The main mistake of many people losing weight is that they perceive the proper nutrition menu as just another diet - a stage that they need to go through. Then, having lost excess weight, they completely forget about the nutritionist’s recommendations and gain weight again. And having decided, they start all over again.

Proper nutrition is not just a special menu and portion size, but rather a healthy habit that has become a way of life. The decision to say goodbye to fast food and processed foods should not be a temporary measure, but a firm categorical “no” forever.


Then a menu, competently compiled by a nutritionist for every day, will help you lose weight, plus stay slim for many years, and prevent the development of many diseases associated with excess weight. The basic provisions of the healthy nutrition menu need to be memorized:

  • To speed up your metabolism, the menu dictates eating at least 5 times a day in small portions. Fractional nutrition allows the body to fully absorb the incoming nutrients, spend energy from them on vital processes and not feel hungry. Nutritionists warn: the absence of food for more than 4 hours is subconsciously perceived as a signal for fat accumulation, so do not reduce the menu to the minimum by skipping meals;
  • Half of the dishes on the menu are salads from fresh vegetables and fruits. Daily consumption of complex carbohydrates is mandatory, because porridge cleanses the body and normalizes the functioning of the digestive system. Meat will also be a source of protein, and dairy products will provide you with calcium and support microflora. Don't forget, a handful a day is enough. As you can see, the menu for every day is varied;
  • The correct method of cooking is fundamentally important. Avoid fried foods in favor of steamed or baked dishes in foil. Let the menu be as light as possible - salads without mayonnaise, minimum salt, oil. Dinner should be no later than 20 o'clock, and the evening meal is the lowest in calories of all;
  • Drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day, starting with two glasses in the morning on an empty stomach. Water is necessary to break down fats and remove harmful substances from the body. Tea, coffee, compotes, juices diversify the menu, but these are liquids and cannot replace water;
  • Be sure to count calories when planning your daily menu. At first, this activity will seem boring and inconvenient to you, but soon you will remember the calorie content of frequently consumed foods and automatically control portions. On average, to maintain her current weight, a woman needs to create a menu for 2000 kcal per day, and to lose weight, need to reduce the diet to approximately 1200-1500 kcal.

Perhaps in the first days the menu restrictions will seem quite strict to you, but only against the backdrop of the previous food freedom. Proper nutrition very quickly becomes a habit, and a slimmer silhouette will become an additional motivation.

Allowed and prohibited menu products


It will be much easier to create a proper nutrition menu for every day if you have a list of useful and undesirable ingredients in front of your eyes. So, the green light in the daily diet is on for the following products:

  • Dietary meat, lean poultry- veal, rabbit, turkey, chicken;
  • Shrimp, mussels, squid, all types of fish(of course, salmon or halibut should not be included in the menu often)
  • Chicken eggs, hard-boiled or in the form of a steam omelette;
  • Everything non-starchy vegetables, not very sweet fruits;
  • Dark rice;
  • Tofu cheese;
  • Milk, dairy products fat content no more than 2%. Sweet yoghurts, even low-calorie ones, are excluded from the menu;
  • Bread, made from wholemeal flour and bran with the addition of whole grains;
  • Legumes- peas, beans, lentils.

Subject to proper preparation and small portions, all items on the list should become the basis of the menu for every day. Nutritionists bring foods to a separate group permitted conditionally, that is, infrequently, once a week:

  • High Starch Vegetables- potatoes, beets, corn. They are added to the menu only in boiled form;
  • Sweet satisfying fruits- bananas, persimmons;
  • Honey, dark chocolate can be used as a dessert;
  • Cream, sour cream, butter(10 g) will make the menu richer, but it’s important not to get carried away here;
  • Occasionally in the morning treat yourself to a piece hard cheese, a glass of natural juice.

You shouldn’t completely exclude these products; let the menu remain varied. Alternating between high and low calorie meals creates a so-called metabolic swing, stimulating fat burning.

Let's take a final look at the list. categorical food taboos of the new menu:

  • Any smoked meats and pork. Very filling, they contain heavy fats that are not digested and settle on the waist;
  • Bread and buns from wheat flour;
  • Mayonnaise, all store-bought sauces must leave the daily menu forever;
  • Milk chocolate, juice packages. There is no benefit from them, and the sugar content is appalling;
  • Sweets, salt, sugar, carbonated drinks. By giving up only them, you can significantly lose weight in a month;
  • Alcohol. It will negate all efforts due to its high calorie content and negative effect on the body.

The number of bans on the correct menu turned out to be not so large. The only difficulty is that all the products on the last list are addictive and hard to give up. But there is nothing to do, losing weight and being healthy is much more important than eating a salad with mayonnaise, right?


Rotating foods throughout the day


One week is enough to fall in love with healthy, light foods forever. The main thing is to follow the principle of alternation in the menu, otherwise you will get tired of boring oatmeal on the third day, and the longing for cutlets will appear again. You'll have to slightly adjust your daily routine to accommodate the five meals from the updated menu:

Time List of recommended products
7:30 breakfastFiber and complex carbohydrates will provide energy for the whole long day. It could be any porridge cooked in water and a cup of tea with lemon;
10:00 second breakfast.Light protein food- the basis of the menu, it will support all vital processes at maximum - piece of lean poultry with steamed vegetables, cottage cheese. If desired, you can replace the protein with fruit or cookies;
13:00 lunchA complete, satisfying meal, always including first and second course. Correct low fat soup, with a minimum amount of potatoes, or better without them at all. Side dish cooked without salt, accompanied vegetable salad;
16:00 afternoon teaTime for a little treat: If you didn't eat sweets for lunch, treat yourself. Or replace dessert low-fat yogurt on days when we relaxed a little in the morning;
19:00 dinnerCarbohydrates eaten at this time do not have time to be absorbed before bedtime, so give preference squirrels

If you really want to eat in the evening, you can drink a glass of low-fat kefir or yogurt; this is not prohibited on the menu. You shouldn’t eat kefir cookies: once you decide to eat just one, it’s very difficult to resist adding more, and then the process risks becoming uncontrollable.

So-called "night eater" is enemy number one, very difficult to lose weight. And don’t forget to drink clean water, now it is your best friend.

What is considered normal human weight? This is a relative concept. For some, a body weight at which the body feels comfortable is normal. Some people adapt to modern stereotypes, trying to reduce their weight as much as possible. Today, there are many formulas that allow you to determine normal body weight.

The most common of them is Broca's formula:

BW=(Height-100)±10%, where

NBW – normal body weight;

Height – a person’s height in centimeters.

According to this simple equation, the weight of a person 160 cm tall can vary between 51-66 kg. And this is the norm. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, you should adhere to these indicators so as not to bring the body to complete exhaustion.

Causes of excess weight

To understand weight loss techniques, you need to understand the reasons why excess weight appears. The kilograms don't appear overnight. All this “wealth” accumulates over months or even years. Leading modern nutritionists have proven that in order to get rid of excess weight, you need to listen very carefully to your own body.

The modern rhythm of life leads to the fact that we constantly eat on the run. Even when the body is already full, we try to cram something sweet into it. The most common problem is eating before bed. Thanks to all this, the kilograms are gaining slowly but surely.

To slow down this process or reverse it, you should start getting rid of bad habits.

It is necessary to exclude:

  • food on the go;
  • binge eating;
  • eating too fatty, sweet and high-calorie foods;
  • drinking alcohol too often;
  • the habit of swallowing food in large pieces;
  • late meals;
  • lunches and dinners in front of the TV;
  • fast foods and other unhealthy foods;
  • meals less than 3-4 times a day.

To get maximum results, in addition to getting rid of bad habits, you need a proper diet. Using simple tips and some rules given below, you can quickly bring your weight back to normal. So how to eat to lose weight?

How to choose the right healthy diet

When you hear the word diet, everyone who is losing weight thinks that these are strict limits and prohibitions. In fact, proper nutrition has nothing to do with constant restrictions. The diet is selected in such a way that those who want to lose weight do not feel deprived. The goal of a healthy diet is not to exclude any necessary foods from the daily menu. On the contrary, to achieve good results, you need to balance it as much as possible.

Restrictions are imposed only on cooking methods. They use boiling, stewing, and steaming.

Below is a list of healthy foods that should be constantly present in your diet. A proper nutrition menu for weight loss should include:

  • protein products (chicken breast, fish);
  • yoghurts, curds with a minimum amount of fat, without sugar and aromatic additives;
  • fresh fruits (kiwi, apples, pears, bananas);
  • boiled and raw vegetables (beets, radishes, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes);
  • seeds, nuts, hazelnuts;
  • wholemeal bread, bran bread, grain bread;
  • dried fruits;
  • green and berry teas;
  • soy products;
  • vegetable oil.

The right diet for weight loss will help you navigate and quickly create delicious, healthy meals. Such recipes will help satisfy your hunger without filling your body with empty calories.

Basic rules of healthy eating

There are many rules for proper nutrition, but six are considered the most important. It’s not difficult to follow these recommendations from nutritionists, the main thing is to understand them.

Reusable fractional meals

The modern rhythm of life often does not allow eating more than two times a day. The rest of the meals are replaced with snacks and not always healthy food. To lose weight, you need to eat at least 3 times a day. The very first meal should take place no later than an hour after waking up. It is breakfast that fills the body with the necessary energy for the whole day. Don't worry that a hearty breakfast will be deposited in centimeters on your waist. All food taken at this time is digested very well, and at the same time it picks up excess deposits.

It is best if it is possible to increase the number of meals to 5-6. Thus, the body gets used to not being tormented by hunger and stops storing reserves. As a result, digestion, stool and other gastrointestinal problems are normalized.

You need to eat for a long time

Quick snacks on the go are one of the reasons for excess weight. Breakfasts and lunches in eateries and fast food outlets often do not take more than 10 minutes. This is very bad for the digestive system.

You need to spend time eating. A beautifully set table, new dishes, shiny cutlery contribute to proper digestion. You cannot communicate, watch TV, or read a book while eating. In this case, the brain is busy and does not signal saturation in time. As a result, the amount of food eaten turns out to be more than normal, and as a result - heaviness in the stomach, nausea, bloating and other problems. If you spend enough time eating, you can be satisfied with much less.

