no one forbids eating dumplings and dumplings. You just need to cook them yourself. Gather the whole family in the kitchen, tearing your family away from the TV and computer, and stick five kilograms of dumplings, cutlets or cabbage rolls, freeze them - and the issue of a quick dinner for the next couple of months will be resolved. The same applies to muesli, kozinaki, chips and other “quick” foods for breakfast or snack. You have the power to please yourself and your loved ones with healthy homemade goodies.

In addition to the above “harmful” foods, you can eat everything, slightly limiting yourself only in some cases. For example, potatoes can be eaten no more than 1-2 times a week, baked or boiled, durum wheat pasta - 3-4 times a week, slightly undercooking them, eat boiled beets and carrots less often due to the high glycemic index (specifically in boiled, raw, you can eat these root vegetables as much as you like!), sometimes you can indulge in marshmallows, marshmallows and marmalade (they do not contain fat), as well as honey, a little dark chocolate and dried fruits. Nutritionists have no complaints about other products.

A healthy diet for weight loss involves weekly fasting days. They are especially effective at the beginning of the path to slimness, when the body sheds excess fat with relief. You can choose any type of fasting days, since there are now many recipes: kefir, cottage cheese, apple, banana, cucumber, watermelon, buckwheat - stop at one or alternate them, the benefits of fasting days are obvious and undoubted.

That's all the principles of healthy eating for weight loss. And although the effect of applying these principles is not as bright and quick as after a fashionable diet, the result will be reliable. And such a “side effect” as improving the health of the whole body will be a pleasant bonus for you.

Eat varied and healthy and be healthy!

Larisa Shuftaykina

The food you eat has a significant effect on your health and quality of life. From the article you will learn how to start eating right, lose weight and improve your well-being.

While it's easy enough to start eating healthy, the rise of popular "diets" has led to some confusion.

We present a detailed guide on how to start eating healthy to lose weight, based on the latest scientific advances.

Why is it worth eating right?

A growing body of research continues to link the development of many serious diseases to poor nutrition.

Eating well can significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer or heart disease, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide.

A healthy diet can have a positive impact on both brain function and physical performance. It has a positive effect on all cells and organs.

If you are involved in sports or physical training, then a healthy diet is without a doubt very important in achieving the desired results.

Calories and body energy balance

Where to start with proper nutrition? Of course, by counting calories. In recent years, calories have become less important. Although you can replace sweets with sugar-free jams and other low-calorie foods.

Calculating your calorie intake and eating enough of them plays a key role in organizing proper nutrition.

If you consume more calories than your body burns, they will be stored as muscle mass or fat. If you consume fewer calories than you use, you will lose weight.

Where to start with proper nutrition for weight loss? If you want to lose weight, you will have to create a calorie deficit.

If, on the other hand, you are trying to gain weight and build muscle, you will need to consume more calories than your body uses.

Understanding macronutrients

There are 3 types of macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Where to start eating properly in relation to these nutritional elements is to make sure that they are present in your diet.

They need to be consumed in fairly large quantities. They provide your body with calories and perform a number of important functions.

Here are some of them.

  • Carbohydrates: There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates. There are many of them in foods containing starch (for example, bread, pasta, potatoes). Fruits, legumes, juice, sugar and some dairy products are also rich in carbohydrates.
  • Squirrels: 1 gram of protein provides 4 calories of energy. The main sources of protein are meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, legumes, and some vegetarian food alternatives such as tofu (Japanese bean curd).
  • Fats: 1 gram of fat provides 9 calories of energy. The main sources are nuts, seeds, oils, butter, cheese, fatty fish and meats.

The concept of micronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals important for the body that we need in slightly smaller doses.

Here are the most important ones.

  • Magnesium. It plays an important role in more than 600 cellular processes, including energy production, nervous system function, and muscle contraction.
  • Potassium. This mineral is important for controlling blood pressure, maintaining the balance of fluids in the body, and the functioning of the nervous system and muscles.
  • Iron. Its most important function is the transport of oxygen as part of hemoglobin. Iron is also very important for improving the immune system and brain function.
  • Calcium. It is an important structural component of bones and teeth, and is a key mineral for the heart, muscles and nervous system.
  • Vitamins. All vitamins (from A to K) play a very important role in the functioning of the cells of our body.

All vitamins and minerals are “essential” micronutrients. This means that the body must receive them from the outside in order to live.

The daily requirement for each nutrient may vary slightly for different categories of people. If you eat healthily and your diet includes foods of both animal and plant origin, then you are likely getting enough micronutrients and do not need additional supplements.

It is very important to eat natural food

You should strive to ensure that 80-90% of the diet is natural food, minimally processed.

If the product looks unnatural (as if it was “made in a factory”), then you should refrain from purchasing it.

Natural foods are believed to contain more nutrients and fewer calories. Modified foods, on the contrary, contain more empty calories. Eating them in large quantities threatens obesity and the development of various diseases.

How to switch to proper nutrition

Everything about proper nutrition for beginners cannot be covered in one article. But it’s worth starting with the right products. Try to base your diet on the following “healthy” foods.