Chew correctly and thoroughly

Any food must be chewed very thoroughly. It should turn almost liquid in your mouth. To ease digestion and enjoy the taste of food, you need to make at least 30 chewing movements for each small piece.

Fiber - an assistant in weight loss

A balanced diet menu for weight loss must include fresh fruits and vegetables. They are rich in fiber, which promotes normal digestion, as well as a huge number of other elements vital for the body. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, which also promotes weight loss.

Food and emotional control

Many people who are losing weight have noticed that as soon as evening comes and it’s time to go to bed soon, the hand itself reaches for candy and a pack of cookies, even if the last meal was just an hour ago. We need to try to understand the reason for this behavior. It could be fatigue, resentment, or, conversely, joy.

At this moment, you need to determine whether you really have a feeling of hunger or whether your emotional state is to blame. If these are emotions, you need to learn to control them and then no diet will be scary for you.

Drinking regime and water balance

Since the human body is almost 80% water, it plays a very important role in removing harmful substances, waste and toxins. Water balance must be maintained throughout the day. To do this, you should drink 1.5-2 liters of purified still water per day. If this is not done, the body will go into fluid accumulation mode, which will lead to edema.

Healthy food menu for weight loss

So, the daily menu for those who want to get rid of extra pounds must be balanced. By following the above rules, it is quite easy to choose a diet for weight loss. At first, you can turn to special books or look for recipes on the Internet, but later you will learn to select recipes for healthy, tasty and low-calorie dishes on your own.

Breakfast: carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables

Healthy eating for weight loss starts with breakfast. It is advisable that complex carbohydrates predominate on the menu at this meal. This could be cereal porridge, wholemeal bread. In addition, you can add some protein products, as well as a fruit or vegetable.

This is what a breakfast menu might look like:

  1. Oatmeal porridge 150 grams, boiled egg, glass of kefir.
  2. A boiled egg, a piece of grain bread with ham, a cup of tea without sugar.
  3. Canned peas 20 grams, boiled beef 100 grams, a glass of low-fat yogurt.
  4. Boiled egg, 150 grams of fruit salad, a glass of kefir.
  5. Fish cutlet, boiled egg, coffee with cream without sugar.

Second breakfast: a small healthy snack

This is an equally important part of the daily diet. In the intervals between breakfast and lunch, we begin to feel hungry and our hands automatically reach for what is at hand - candy, cake, etc. These fast carbohydrates must be replaced with healthy foods:

  1. An apple, a jar of low-fat yogurt.
  2. A glass of milk.
  3. Orange or banana.
  4. Dried fruits 100 grams.
  5. A glass of kefir.

Lunch: 50% of daily calories

At lunchtime you need to support the body and set it up for proper functioning. Dishes included in the menu must contain up to 50% of the daily calorie intake. It is best if lunch consists of two or three courses:

  1. Vegetable soup with boiled breast 250 grams, salad of cucumbers, tomatoes in oil, dried fruit compote.
  2. Low-fat borscht 250 grams, beef chop 100 grams, herbal tea.
  3. Potato soup 250 grams, boiled beef 100 grams, 1 tomato, mineral water.
  4. Meat stew with vegetables 250 grams, cabbage salad, unsweetened compote.
  5. Mashed potatoes without oil 150 grams, baked fish 100 grams, cucumber and tomato salad.

Afternoon snack: fruits, berries, sour milk

An afternoon snack can consist of fruits, berries or dairy products. You can eat apples, bananas, kiwi, mango, grapefruit. Low-fat yogurt or fermented baked milk will also help with digestion at this time.

Dinner: 15% of daily calories

Your evening meal should contain only 15% of your daily calorie intake. Therefore, you should not load your body with fried or too fatty foods.

Perfect for:

  1. Boiled fish 50 grams, boiled potatoes 1 piece, light lard from leafy vegetables.
  2. Boiled beef 100 grams, tea with milk without sugar.
  3. Boiled chicken breast 100 grams, 20 grams canned corn, 1 egg.
  4. Steamed fish 200 grams, 1 potato, cabbage and carrot salad.
  5. Vegetable stew 150 grams, soft-boiled egg.

Each meal can be supplemented with some low-calorie and fortified drink. This can be rosehip decoction, herbal tea, unsweetened compote. In the intervals between doses, you should drink plain water without gases, about a glass 30 minutes before meals. This diet for weight loss will allow you to lose 1-2 kg in the first week.

Recipes for proper nutrition for weight loss

How to properly prepare dietary meals? In fact, there is nothing complicated about it. To reduce the calorie content of the menu and increase the benefits of food during cooking, you need to follow a few simple rules:

  • use salt to a minimum;
  • replace sugar with dried fruits or honey;
  • exclude smoked and fried foods;
  • do not use sugar substitutes or other additives.

Below are some simple recipes for delicious and healthy dishes. Their daily consumption promotes rapid weight loss.

Low calorie diet salad

To prepare a dietary salad you will need beets, carrots and a quarter of cabbage. All ingredients are chopped and placed in one bowl. Season the salad with a tablespoon of lemon juice. This low-calorie dish can be eaten several times a day. By including it in the lunch menu and for dinner, you can lose several kilograms in a week.

Healthy oatmeal

Oatmeal is a healthy slow carbohydrate. For a delicious tomorrow, pour boiling water over three tablespoons of flakes and leave for 5 minutes. Add a spoonful of honey, any nuts, and raisins to the resulting porridge. In order to diversify the dish, you can use seeds and dried fruits.

Sports nutrition: bars, cocktails, soups

Specialized sports nutrition for weight loss is not a product of the chemical industry, but contains special additives obtained in a special way from natural products. It includes tablets, bars, mixtures for making cocktails, soups.

Most of these products are aimed at reducing the amount of fat mass. They help speed up metabolism, slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, and promote the removal of excess fluid. However, it should be remembered that fat burners begin to work only with physical activity.

Baby food for weight loss

Many people, dreaming of losing weight, use a time-tested method - a baby food diet. The results are not long in coming. Excess weight disappears without difficulty, a good increase in muscle mass is observed, and the blurred figure becomes slender. Losing weight on baby food is recognized as a safe way to get rid of extra pounds, provided that the dietary course does not last more than a week.

By eating several jars of baby puree (fruit, meat, vegetable) every day, you can quickly:

  • get rid of waste and toxins;
  • acquire the habit of fractional meals;
  • normalize digestion;
  • lose 3-5 kg.

Diet food for weight loss

There are special therapeutic diets that promote significant weight loss. They are prescribed for digestive problems and obesity. One of such diets is considered to be treatment table No. 8. The principle of nutrition is not a simple reduction in the amount of food consumed, but a perfectly balanced diet that helps to get rid of extra pounds.

You can independently create a diet according to table No. 8 if you are obese of 1-3 degrees. In more severe cases, the calorie content of the daily diet is reduced to 1200 kcal, but such a diet can only be used under the supervision of a doctor.

Everyone is wondering what you need to eat to lose weight without constantly feeling hungry? Do you think this is impossible? The list of what you can eat is quite long. And, therefore, there are many options for tasty and healthy dishes.

Principles of proper nutrition

Weight loss is based on the rule - consume fewer calories than you burn. You just need to stick to a low-calorie diet and exercise. If you don’t have time for the gym, walk, do morning and evening exercises.

If everything is more or less clear with physical activity, then the question of what you need to eat for effective weight loss is not clear to everyone. The basis of PP is sufficient protein intake. Firstly, it takes more calories to digest it than to “process” fast carbohydrates. Secondly, it is a building material for muscles.

The protein norm for a girl losing weight is 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a man – 2 grams.

The next rule is to reduce carbohydrates to a minimum. You only need to completely give up fast foods (baked goods, white bread, sweets). Slow carbohydrates make an ideal breakfast.

Another principle - do not eliminate fats completely. You need to give up trans fats - margarine, spreads, creams in confectionery, dressings in “fast food”. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of butter and sunflower oil. It is better to replace them with flaxseed or olive oil.

The norm of fat per day is 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.

To lose weight you need to drink more clean water. It not only cleanses the body of toxins, but also speeds up metabolism. You need to consume at least two liters per day.

The norm is calculated as follows - for girls 40 milliliters per kilogram of body weight, for boys - 50 milliliters.

For healthy weight loss, the body needs fiber. So, you can and should eat vegetables in order to lose weight.

Diet is also important. You must adhere to the following rules:

  • Dinner three hours before bedtime.
  • It is better to eat small portions five or six times a day.
  • Eat the right snack - fruits, low-fat dairy products, a handful of nuts.
  • Drink a glass of water half an hour before meals.

Reasons for gaining excess weight

A sedentary lifestyle leads, first of all, to gaining extra pounds. Lack of adequate sleep also affects your metabolic rate. All this, combined with the abuse of sweets and fast food, leaves us no chance of a slim body.

Don’t think that temporarily giving up “junk” food will allow you to lose weight. This will give results, but it must be maintained by completely reconsidering your attitude towards food.

Heredity

Perhaps the most controversial reason. The presence of excess adipose tissue in the body is not genetically determined. Our DNA determines the structure of the digestive system, the speed of its work and the production of enzymes. Metabolism is partly determined by a set of genes.

If everyone in the family is overweight, this depends 80% on their attitude towards food. We inherit eating behavior from our parents and grandmothers. If from childhood we were told that the plate should be empty after eating, they forced us to eat through force, this taught us to overeat.

Don't justify your excess weight by heredity. Review your daily routine, attitude towards food and diet. Yes, it’s not easy, but this is the only way to lose weight.

Improper metabolism

With age, metabolic processes in the body slow down. If you do not support your metabolism with sufficient fluid intake and physical activity, you will begin to gain weight with your usual diet.

In addition, as we age, the pancreas and liver produce fewer enzymes. Therefore, people with gastrointestinal diseases may suffer from obesity.

Hormonal disorders

Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism) leads to weight gain. An imbalance of sex hormones directly provokes excessive deposition of subcutaneous fat. Diabetes mellitus (pancreatic dysfunction) also leads to excess weight at a certain stage of the disease.

In this case, to lose weight, you need not only to eat the right foods, but also consult a doctor. Because in order to lose weight, you will need therapy for the underlying disease that led to obesity.

Stress

Prolonged stress provokes increased production of cortisol. Due to which the level of glucose in the blood increases, more fat is stored in reserve.

Many people under stress try to relieve nervous tension with food. Sweets, fatty foods or such tasty, but unhealthy hamburger improve your mood and reduce anxiety. You have to pay for these weaknesses with extra pounds.

How to lose weight when stressed, you need to try to eat healthy treats - apples, bananas, raspberries. And of course, minimize the irritating factor. Since long-term stress means not only extra pounds, but also health problems.

What should you eat to lose weight?

There are foods that must be included in the diet of a person losing weight. We have compiled a table “What you need to eat to lose weight”:

ProductBenefit
Green teaReduces appetite, removes “bad” cholesterol from the body, accelerates metabolic processes.
GrapefruitBurns fat, improves immunity, reduces estrogen levels.
RaspberriesAccelerates metabolism, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Due to low blood glucose levels.
Ginger, cinnamonThese spices speed up metabolism and improve digestion. They make the process of losing weight not only healthy, but also tasty.
CabbageAny type of cabbage provides fiber to improve digestion. It is also a low-calorie product that keeps you full for a long time.
Cottage cheese, low fat kefirPrevents you from losing muscle mass when losing weight. The process of getting rid of fat deposits is accelerated.
AvocadoRich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, they will speed up metabolic processes.
Lean meatSource of protein.
FishRich in protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids. A source of building material for muscles.
BuckwheatRich in vegetable protein, essential amino acids, will accelerate the process of burning fat.

This is not a complete list of what you can eat to lose weight. Below we will look at basic products for effective weight loss.

Weekly grocery list to lose weight

To lose weight quickly, you need to optimize your diet, eat healthy foods and completely eliminate harmful ones. It is worth considering that one serving:

  • Vegetables about 300 g.
  • Meat or fish 150-200 g.
  • Cereals – 100-150 g.
  • Kefir or yogurt – 200 ml.
  • Cottage cheese – 100-200 g.
  • Apple, banana - 1 fruit.
  • Grapefruit – ½ fruit.
  • Avocado – ¼ fruit.
  • An omelet is prepared from 1-2 eggs or whites.

Table of what you can eat to lose weight during the week:

ProductQuantity per dayQuantity per week
Chicken fillet200 g1.5 kg
Fish (pollock/hake)200 g1.5 kg
Cottage cheese200 – 400 g1.5 kg
Kefir/yogurt0.5 – 1 liter3.5 – 7 l
Zucchini300 g1 kg
White cabbage)300 g1 kg
Colored300 g600 g
Broccoli300 g600 g
Carrot300 g1.5 kg
cucumbers300 g1.5 -2 kg
Buckwheat150-300 g1 pack
Oatmeal150 g1 package
Apples1fruit7 pieces
Grapefruit½ fruit3 fruits
Avocado¼ fruit3 fruits
Eggs1, 2 pieces10 pieces

What foods should you avoid?

Dieting involves a number of restrictions; this is necessary to lose weight quickly. You need to avoid foods rich in fast carbohydrates and trans fats.

We have collected everything that you should not eat while you are losing weight in the “Bad Foods” table:

ProductsHarm
Lemonades, Cola, packaged juicesThey contain large amounts of sugar, which the body converts into fat. Plus preservatives.
Transirs (mayonnaise, margarine, chips, etc.)They increase “bad” cholesterol in the blood and are deposited in adipose tissue.
Potatoes, white, steamed riceContain a large amount of starch. Which is essentially a fast carbohydrate that increases blood glucose levels. As a result, it is processed by the body into adipose tissue.
Smoked meats, canned food, sausagesThey contain a large amount of preservatives and trans fats.
Chocolate bars, candies, baked goods, cakes, pastriesFast carbohydrates, and therefore replenishment of fat reserves.

We figured out what you shouldn’t eat when losing weight, especially if you need quick results. It is worth adding to this that tea, coffee, compotes and fruit drinks should be drunk without sugar.

What foods are weight loss based on?

In addition to effective fat burner products, there are basic weight loss products. They form the basis of a healthy diet. So, what to eat to lose weight and maintain the results.

  • cereals;
  • lean meat and fish;
  • low-fat dairy and fermented milk products;
  • fresh vegetables and herbs;
  • fruits with low sugar levels.

Below we will look at each group in detail and provide a list of foods that you need to eat to lose weight quickly.

Top 11 foods that promote rapid weight loss:

Cereals

It is useful to eat them, as they saturate the body for a long time, are a source of slow carbohydrates, and are rich in microelements, which is important for healthy weight loss.

  • buckwheat;
  • oatmeal;
  • pearl barley;
  • Brown rice.

They should be consumed in the morning for breakfast; these products are also suitable as a side dish for lunch.

Lean meat and fish

This is the basis of proper nutrition - a must have of what you need to eat to effectively lose weight. Both fish and meat are rich in protein, which keeps you full for a long time. If you eat enough of these foods, you will lose weight from burned fat, not muscle.

  • turkey fillet, chicken;
  • lean veal, beef;
  • pollock;
  • cod.

Fish is the optimal food for women to quickly lose weight without getting skin problems. This is because it is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

Fresh vegetables and herbs

What foods can you eat to lose weight without harm to your health - fresh vegetables. They are rich in fiber and vitamins. Their regular use normalizes intestinal function, and the resulting fats are less easily absorbed. What forces the body to use up its reserves of adipose tissue.

  • cabbage (white cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli);
  • spinach;
  • salad;
  • cucumbers;
  • zucchini.

Unsweetened dairy and fermented milk products

Fermented milk products with low fat content are what you need to eat when losing weight. They are great for dinners. They contain a lot of protein and calcium, they saturate the body well and accelerate the fat burning process.

  • cottage cheese (2% – 5%);
  • kefir (1 – 2.5%);
  • natural yogurt without sugar;
  • milk serum;
  • milk (2.5%).

Green apples, grapefruits, bananas

Those who consume these fruits lose weight well. They speed up metabolism and saturate the body with useful substances. They make a healthy snack for weight loss.

Sample menu for weight loss from permitted products

We have compiled a sample menu based on what to eat to lose weight quickly.

  • Breakfast - oatmeal with water. You can add an apple or raspberries (a handful).
  • Lunch – banana or 100 g of cottage cheese.
  • Lunch – grilled chicken fillet with vegetables.
  • Afternoon snack – 200 ml of kefir or yogurt.
  • Dinner – protein omelet, fresh vegetable salad.
  • Breakfast – brown rice with a teaspoon of honey.
  • Lunch – cottage cheese, you can add a handful of nuts.
  • Lunch – baked pollock, fresh vegetables.
  • Afternoon snack – apple or orange.
  • Dinner – 200 ml of kefir.
  • Breakfast – buckwheat porridge with skim milk.
  • Lunch – ½ grapefruit or ¼ avocado.
  • Lunch – steamed turkey fillet cutlets, fresh vegetable salad.
  • Afternoon snack – 200 ml kefir.
  • Dinner – zucchini casserole with hard cheese.

Breakfast can consist of slow carbohydrates or protein. It is important to separate them into different meals.

Lunch – proteins, fats, carbohydrates. A light snack - low-sugar fruit, low-fat kefir or cottage cheese.

To eat to lose weight in a week, you need to eliminate carbohydrates as much as possible and add protein. In this case, the portion should be small. In this case, you will be able to lose no more than 2 kg.

Every day, by giving up unhealthy foods, you are getting closer to your goal of losing weight. It is not only the selection of the right products that is important, but also the attitude. Small tricks will help you save it:

  • Eat from small plates. This way you can trick your brain and pass off a small portion as the usual one.
  • Plates of cool blue shades reduce appetite, this is what you need now.

Fall in love with healthy food and then you will not experience the problem of most people losing weight, eating something that is unpleasant in order to lose weight.

What changes will you feel if you give up unhealthy foods?

What foods should you eat to lose weight - lean meat, kefir, cottage cheese, vegetables. By switching to PP you will feel lightness in your body. Even if the weight doesn't change much. You will feel invigorated. After all, you consume the right set of products that enrich your body with vitamins and microelements.

Why is it okay to eat fat when losing weight, but not sugar?

Fat is necessary for the body to function properly. If you completely exclude it, hormonal imbalances are possible and you can forget about losing weight. If you combine the intake of a small amount of “correct” fats (olive, flaxseed oil) with fiber, this will slow down their absorption. The likelihood that fat will be deposited will be minimal.

Sugar (fast carbohydrates) sharply increases blood sugar levels, insulin is released into the blood, which triggers the process of weight gain.

Is it possible to sometimes allow yourself to eat the forbidden?

If you really want sweets, then you can allow yourself no more than 40 g once a week. You can eat one marshmallow or marmalade. The main thing is that they are natural. Dark chocolate is acceptable when losing weight, but not more than 100 g per day.

Conclusion

The list of what to eat to lose weight is extensive. And from the acceptable set of products you can prepare delicious and healthy dishes.

Reading time: 26 min

You've probably heard the common expression more than once: “We are what we eat.” And indeed it is. Our food choices directly affect our health. Food is a source of building materials for our cells, tissues and organs. It ensures the vital functions of the body, gives us energy and even affects our mood. That is why proper nutrition is one of the most important conditions for a healthy lifestyle.

Who should think about switching to proper nutrition:

  • For those who want to lose weight and get rid of excess weight.
  • For those who have decided to take the path of a healthy lifestyle (HLS).
  • For those who play sports and want to keep themselves in good physical shape.
  • For those who want to avoid possible health problems caused by poor nutrition.
  • To those who already has health problems caused by poor nutrition and must follow a reasonable diet (gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular diseases, etc.)
  • For those who want to introduce themselves and their family to healthy habits.

The most common reason for switching to proper nutrition is the desire to lose weight. According to statistics, 54% of men and 59% of women in Russia are overweight. Most often, excess weight is a consequence of poor eating habits, poor diet, unlimited consumption of high-calorie foods, and low physical activity. Moreover, excess weight is not just a matter of aesthetics and beauty. This is a matter of health and normal functioning of all organs of our body.

Of course, proper nutrition (PN) is a very broad concept that includes many aspects and points of view. We will give only general universal rules - they are suitable for almost everyone (except in rare cases when there is a need to exclude a specific group of products). In the future, you can always optimize your diet based on the characteristics of your body and experience in consuming certain products.