  • Vegetables should form the basis of the diet. Vegetables are low in calories and rich in beneficial micronutrients and dietary fiber.
  • Fruits are important sources of antioxidants and micronutrients that have positive health effects.
  • Meat and fish have been the main sources of protein throughout evolution. They are very important, although vegetarian and vegan diets have become popular recently.
  • Nuts and seeds are one of the best sources of fat available and also contain important micronutrients.
  • Eggs considered one of the healthiest foods. They contain a powerful combination of proteins, fats and micronutrients.
  • Dairy, such as yogurt and milk, are inexpensive and healthy sources of protein and calcium.
  • Food containing starches. For those people who do not follow a low-carb diet, foods such as potatoes, cereals, and bread can serve as sources of beneficial elements.
  • Peas and legumes are an excellent source of fiber, protein and micronutrients.
  • Beverages. The bulk of liquid should be consumed in the form of water (not just tea and coffee).
  • Herbs and spices contain many beneficial nutrients.

Foods to avoid

When switching to a healthy diet, it is important to understand what foods you should not eat when eating properly. If you are going to follow the advice in this article, the amount of junk food in your diet will decrease.

There is no food that should be eliminated forever. But eating certain dishes is permissible only on special occasions.

  • Sugar based products. Foods containing a lot of sugar, especially sugary drinks, increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • Modified fats. Also known as hydrogenated fats, they increase the risk of many diseases, particularly heart disease.
  • Refined carbohydrates. Products such as white bread contribute to overeating, obesity and the development of diseases associated with metabolic disorders.
  • Vegetable oils. Despite their apparent usefulness, it is worth remembering that vegetable oils can upset the balance of omega 6-3 fatty acids in the body.
  • Low-fat foods. Often marketed as a healthy alternative, these products contain a lot of sugar to enhance the taste.

Why is it important to control your portion size?

Balancing the calories your body consumes and uses is key to weight management and a healthy diet.

If you control the portion sizes of food you eat, you are more likely to avoid overeating.

Even though it is much easier to overeat natural food than processed foods, it is nevertheless possible.

If you have accumulated a lot of excess food and are trying to lose weight, then controlling the size of your food portions is especially important for you.

There are many fairly simple strategies for this.

For example, you can use smaller plates and take less food the first time. And come back for more no earlier than 20 minutes later.

Another popular method is to measure portion sizes using your hand. A standard serving should contain about a fist's worth of carbohydrates, ½ a fist's worth of protein and ½ a thumb's worth of "healthy" fats.

How to tailor your diet to your goals

First, estimate your caloric needs based on your activity level and target weight.

This is a fairly simple rule: if you want to lose weight, reduce the number of calories you consume. If you want to gain weight, then eat more calories than you estimate your body uses.

Below is a calorie calculator to help you figure out how many calories you should be consuming daily, as well as links to 5 free, helpful websites and apps to help you keep track of your calories and nutrients.

If you don't have time to count calories, then just try to follow the rules discussed above, in particular - watch the size of your portions and try to eat natural, least processed food.

If you have a deficiency of some substances in your body or are at risk of developing it, then take this into account when planning your proper diet so as to try to compensate for this deficiency. For example, vegetarians or people on other diets that restrict certain food groups have an increased risk of developing deficiencies in certain nutrients.

Try to eat a variety of foods in terms of composition, color, etc. This will allow you to maintain the necessary balance of macro- and micronutrients.

There is currently a lot of debate about which diet is better: low-carb or low-fat? The truth is that this is determined individually for each person.

Research has shown that athletes and people trying to lose weight should provide slightly more protein. A low-carb diet can work wonders for weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes.

How to switch to pp and not break down

A little information on how to switch to proper nutrition and not break down. Here's a good rule of thumb: If you can't see yourself still sticking to your chosen nutrition program in one, two, or 3 years, it's probably not right for you.

It often happens that people go on strict diets that they ultimately cannot follow. However, they never develop long-term habits of eating properly.

There are quite a lot of frightening statistics that people who stick to a diet very quickly regain their excess weight.

As always, the best option is the golden mean. If you do not have any diseases that require restricting the consumption of any food, then you should not impose a strict ban on any food. As always, what is forbidden becomes the most desirable. Thus, you may negatively impact long-term results.

The basis of your diet should be natural, minimally processed food (up to 90%). If you also watch your portion size, this will allow you to achieve excellent results.

This is a much healthier approach than eating up to 90% processed foods and only 10% natural foods.

As the name suggests, supplements should be used as a complement to a proper diet.

Including nutrient-rich foods in your diet will help fill the deficiency of certain substances and cover your daily needs.

However, research has shown that several types of dietary supplements may still have a beneficial effect in certain cases.

One of them is vitamin D, the source of which can be fatty fish. Sunlight is required for its proper metabolism. Since we are often indoors, many people are deficient in vitamin D.

Supplements such as magnesium, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids will also be helpful if there is a lack of dietary intake.

There are also biological supplements that increase physical performance. Creatine, whey protein and beta-alanine have undergone sufficient research and are recommended for use by many.

Ideally, your diet should consist of nutrient-rich foods that will cover all your body's needs. Then there will be no need to use nutritional supplements. But in reality this, unfortunately, is unattainable.

If you're trying to establish a healthy diet, supplementing with dietary supplements can help you get a little further along the road to success.

Combine proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle

Nutrition is not the only important aspect of a healthy lifestyle.

Proper nutrition combined with regular exercise will keep you even healthier.

Adequate sleep is also very important. Research has shown that sleep is as important to health as proper nutrition and weight control.

It is also very important to drink enough water. Drink water as soon as you feel thirsty and maintain an optimal fluid balance throughout the day.

Try to avoid stressful situations. Chronic stress is associated with the development of many diseases.

On a note

The strategies on how to switch to proper nutrition described in the article will help you significantly improve your quality of life.

They will help improve your health, reduce your risk of disease, and help you manage your weight.