Stage one: five simple steps to PP

The first stage includes five simple tips that will help you take a serious step towards proper nutrition without much immersion in theoretical material. Even by following these simple rules, you can lose extra pounds, cleanse your diet and teach yourself to eat wisely.

Dividing into stages will help those who have not previously adhered to the principles of proper nutrition or cannot yet afford to dramatically change their diet. If you already have experience with PN or are a fairly strong-willed person, then you can read the article from beginning to end and immediately begin to completely change your diet.

STEP 1: Remove “food waste”

The very first step you need to take on the path to proper nutrition is to eliminate the so-called “food waste” from your menu, namely:

  • sugar and sugar-containing products
  • white baked goods and white flour products
  • sausage, sausage products, semi-finished meat products
  • fast food (french fries, hamburgers, chips, snacks, etc.)
  • sweet juices, sodas and lemonades
  • mayonnaise, ketchup and unnatural sauces

Firstly, these are products with low nutritional value, which actually do not provide any benefit to the body. Secondly, these are high-calorie foods that are very quickly stored in fat. Thirdly, most of these foods do not saturate the body, so you will constantly feel hungry and eat extra food. By clearing your diet of this group of foods, you will already have taken a huge step towards proper nutrition and weight loss.

STEP 2: Eliminate alcoholic drinks

The second step involves eliminating another group of low-health products - alcoholic beverages. We will not now discuss the presence or absence of harm from alcohol under reasonable restrictions, and even take into account the possible positive properties of red wine. When switching to PP, we recommend giving up alcohol completely, at least for the period of weight loss. Why it is better to give up alcohol:

  • According to research, alcoholic drinks act on neurons that control appetite, which makes the body feel intense hunger.
  • Even a small dose of alcohol often provokes a food breakdown, when, due to loss of control, you begin to “sweep away” healthy and unhealthy foods in large quantities.
  • Alcohol retains water, so the next day you are virtually guaranteed to see “gain” on the scale, which is very demotivating.
  • Alcohol slows down your metabolism, so your body will lose weight at a slower rate.
  • Alcoholic drinks often come with snacks that add extra calories.

By the way, weak alcoholic drinks cannot be classified as high-calorie foods. 100 ml of dry red wine contains 80 kcal, 100 ml of beer contains 45 kcal (but strong vodka already contains 230 kcal per 100 g). Therefore, there are people who allow themselves a glass of dry wine or a glass of beer once a week without compromising weight loss.

However, remember that the first months of switching to proper nutrition are your most vulnerable. Eating habits have not yet settled down and the risk of breakdown is very high, so It’s better to avoid provoking foods that “chill” and relax. And alcohol is one of those.

STEP 3: Establish a drinking regime

The third step on the path to proper nutrition is to establish a drinking regime or, in other words, start drinking water. On the one hand, this step is very simple, but at the same time it is very effective for losing weight. Firstly, water is involved in almost all biochemical processes in the body, including the breakdown of fat. Secondly, water suppresses appetite and prevents you from eating too much. The benefits of water in the process of losing weight are invaluable, while its energy value is 0 calories.

Train yourself to drink 1.5-2 liters of water a day (this is approximately 6-8 glasses of 250 ml). At first, it will seem to you that it is impossible to drink such an amount of water in a day, but gradually you will be able to make it your healthy habit.

  • Drink one glass of water upon waking.
  • Drink one glass of water before meals (20-30 minutes before).
  • Drink one glass of water before and after exercise.
  • Drink one glass of water 30-60 minutes before bed.

To remember to drink water, set a reminder on your phone. There are many convenient mobile applications that remind you of the drinking regime. Also try to always keep a bottle of water with you (at work and at home).

STEP 4: Adjust your diet

The fourth step will be one of the most difficult, but also the most important at the same time. At this stage, many stumble and either give up the idea of ​​PP or slip into strict diets. That is why, at the first stage of the transition to proper nutrition, it is better to establish at least a diet in general. The subtleties of the distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and fats will be discussed in the following stages. So, the general diet will look like this:

  • Full breakfast (7:00)
  • Snack #1 (10:00)
  • Lunch (13:00)
  • Snack #2 (16:00)
  • Dinner (19:00)
  • Light snack 1 hour before bedtime: kefir, cottage cheese (21:00)

The time indicated is conditional, taking into account getting up at 6:00 and going to bed at 22:00. If you get up later or earlier, then adjust the time to fit your schedule.

The main basis of proper nutrition: eat small portions (200-250 g) every 3 hours. This means you don't take long breaks between meals. You do not forget about breakfast (breakfast should be within an hour after waking up). Instead of starving yourself between meals, you eat nutritious snacks. You forget about the “no eating after 18:00” rule and always have dinner. Skipping breakfasts, eating poor lunches and canceling dinners will slow down your metabolism and with a 99% chance will lead you to an eating breakdown.

At the same time, your breakfast, lunch and dinner should be complete meals, and not “coffee with a cookie” or “yogurt with an apple.” The menu will be described in more detail below. But at the first stage of the transition to PN, accustom yourself to at least a proper and balanced diet approximately every 3 hours. The break between meals should not exceed 4 hours.

Such nutrition increases metabolism and accelerates the process of losing weight, and also provides the body with the necessary energy and nutrients. You will stop being constantly hungry and stop living with the feeling that you are on a diet.

STEP 5: Get ready for a lifestyle change

If you want not just to lose weight, but to maintain the results and maintain them throughout your life, then you need to remember one more important principle of proper nutrition. Proper nutrition should become a part of your life, and not a short-term phase for losing weight. Get ready to change your eating habits forever. Your body will thank you not only with a slim body, but also with good health.

Many people argue this way: “Now I’ll stick to proper nutrition, get rid of excess weight, and then I’ll calmly eat whatever I want.”. But this is a mistaken opinion. Weight cannot be static, it changes depending on your diet. If you balance between proper nutrition and disordered eating, you will end up with weight swings. The kilograms will go away and then gain again when you return to your previous diet.

The situation is similar with diets, only here everything will be much worse. Usually the diet is low in calories, so it is very difficult to maintain it for more than three to four weeks. During this period, you may lose 3-5 kg, but most of this lost volume is not fat, but water, which is lost when you reduce the consumption of carbohydrates, sweets and salty foods. At the same time, the body adapts to a low-calorie diet, slows down metabolism, and after returning to its usual diet, it intensively accumulates fat. As a result, after a diet you gain even more weight than you lost before.

Universal advice for losing weight: even if some quick diet seems effective to you, and even if it has already worked more than once, put it aside right now. Sooner or later, you will still come to proper nutrition, but by then you will already have health problems, a dead metabolism and disappointment from the endless swing of losing and gaining weight. Start changing your lifestyle and eating behavior rather than going on a diet.

Stage two: the second five simple steps to PP

The second stage involves a more thoughtful approach to choosing products and distributing them throughout the day. Also added here are other useful habits that will become your good companions in the process of switching to proper nutrition. You can move on to the second stage a month after the first stage, or you can immediately when you decide to start sticking to PP.

STEP 6: Consume Complex Carbohydrates

Many people who are losing weight refuse carbohydrates because they are supposedly stored in fat. However, carbohydrates are an essential component of our diet. It is carbohydrates that give us energy and have a positive effect on our mood. Carbohydrates also signal our body that we are full. Therefore, under no circumstances should you exclude carbohydrates from your diet or greatly reduce their amount.

What we need to minimize in our diet are simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are quickly broken down in the body, leading to an increase in blood sugar, which then drops sharply and causes a feeling of hunger. You eat again, and the unused simple carbohydrates turn into fat. With complex carbohydrates the situation is completely different. Due to their structure, they take longer to be broken down by the body, do not cause insulin spikes and provide a feeling of fullness for a long time.

Therefore, as part of proper nutrition, you need to give preference to complex carbohydrates rather than simple ones:

  • Complex carbohydrates (low glycemic index carbohydrates) should form the basis of your menu. These are cereals, unpolished rice, durum wheat pasta, whole grain or rye bread, vegetables, root vegetables, legumes, and fruits.
  • Simple carbohydrates (high glycemic index carbohydrates) should be minimized in your menu. We excluded industrial sweets and white pastries, which are primarily classified as “harmful” simple carbohydrates, at the first step. But you also need to minimize foods such as honey, dried fruits, white rice, pasta made from durum wheat, and some types of sweet fruits.

More about carbohydrates below.

Step 7: Change your approach to cooking

This step involves the implementation of two points:

1. Eliminate oil-fried foods from the menu. Everyone has probably heard about the dangers of fried foods. Firstly, foods fried in oil increase cholesterol and provoke the development of cardiovascular diseases. Secondly, fried foods are higher in calories and fat, and therefore cause excess weight and diabetes.

Therefore, it is better not to fry foods, but to boil, stew or bake in the oven. If at first boiled food seems tasteless and bland to you, then you can use more natural spices and seasonings. In addition, oven-baked foods are in no way inferior in taste to fried foods. You can fry without oil in a non-stick frying pan (for example, scrambled eggs).

2. Reduce heat treatment of plant products. In the process of preparing plant foods (in particular vegetables, fruits, cereals), the fiber of the product is destroyed, and it is this that is our good assistant in the process of losing weight. What are the benefits of fiber? It lowers blood glucose levels, satiates you for a long time and helps in food processing. For example, raw carrots are a complex carbohydrate and a good source of fiber, while cooked carrots are a quick carbohydrate that raises blood sugar and makes you feel hungry.

Therefore, if possible, it is better to give preference to fresh plant products without heat treatment. But if you cannot do without cooking (for example, in the case of cereals, some vegetables and frozen foods), then at least do not overcook them and do not puree them to preserve the fiber.

STEP 8: Properly distribute proteins, carbohydrates and fats throughout the day

The menu will be described in more detail below. Now let's remember a few important rules that will help you correctly distribute food throughout the day so that it is good for the body and effective in terms of weight loss.

We talked about carbohydrates in the previous paragraph. Proteins are meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, legumes. Below we will talk in more detail about proteins, carbohydrates and fats, what they are needed for and what specific foods contain these nutrients.

PP menu rules:

  1. The best breakfast option is complex carbohydrates (+ some protein). Therefore, start accustoming yourself to morning porridge.
  2. For lunch you also need complex carbohydrates + protein + some vegetables. In principle, the standard option would be a side dish with meat or fish and a vegetable salad (or stewed vegetables).
  3. An ideal dinner would be poultry or fish (eggs are fine) + vegetables (fresh or cooked).
  4. Simple rule: from morning to evening you need to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed and increase the amount of protein consumed. That is, at the beginning of the day the body needs carbohydrates for energy, at the end of the day - proteins for regenerative processes that take place in the body at night.
  5. It is better not to eat fast carbohydrates and fruits after 16:00 (or in the afternoon if you have a non-standard schedule). An exception can be made for green apples.
  6. You should have snacks between meals. There are no strict limits on products, but it is desirable that they include both proteins and carbohydrates.
  7. After dinner, you can have a snack an hour before bed to avoid feeling suddenly hungry when you go to bed. The ideal option is kefir or cottage cheese. It is better not to eat foods high in fat or carbohydrates at night.

STEP 9: Increase physical activity

Many health problems arise due to a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of physical activity causes a reduction in bone mass, muscle atrophy and weakness, decreased strength and endurance, dysfunction of the spine and joints. People leading a sedentary lifestyle very often face problems such as osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, radiculitis, hernia, scoliosis, as well as a number of cardiovascular diseases.

Therefore, one of the most important healthy habits is regular physical activity. It won’t necessarily be training in the gym or some other intense activity, which has a number of limitations, including if you are overweight. This could be regular exercise, yoga, sports games, cycling. The main thing is that this physical activity brings you pleasure. You can start training at home for at least 10-20 minutes a day.

If you have contraindications for physical education or you have a lot of excess weight (for example, you need to lose more than 30 kg), then start with at least regular walking for 30-40 minutes a day. This could be walking in the morning before work or in the evening after. You can purchase and track the number of steps taken. Start with 5,000 steps daily and add 1,000 steps every week. You will feel how physical activity gives you energy, strength and vigor.

STEP 10: Remove stress and lack of sleep

Sleep plays a huge role in the weight loss process. Lack of sleep produces the stress hormone cortisol, which slows down fat burning. Research confirms that when cortisol levels in the blood are high, people lose weight very slowly or not at all. Cortisol not only slows down metabolism, but also provokes the accumulation of fatty tissue, especially in the abdominal area.

High levels of cortisol in the blood are also affected by heavy physical activity, psychological stress, and consumption of caffeinated drinks. Accordingly, to reduce cortisol levels, you also need to reduce anxiety and anxiety. If there is no stress, then the production of the stress hormone cortisol also decreases, which means the weight loss process will go faster.

If you still have doubts, Is it worth changing established habits and switching to proper nutrition?, then we remind you what problems poor nutrition can lead to:

  • Diabetes
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Weakened immunity and frequent colds
  • Hormonal imbalance and infertility
  • Diseases of the kidneys, liver and gallbladder
  • Dry, sagging skin and hair loss

For many, switching to proper nutrition seems not just a difficult step, but even unrealistic. However, if you act gradually, then step by step you can rebuild your diet, accustom your body to correct eating habits and get rid of excess weight.

Stage three: choosing what foods to eat

Many people do not come to proper nutrition right away, having tried a lot of harmful diets or pills that promise quick and reliable results. But we warn you right away, there is no magic diet or nutritional supplement that would allow you to lose weight in the shortest possible time and maintain the results for a long time. You need to accustom yourself to a balanced diet if you want to permanently lose excess weight and stay healthy.

Therefore, let's figure out which products should become the main ones in your diet and how to properly create a menu for the whole day. But first you need to understand the following concepts: proteins, fats, complex and fast carbohydrates, as well as what foods are included in each group. We have already touched on these concepts indirectly above, now we will dwell in more detail.

So, if we are talking about nutrition, then there are two large groups of substances:

  • Macronutrients– nutrients that we need in large quantities (measured in grams). They provide the body with energy. These are proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
  • Micronutrients– useful substances that we need in smaller quantities (measured in milligrams). They play an important role in the processes of food absorption, the implementation of the processes of growth, renewal and development of the body. These are vitamins, minerals, biologically active substances.

First of all, let's talk about proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

PROTEINS

Protein products are building materials for our body. This is an indispensable component that is directly involved in the processes of cell restoration and renewal. Muscles, internal organs, circulatory system, immune system, skin, hair, nails - our entire body runs on proteins. In addition, proteins are involved in metabolic processes and regulate metabolism, so consuming protein foods is also extremely important for weight loss.

What happens when there is not enough protein in the diet? Firstly, muscle mass is destroyed, as a result of which metabolism decreases and the process of losing weight slows down. Secondly, with a lack of protein, our skin, hair, and nails, which receive protein according to the residual principle, suffer. Thirdly, the immune system is destroyed, which is why we get frequent colds.

Where to get protein from in a healthy diet:

  • Lean red meat and lean poultry
  • White fish (great for dinner)
  • Red fish (for weight loss no more than three times a week)
  • Eggs (no more than two yolks per day)
  • Dairy products: low-fat cottage cheese, white yogurt, milk, kefir, fermented baked milk
  • Cheeses (for weight loss, fatty cheeses no more than 20-30 g per day)
  • Seafood (squid, shrimp)
  • Canned fish in its own juice (without oil)
  • Vegetable protein: mushrooms, lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas

It is better to minimize the consumption of fatty meat (pork, fatty beef, duck, goose), and if you want to lose weight, give up fatty meat completely. It is also better to exclude processed meat from consumption, that is, meat that has been salted, smoked or canned. But it is imperative to consume fatty fish varieties, because they are a source of healthy unsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids.

If we talk about the required amount of protein, then on average you need to consume 1-1.5 g of protein per 1 kg of weight. For intense training, 2-2.5 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are the most important supplier of energy to our body. This is why a carbohydrate breakfast is the perfect way to start the day. Carbohydrates should never be excluded from food! Low-carbohydrate diets lead to muscle breakdown, so effective weight loss through fat mass without carbohydrates will not work. It’s not for nothing that there is a popular expression among athletes: “Fat burns in the fire of carbohydrates.”

What happens when there is a lack of carbohydrates in the diet? Firstly, you will feel tired and in a bad mood, which will negatively affect both your performance and your life in general. Secondly, you will feel hungry and want to eat, since it is carbohydrates that signal our body that it is full. Thirdly, if there is a lack of carbohydrates, the body will use amino acids as fuel and break down muscles, which will ultimately slow down the weight loss process. Less muscle = deterioration in body quality + slow metabolism.

Where to get carbohydrates from on a healthy diet:

  • Cereals, i.e. porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, barley, millet, etc.)
  • Unpolished rice
  • Durum wheat pasta (for weight loss no more than twice a week, only at lunch)
  • Whole grain or rye bread (for weight loss, no more than 1-2 pieces per day in the morning)
  • Potatoes (for weight loss no more than twice a week, only at lunch)
  • Vegetables: white cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, onions, celery (pumpkin, beets, corn and carrots for weight loss no more than three times a week)
  • Fruits (for weight loss we eat with restrictions: bananas, grapes, dates, figs, persimmons - no more than 10% of the daily calorie intake in the first half of the day, i.e. about 150-200 kcal)

To lose weight, you need to reduce the amount of fast carbohydrates, not complex ones. If complex carbohydrates provide long-term satiety, then simple carbohydrates are quickly absorbed into the blood, and very soon you will feel hungry again. At the same time, despite the feeling of hunger, the fast carbohydrates eaten have not yet had time to be processed, and the body is already demanding the next meal. Unprocessed simple carbohydrates go straight to the construction of fatty tissue.

Simple carbohydrates are foods with a high glycemic index. The glycemic index of a product is a relative indicator of its effect on changes in blood sugar levels. In general, the sweeter and starchier a food is, the higher its glycemic index. The cooking method also matters: the smaller the pieces and the longer the heat treatment, the higher the glycemic index.

Therefore, a whole range of basically harmless products, such as honey, ripe bananas, grapes, dried fruits, dates, figs, persimmons, dark chocolate do not help us lose weight at all. They provide quick energy, but do not fill you up at all and make you feel hungry. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, then the amount of these products should not exceed 10% of the daily calorie intake (this is about 150-200 kcal per day).

Complex carbohydrates should make up 40-60% of your daily calorie intake.

FATS

Most people who are losing weight are very wary of fat, although it is a necessary element for the normal functioning of the body. Fats normalize the functioning of the hormonal and nervous systems. With the help of fats, proteins and vitamins are absorbed and beneficial minerals are absorbed from the intestines. Fats are also a source of energy and satiate well. A person definitely needs both vegetable and animal fats.

What happens when there is a lack of fat in the body? Firstly, it causes hormonal imbalance and threatens diseases of the reproductive system (both men and women). Secondly, a lack of fat in the body leads to a deterioration in the condition of the skin, its elasticity and firmness are lost, and wrinkles appear. Thirdly, with a lack of fat, cholesterol metabolism is disrupted and problems with the absorption of beneficial microelements occur.

Where to get fats from when eating properly:

  • Animal fats from milk (you should not buy low-fat products, 3-5% will be optimal)
  • Animal fats from meat and fish
  • Vegetable fats from nuts and seeds (no more than 10-15 g per day)
  • Vegetable fats from oils, including you can try different types of oils - olive, corn, sesame, pumpkin, soybean, cedar, walnut oil, grape seed oil (about 1 tbsp daily)

Regarding animal fats from dairy products, it is not recommended to purchase low-fat products. If you are losing weight, choose products with 3-5% fat content, this is optimal for the body to receive all the beneficial substances from dairy products. It is better to avoid butter and margarine while losing weight.

The minimum daily fat intake is 0.5 g per 1 kg of weight.

MICRONUTRIENTS

Micronutrients are no less important components for our body than proteins, carbohydrates and fats. A lack of vitamins, minerals and biologically active substances leads not only to metabolic disorders (which prevents weight loss), but also to the development of serious diseases. For example, a lack of calcium reduces bone density, which causes osteoporosis and a high risk of limb fractures. Lack of iron can lead to anemia, which is characterized by headaches, fatigue, irritability, muscle weakness, brittle hair and nails.

That is why your healthy nutrition menu should consist of natural nutritious foods that contain all the micronutrients necessary for our body. Below is a table of vitamins and minerals with their beneficial properties and descriptions of the foods that contain them.

Table: vitamins and minerals for our body

Micro-
elements
Where are they kept?What are they for?
Ironred meat, liver, kidneys, eggs, nuts, legumes, apples, pomegranates, raisins, figsfor transporting oxygen to tissues, for metabolism, for the prevention of anemia
milk, cottage cheese, cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, kefir, soy, spinach, cabbagefor the formation of bone tissue and strengthening of teeth, for the elasticity of muscles and blood vessels
broccoli, nuts, soy, brown rice, oatmeal, spinach, eggs, cocoafor the formation of bone tissue and strengthening teeth, for regulating metabolism, especially necessary for those who play sports
beans, potatoes, salmon, dried fruits, pistachios, spinach, pumpkinfor muscle activity, for the prevention of heart and vascular diseases, to normalize metabolism
milk, dairy products, meat, fish, peanuts, cereals, broccolifor the formation of bone tissue and strengthening teeth, to improve metabolism, for growth and restoration of the body
seaweed, sea fish, iodized salt, dairy products, prunesfor normal functioning of the thyroid gland and central nervous system
meat and offal, fish, eggs, legumes, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, wheat branfor elastic and healthy skin, for wound healing, for the immune system, very important for exercisers
Sodiumtable salt, soy sauce, cheese, breadto maintain water-salt balance in the body, to prevent seizures, to preserve minerals in the blood
seafood and sea fish, meat and offal, eggs, bran, wheat germto protect cells from the action of free radicals, for normal functioning of the thyroid gland, for the development of immunity
pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, fish oil, beef liverfor good vision, for immunity, for beautiful skin and hair
Vitamin Ckiwi, strawberry, citrus fruits, white cabbage, bell pepper, rose hipsfor the body's resistance to infections, to protect the walls of blood vessels from damage, is a strong antioxidant
eggs, liver, wheat germ, turkey, halibut, peanuts, dried apricots, raisins, walnutsfor good memory and brain function, for carbohydrate metabolism, for regulating insulin levels
Vitamin B12meat, fish, eggs, seaweed, tofu, milkfor the metabolism of amino acids (very important for exercisers), to strengthen the immune system, for the maturation of red blood cells
Vitamin Ddairy products, fish oil, fish liver, caviar, egg yolkfor the development of bones and muscle tone, for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, for the regulation of blood pressure and heartbeat
Vitamin Esunflower and olive oil, almonds, peanuts, wheat germis a strong antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet and vasodilator properties
Omega 3mackerel, sardine, salmon, tuna, cod liver, flaxseed, olive and sesame oil, walnutsfor the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and joint inflammation, to reduce bad cholesterol, to improve vision, skin and hair
Celluloseoat bran, cereals, whole grain bread, fresh vegetables and fruitsto regulate blood sugar levels, to improve the gastrointestinal tract, to reduce cholesterol levels

If you adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, try to eat a varied diet and do not exclude any healthy food groups from your menu, then we can say with confidence that you are getting the required amount of microelements. This means a harmonious metabolism occurs in your body.

If you eat right, but exclude certain foods from your menu (for example, meat, dairy, fish, etc.), then be sure to purchase vitamin complexes to make up for the lack of substances necessary for the body. But remember that vitamins and minerals obtained through chemical reactions are much more difficult for the body to absorb than vitamins and minerals obtained biologically (that is, from natural products). Therefore, you should always give preference to natural foods, and use vitamins as a supplement.

Stage four: creating a menu for the PP

After we have formulated the basic rules of PP and compiled a list of products for weight loss, we can move on to creating a menu. In fact, you can create your own menu simply by following the tips above. But you can check out the ready-made menu options below.

Classic menu option on proper nutrition:

  • Breakfast: porridge + simple carbohydrates + some protein
  • Snack #1
  • Lunch: side dish + meat + vegetables (fresh or cooked)
  • Snack #2
  • Dinner: lean poultry or fish + vegetables (fresh or cooked)
  • 1 hour before bedtime: a glass of kefir or 150 g of cottage cheese

Don’t be confused by the monotony of dishes, since you can change the contents of breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. For breakfast, porridge can be oatmeal, pearl barley, buckwheat, millet or barley. For lunch, pasta, potatoes, rice, and buckwheat can serve as a side dish. Vegetable dishes can also vary: from green salads to stewed cabbage or zucchini. As for meat, those losing weight most often prefer chicken breast, but you can also eat lean beef, turkey, and fish.

Let's give a typical example of a menu for someone losing weight on proper nutrition, which offers 6 meals. Overall, this is a very good option for a balanced and varied menu that contains all the important microelements.

Example of a ready-made menu on a PP:

  • Porridge with fruits, honey and nuts
  • Cottage cheese + fruit
  • Buckwheat + chicken breast + stewed vegetables
  • Vegetable salad with olive oil + cheese
  • Lean fish + fresh or stewed vegetables
  • A glass of kefir

Now let's take a closer look at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast is, without exaggeration, the most important meal of the day. Therefore, if you are used to not having breakfast or replacing breakfast with a light snack, then it’s time to forget about this habit. Start having a full breakfast. If you have no appetite in the morning (as you think), then you need to rebuild. Start with a small portion of your morning breakfast (a couple of spoons), gradually increasing the portion size to normal. Many people who did not have the habit of eating breakfast, after switching to proper nutrition, can no longer imagine how they managed without breakfast before.

Why is it important to have breakfast:

  • A nutritious breakfast provides energy and triggers metabolic processes in the body that help you lose weight.
  • After sleep, your brain needs a nutritious meal to maintain concentration, good memory, performance and mental activity.
  • Skipping breakfast disrupts your balance and causes uncontrollable hunger in the afternoon.

The ideal morning breakfast is cereal. Most often, the choice falls on oatmeal, but it can be any other (buckwheat, pearl barley, barley, millet). You can alternate between different types of cereals to suit your taste. Cereals are complex carbohydrates that will provide you with energy for a long period of time. You can add milk, fruit, a handful of nuts and seeds to the porridge. Instead of fruit, you can add dried fruits (no more than 20 g) or honey (1 teaspoon). The convenience of porridges also lies in the fact that you can brew them overnight and get a ready-made breakfast in the morning.

Ideally, add some protein to your breakfast, such as one egg, a piece of cheese, or peanut butter. But if you have enough porridge for breakfast, then it’s okay. Save this protein for your first snack after breakfast. For example, cottage cheese with fruit can be a snack between breakfast and lunch.

An omelet is suitable as an alternative to cereal for breakfast. But in this case, you definitely need a portion of complex carbohydrates. This could be, for example, whole grain or rye bread.

Breakfast examples:

  • Porridge with fruits and nuts (or honey)
  • Omelet with cheese + whole grain or rye bread
  • with fillings
  • Cottage cheese + fruit or honey + a handful of nuts
  • A couple of slices of bread with cheese or curd mass

DINNER

Lunch is the main meal; 30-35% of the total calorie intake should be allocated to it. Skipping lunch is still a rarer problem than skipping breakfast. Of course, the inconvenience is that lunch usually occurs in the middle of the working day, but this is, in principle, a solvable problem. It is enough to take a container with ready-made food with you so that you don’t have to think about the diet menu in a restaurant or cafe.

If you skip lunch, then there is a high probability that you will have a strong appetite in the evening, and it will be incredibly difficult to avoid nighttime gluttons.

Examples of lunches:

  • Side dish (rice, porridge, potatoes, pasta) + meat or fish + vegetable salad or stewed vegetables
  • Vegetable soup + meat or fish
  • Stewed vegetable stew + meat or fish

Lunch should consist of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Be sure to add fiber in the form of fresh or stewed vegetables. You can add to your meal eggs or cheese, if you feel that lunch turned out to be poor in proteins, or bread, if you feel that lunch turned out to be poor in carbohydrates.

DINNER

There are many different myths associated with dinner. One of the most famous is the statement that to lose weight you cannot eat after 18:00. Forget about this advice; under no circumstances should you skip your last meal if we are talking about proper nutrition.

So, a full dinner should be 2.5-3 hours before bedtime, so that the food has time to be absorbed. 1 hour before bedtime, you can additionally drink a glass of kefir.

Why you shouldn't skip dinner:

  • There is a very high risk of slipping and eating prohibited foods before bed.
  • Due to hunger, there may be sleep disturbances or insomnia.
  • Taking too long a break from eating can cause metabolic problems and catabolism (muscle breakdown).
  • Often there is an unconscious desire to eat more before 18:00, which disrupts the balance of nutrition.

But you need to be very careful when choosing foods for dinner. The ideal dinner option is lean animal protein and fiber. From lean animal protein, you can choose the following products for dinner: chicken or turkey breast, lean fish, seafood, boiled eggs, low-fat cheeses, cottage cheese. It is better to avoid animal fats in the evening due to the heavy load on the gastrointestinal tract and difficult absorption. Both fresh and stewed vegetables can act as fiber.

Examples of dinners:

  • Chicken breast or fish fillet + fresh or stewed vegetables
  • Vegetable salad with boiled eggs
  • Vegetable salad with low-fat cheeses
  • Cottage cheese with green apples
  • Cottage cheese casserole (including vegetable)

If you have dinner, for example, 4 hours before bedtime or you are hungry before bed and a glass of kefir is not enough, then a good option for a second dinner would be cottage cheese. It contains the slow protein casein, which will nourish your muscles during sleep, because it is at night that regenerative processes occur in the body. If you have a fairly late dinner, then you can skip the last snack.

SNACK

Between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner, you will have a snack. In principle, you can choose any snack you wish from the permitted products. There are no strict frameworks or restrictions here. Snacking is a meal where you can experiment. It is only desirable that the snack include both proteins and carbohydrates.

Snack options:

  • Whole grain or rye bread with cheese
  • Cottage cheese (yogurt, kefir) + fruits (dried fruits)
  • Fruits + a handful of nuts (10-15 g)
  • Crispbread + a handful of dried fruits (about 20 g)
  • Cottage cheese or vegetable casserole
  • Vegetable salad + cheese or eggs
  • Two egg omelette

Snacks can also complement previous meals. For example, if you didn’t manage to eat enough protein for breakfast, then your first snack can be made with protein (the same cottage cheese).

What else is important to know about losing weight on PP?

We have offered you structured and step-by-step instructions that will help you easily get on the path to proper nutrition, lose excess weight and consolidate healthy habits. And as a bonus, get a healthy and beautiful body.

But what else is important to know about proper nutrition for weight loss? Let's look at a number of popular questions that relate to losing excess weight on PP.

How quickly can you lose weight on PP?

The rate of weight loss depends on many factors: the amount of excess weight, metabolic rate, physical activity, genetic factors. The higher your initial weight, the faster you will lose weight. For example, if your weight exceeds the norm by 30-40 kg or more, then the average rate of weight loss is usually 4-6 kg per month. If your excess weight does not exceed 10 kg, then the average rate of weight loss is 2-3 kg per month.

In the process of losing weight, there may periodically be both stops in weight loss and small weight gains (within a couple of kilograms). In this case, the number on the scales can freeze at one value for either a couple of weeks or a month. This is a completely normal process. Give your body time to rebuild its biochemical processes. Continue to adhere to the principles of proper nutrition and do not deviate from your intended goal. Stopping weight is a kind of milestone when the body consolidates the result obtained.

Typically, the most dramatic weight loss occurs in the first month of losing weight. Even in the first couple of weeks, you can lose a few kilograms. However, a significant part of the lost volume in the first days of losing weight is not fat mass, but water. By reducing the consumption of sweet and salty foods and increasing water consumption, excess fluid leaves the body and swelling subsides. In the future, weight will fall much more slowly, but due to fat.

Losing weight with proper nutrition requires gradual results, but this is precisely the advantage. Firstly, weight loss occurs due to fat mass, not muscle mass, unlike low-calorie diets. Secondly, with sudden weight loss, problems may arise with excess skin that simply does not have time to tighten up (but a lot depends on nutritional balance and genetic factors). Remember, you haven’t gained excess weight in one month, so you won’t be able to get rid of it quickly if we’re talking about high-quality weight loss through fat and not through muscle.

Should you count calories?

The law of losing weight is very simple: eat less than your body can burn. The energy value of food is usually measured in calories. Therefore, to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than the body requires for life, in other words, you need to eat in a calorie deficit. In principle, you can create this very deficit, even by eating sweets and fast food, but this is no longer about health. Your goal should be a balance between losing excess fat and taking care of your body.

If you are overweight, you will lose weight by eating properly without counting calories if you follow all the recommendations above. If you are slightly overweight (about 5 kg) and have low physical activity, then there are options here. Perhaps, in addition to proper nutrition, you will need to count calories and BJU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), because the body gives off the last kilograms with great difficulty. As an alternative, count the calorie content of your usual menu to understand whether you are exceeding the calorie limit.

For your health and quality body, we recommend that you first adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. If you have the opportunity and desire to count calories, then this will become your additional assistant in losing weight.

Is it possible to lose weight and start eating again without regard to PP?

This was discussed in more detail above (step No. 5 in the first stage). But we emphasize once again that if you want not just to lose weight, but to maintain weight, then you need to tune in not to a short-term diet on PP, but to changing your eating habits. Otherwise, you will continue to experience weight fluctuations: first losing weight, then gaining weight again. Such weight swings ultimately lead to the fact that each time it becomes more and more difficult for you to lose weight.

Therefore, introduce proper nutrition into your life on an ongoing basis. Of course, it seems unrealistic to forever eliminate “sweets and junk foods” from your diet, but everyone can minimize their amount. If the basis of your diet is the right foods, then you will not even have the need to eat fast food. Gradually you will get used to and even love the new food. It's just a matter of habit. Although everyone can afford infrequent and conscious cheat meals.

Is it necessary to exercise to lose weight?

Losing weight (as well as gaining weight) always depends on nutrition, so training is not at all necessary to lose weight. But if you want to speed up the process of losing weight, then start training. You don't have to go to the gym; you can do workouts at home. Start with at least 15 minutes a day in the morning or evening - even the busiest person can find a quarter of an hour for sports. There are many free weight loss workout videos available on YouTube. For those who are overweight or have joint problems, there are low-impact workouts based on regular walking.

What training gives:

  • Muscle tone and improved body quality
  • Acceleration of metabolism
  • Prevention of diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle
  • Production of endorphins - hormones of happiness
  • Energy, vivacity and inspiration

If the prospect of training doesn’t make you happy at all, don’t force yourself. But if you have a sedentary lifestyle, you still need to increase your physical activity. If you sit at work and spend your weekends in inactive mode, then the risk of developing many diseases increases significantly (this has already been written above). Therefore, walk more, go on bike rides or engage in outdoor games (for example, with children).

There is another side to the coin. Many people who are losing weight immediately rush into all seriousness in terms of training. They work out seven days a week, force the load, or practice ultra-intense training without giving their body rest. This is also a very bad option for losing weight! You will put serious stress on your body, and as a result, you will most likely quit both training and proper nutrition. There must be measure and balance in everything.

Ideally, your workouts should be no more than 3-4 times a week for 45-60 minutes. If these are calm classes like yoga, Pilates and stretching, then the workouts can be more frequent and longer (again, listen to your body).

Is it true that it is better to eliminate milk to lose weight?

Milk and dairy products contain proteins and many important micronutrients (see table above) Therefore, this is a very important group of products, the refusal of which can cause a lack of certain substances in the body and deterioration of health.

If you are lactose intolerant, you should avoid milk and some dairy products that are high in lactose. If you notice any negative processes in the body after consuming dairy products, then you can also refuse them. If you have no contraindications to consuming dairy products, then there is no need to give them up. When choosing to give up certain foods, focus on your body, and not on fashion trends.

Why is it easy for some to lose weight, but difficult for others?

Indeed, there is a group of people who, even without dietary restrictions, do not gain weight. Most often these are people with an asthenic body type. In addition, the speed of your weight loss will be affected by the speed of your metabolism (metabolism).

What slows down your metabolism:

  • Age (the older we are, the slower our metabolism)
  • Unbalanced diet with lack of micronutrients
  • Long breaks between meals
  • Low calorie diets
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Passive lifestyle
  • Lack of sports (the less muscle, the slower the metabolism)
  • Constant stress and lack of sleep
  • Hormonal disorders (diseases in this area are often the result of poor nutrition)

And if we can’t do anything about age, then all other factors are completely removable. Eating 5-6 small meals a day and physical activity are very good for increasing metabolism. In turn, low-calorie diets, skipping meals, abuse of fast carbohydrates and lack of nutrients slow down metabolism.

  1. If you think that proper nutrition takes a lot of time, then it is not so. PP dishes are extremely easy to prepare. Porridge, boiled or baked meat, oven-baked fish, fresh and stewed vegetables, cottage cheese with fruit - preparing such dishes does not require much time and effort.
  2. Train yourself to plan your menu for the whole day. Use plastic containers of prepared food that you can take with you to work or leave in the refrigerator at home for dinner.
  3. Do not buy “forbidden” products at home: sweets, soda, sausages, mayonnaise. The fewer temptations and opportunities to eat too much, the better. Ask your family members to support you in this at least the first couple of months of the transition to proper nutrition.
  4. Even if you allowed yourself “undesirable” foods or you had an unplanned “glutton,” this does not mean that you are not succeeding and you need to give up everything. From the next day, return to normal eating, without fasting, cutting calories or other punishments.
  5. Gradually introduce your family members to healthy eating, even if they don't need to lose weight. In our time, when mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases is very high, a conscious approach to nutrition is simply vital for everyone. You don’t have to do it all in one day; it’s better to gradually introduce healthy habits.
  6. Try not to eat in front of the TV, computer, phone or on the go. Take the required 10-15 minutes to eat; it should be a thoughtful and conscious process with thorough chewing of food.
  7. If you start losing weight, then at first it is better to avoid parties and events due to the large number of prohibited foods and alcohol. If you can’t avoid it, then it’s better to come to the holiday well-fed, having first dined at home with the right food.
  8. Over time, taste buds change, so if at first the conventional “buckwheat with chicken breast” seems like a very bland dish, then gradually you will get used to the new menu with cereals, vegetables, cottage cheese and lean meat.
  9. When purchasing products, always look at their ingredients. The tempting names of “fitness muesli” or “protein bars” may actually contain sugar or sugar syrup. Such products are far from PP and are best avoided.
  10. Buy only “white” dairy products, without sugar, preservatives or other additives. Again, always read the ingredients. For taste, you can add natural fruits and nuts to cottage cheese and yogurt.
  11. If you have strong sugar cravings, you may be undereating on complex carbohydrates throughout the day. Remember the importance of carbohydrates for weight loss and satiety, we wrote about this above.
  12. Don't forget about such important foods as nuts and seeds - a source of healthy vegetable fats and many other essential substances. You can make a ready-made dry mixture from different nuts and different seeds and add it to your morning porridge every day. Nuts and seeds contain a lot of fat, so 10-15 g per day will be enough (that's about one teaspoon).
  13. Dried fruits can easily replace sweets and desserts. But if you want to lose weight, then it is advisable to eat no more than 20-30 g per day, preferably in the first half of the day (this is about 5-6 pieces of prunes or dried apricots).
  14. It is also better not to abuse sugar substitutes. Typically, the manufacturer indicates the permissible daily portion on the packaging. Ideally, it is better to avoid sweeteners altogether.
  15. If you are afraid of eating prohibited foods, then keep washed green apples in front of you. In a moment of weakness, you can snack on them. Apples are a very healthy and low-calorie product that is available to everyone.
  16. Don't forget to consume Omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids, this is an essential ingredient for our health. Most of them are found in fatty fish. Please note that this is not only expensive red fish, but also, for example, mackerel and herring, which are available to almost everyone.
  17. It is better to avoid salty and canned foods while losing weight. They retain water and cause swelling.
  18. Season your salads with vegetable oil, especially olive oil. A very popular sauce for those losing weight is the following ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, French mustard, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
  19. A simple way to overcome the desire to eat a prohibited product is to brush your teeth (if it is in the evening), chew gum, or drink a glass of lemon water.
  20. Remember that in any endeavor, and especially in losing weight, moderation and gradualness are necessary. There is no need to go to all lengths, trying to completely change your eating behavior in one day. Any changes take time.

Proper nutrition is not a temporary diet for a month. This is a restructuring of the nutrition system and a change in eating habits. Moreover, the goal of proper nutrition is not just to reduce excess weight, but also to improve the health of the body as a whole. Don’t put off healthy lifestyle issues until later; start correcting your eating behavior tomorrow.

"Beauty requires sacrifice"! This phrase is remembered by every girl, woman who once decided unsuccessfully to fit into her favorite jeans after a fun weekend or trying on things for the summer. One of those very “victims” are all kinds of diets,
which are strict diets, the essence of which is to severely reduce the amount of food entering the body.

Of course, they give quick results (but subject to strict adherence), but they have side effects and one huge disadvantage - the lost kilograms return in an increased volume almost immediately after leaving the diet. If you need to lose weight or want to regain your former slimness, losing weight will be your “lifeline.” It will help you quickly lose weight without much pain and constant hunger.

What are the reasons for the appearance of extra pounds? Here are several factors that prevent men and women from always being slim and beautiful, and indicate that they urgently need to switch to PP:

  • Regular consumption of products with “harmful” ingredients. Flavor enhancers, carcinogens, flavorings, sweeteners are a real “trick” for our body, forcing a person to eat more and more “sweets” each time.
  • Lack of balance in the daily diet. An unbalanced diet, ignorance of how many calories were eaten over a certain period, leads to rapid weight gain. Most often, more is consumed than spent (you must admit, not everyone goes to the gym or for a walk after meals).
  • Uneven division of meals. According to the rules, the emphasis should be on breakfast, cooking and eating nourishing food that will saturate the body with useful substances for many hours to come. We are used to leaning heavily on dinner, delighting ourselves and our household with delicious, but terribly heavy, high-calorie food, which does not have time to be processed and goes into the fat layer.
  • Nerves and stress conditions. We all know that nervous tension is always eaten with something “delicious”. For most women, this becomes a real vicious circle. Feeling that their body has become several kilograms larger, they feel discomfort, become very upset and lean even more on their favorite foods, eating away their grief.

Habit is a powerful thing. Few people remain in the “needed” mode immediately after leaving the diet, and sooner or later the kilograms lost with such difficulty return with “reinforcement”. Many people think, why continue to eat according to the rules if the goal has been achieved and they begin to binge on dinners again, eat junk food and wash it down with liters of sparkling water.

PP is not just a healthy lifestyle, but a state of mind. Once you familiarize yourself with at least the basics of proper nutrition, gray everyday life will be painted in brighter and more cheerful colors.

To take care of yourself, your body, it is important to have strong motivation. Many feel sorry for themselves, but in vain. It is enough to make some efforts so that later the incentive to reduce volumes turns into concern for
your body and emotional state for many years. Weight loss is not the only reason for switching to PP. We offer you five more reasons to think about your regime:

  • Life will become much happier. Proper nutrition is not only a slim silhouette, but also real happiness, a small victory over oneself. When the body gets rid of trans fats, palm oil and other harmful substances, its condition and your emotional background significantly improves.
  • More efficient brain activity. Scientists have proven that harmful substances contained in “sweets” significantly reduce brain activity, which can lead to negative consequences as you age. Replace fast food with nuts, vegetables, fruits and notice how much faster you think.
  • Lots of energy. Simple carbohydrates satiate the body for a short time, after which you want to eat even more. It is enough to replace them with complex ones that will fill you with energy for the whole day. To do this, you need to add fish, cereals, meat, dairy products, etc. to your daily menu.
  • Good, quality sleep. Adequate rest is the key to good health. Having normalized your diet, you will definitely notice how well and comfortably you sleep at night. For more effective results, experts recommend going to bed before 12 am.
  • Boosting immunity. We strengthen the immune system not only with physical activity, but also with a well-designed nutrition program. You and only you are your body’s assistant, mentor, filling it with vitamins, minerals, macro- and microelements, and getting rid of harmful fats, palm oil, trans fats.

Before you figure out an approximate healthy menu, it is important to decide what is included in the permitted, correct list of products:

  • Meat. We refuse pork, beef and other fatty “varieties”. We say “yes” to veal, chicken, turkey. We exclude sausages, sausages and all kinds of sausages from our diet.
  • Fish. Whatever they say, it should be more often than meat products in the diet of a person losing weight. We choose only low-fat varieties: pollock, cod, perch, pike perch.
  • Vegetables. In this case, there are practically no restrictions. We eat greens, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, onions, bell peppers. The only thing you should avoid is vegetables with a high starch content - potatoes, corn, etc.
  • Fruits. It is a source of a wide variety of vitamins. Use seasonal representatives, lean on apples, peaches, strawberries, apricots. Dried fruits are also not prohibited. Sweet lovers will definitely be happy.
  • Eggs. This is a fairly high-calorie product, but you shouldn’t give it up. The consumption rate per week is three pieces. To lose weight, nutritionists recommend giving preference to quail eggs.
  • Dairy and fermented milk products. This is the basis of the menu of a person who has decided to get rid of extra pounds. We lean on kefir, cottage cheese and fermented baked milk. Much less often, but it is allowed to use sour cream and cream (with a small percentage of fat content).
  • Cereals and pasta. There is a stereotype that pasta and cereals are harmful. We take rice, buckwheat, durum pasta and successfully lose weight. The standard daily portion is 200 grams.
  • Animal fats. Many people who lose weight give up eating fat completely. But for full-fledged, high-quality functioning of the body, a minimum amount of 5 grams will be quite enough. This will not affect your figure in any way, but your overall health will improve.

Proper nutrition for weight loss is a tricky thing, requiring consideration of many nuances and having numerous prohibitions. In order for the process to start successfully and proceed at an accelerated pace, you must first exclude certain foods from your daily diet.

Strictly prohibited:

  • Sugar/salt.
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Roast.
  • Smoked meats and pickles.
  • Juices in packages.
  • Baked goods made from wheat flour.
  • Cookies and sweets.

The list is not as large as it might seem at first glance, and giving up everything is quite possible. And no one forbids, after the weight is normalized, periodically pleasing yourself with your favorite harmful foods, because the metabolism will start, speed up, and a short-term “rest” from PN will not affect the body in any way.

Don’t confuse PP with diets and their strict nutrition programs. Having a huge list of permitted products in hand, you can create varied, and most importantly, delicious menus for every day, week. To correctly decide and create a good daily diet, you do not need to have the skills and experience of nutritionists. It is enough to follow two factors, and success will be guaranteed to you:

  • The total number of calories per day should not exceed 2000. During weight loss, calories can be reduced to 1600 or less.
  • We use only nutritious, healthy products to prepare new healthy dishes, month, day.

We offer several sample menu options for the day and week in tables that will help you create your own unique diet.


Recipes for proper nutrition for weight loss

When trying to create a menu for weight loss, many people think that it will be very difficult. There is a misconception that healthy food is boring, tasteless and monotonous. We will prove to you that this is far from the case. In addition to all kinds of cereals and casseroles, you can prepare original dishes with a bright, unforgettable taste that will create a real sensation among your household.

For example, do you love chicken breast, but don’t know how to cook it tasty and juicy? Try baking white meat with apples. To prepare you will need:

  • Chicken fillet - 300 grams.
  • Milk 1% - 70 ml.
  • Apple – 1 piece.
  • Tomatoes – 1 piece.
  • Garlic – 1 clove.
  • Onion – 1⁄2 pieces.
  • Salt, pepper, spices - to taste.
  • Wash the chicken breast, dry it and cut into small pieces. We cut the apples into the same slices as the meat. Finely chop half the onion.
  • Place the chopped onion and fillet in a frying pan and fry until golden brown for about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add apples to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Grate the tomato into a deep plate, crush the garlic there with a press, add salt,
    pepper and season. Pour milk and mix thoroughly.
  • Place the meat and apples in a prepared pan and pour evenly on top
    prepared with a mixture of milk and place in the oven for ten minutes.

Bon appetit.

Connoisseurs of produce “straight from the garden” will definitely like the following recipe with the intriguing name “Provençal-style vegetables.” You will need the following ingredients:

  • Zucchini – 1 piece.
  • Eggplants – 1 piece.
  • Tomatoes – 4 pieces.
  • Any cheese for baking – 80 grams.
  • Garlic – 4 cloves.
  • Fresh basil - 2 sprigs.
  • Oil, salt, seasonings - to taste.

Cooking steps:

  • We prepare the vegetables, wash them thoroughly, and if necessary, peel them (if they are very thick). Pour the vegetable mixture into a separate bowl, add a little salt and season.
  • Cut the cheese into small pieces.
  • Place vegetable rounds on a greased baking sheet, alternating between
    with the addition of garlic slices.
  • Prepare the filling: combine basil, spices, garlic and oil in a bowl. We give
    brew.
  • Pour the aromatic mixture over the vegetables and place in the oven to bake until fully cooked.
    readiness. Then sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 3 minutes.
  • Decorate the dish with herbs and serve.


Losing weight with proper nutrition: menu with original sweet recipes

Do you want to lose weight, but it’s almost impossible to give up sweets? No problem! Diversify your PP menu with delicious desserts, for example, dietary carrot cake, for which you will need:

  • Low-fat kefir – 150 grams.
  • Milk 1% - 4 tablespoons.
  • Eggs – 2 pieces.
  • Carrots – 100 grams.
  • Oat bran – 4 tablespoons.
  • Wheat bran – 2 tablespoons.
  • Baking powder – 10 grams.
  • Sweetener - to taste.
  • Cottage cheese – 300 grams.
  • Orange zest - to taste.
  • Combine all the dry ingredients in one plate, add grated carrots, kefir, and eggs. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth.
  • Grease the baking dish well with butter, lay out the dough and level it.
  • Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for an average of 30 minutes (check when the cake is ready).
  • Prepare the cream: mix cottage cheese with sweetener, process in a blender, add orange zest and mix thoroughly.
  • Divide the finished cake into 3-4 thin layers, coat each with the resulting cream. Assembling the cake completely.
  • Place in the refrigerator to steep for an hour and a half. Bon appetit.

Losing weight is delicious - it's not a myth. See for yourself.

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