Today, healthy eating is a very common and popular topic. The internet is full of advice and suggestions, however, it is unreasonable and unhealthy to follow them carelessly.
Therefore, a nutritionist should be consulted when compiling an appropriate nutritional menu. In general, it would not be superfluous to study dedicated literature on this subject. The main thing is to use reliable sources. For example, the World Health Organization regularly discusses the topic of proper nutrition in its methodological materials.
So, the group's experts have come up with 10 principles that will make any diet more useful:
- A varied diet allows the body to obtain a variety of nutrients;
- Whole grains are beneficial for influencing the intestinal flora, improving its work;
- Fruits, vegetables and nuts are the best snack options;
- A teaspoon of salt a day is the daily norm for adults, so less salt is better than too much;
- It is necessary to monitor the level of sugar consumption, but also to pay attention to so-called hidden sugars;
- Moderate consumption of high-fat foods;
- In the daily menu, it is best to prioritize fish or poultry and limit the consumption of red meat;
- Ready-to-eat meals are a mix of trans fats, salt, sugar, and various artificial additives;
- Fried food is never healthy;
- Alcohol in any amount is harmful to health.
Of course, the tips in this booklet are not specific, so it's impossible to compile a proper nutrition menu based on these tips. But use it as a guideline for further work - you can be very successful.
Also, your best bet when choosing a new diet is to consult a dietitian. A doctor who has received such training will give professional advice and create a menu that is not only healthy but also nutritious and delicious. There is no need to go to the clinic for this today. Many nutritionists hold open classes and seminars to share their secrets and teach others.
How to make a proper nutrition menu?
The first step in healthy eating is the menu. After all, the list of "allowed" products will determine the type of dishes, the system of snacks.
Nutritionists follow a few key principles when compiling an appropriate nutritional menu:
- Meat in the diet should be combined with vegetables and fruits;
- To function properly, you need to consume approximately 100-150 grams of protein per day;
- Add sweets to your diet if desired. But it is important to remember that their use is strictly based on the amount of sugar and no desserts in the afternoon;
- Canned and semi-finished products, various sauces, and representatives of the most forbidden fast food;
- A food pyramid is a great way to organize your meals to guide you.
Also, when compiling a menu, it's important to focus on the time between meals. Determine the saturation of dishes with certain elements based on their duration. But there are also fairly general rules. For example, breakfast is best about half an hour after getting up, and dinner is best about three hours before going to bed.
Features of Weight Loss Meal Plans
It is important to understand that the nutrition plan also depends on the goals being pursued. Therefore, we can distinguish between nutrition plans for children, nutrition plans for various diseases, nutrition plans for athletes before competitions, and of course, diet plans for weight loss.
First, we noticed that weight loss is impossible without proper and balanced nutrition, which has always meant living on water and vegetables. So we go back to the WHO principle - that all kinds of food provide the human body with a full range of useful elements. This rule must be taken into account when compiling menus.
Also, if you want to lose weight by eating right, there are more rules you should follow:
- You should eat at certain intervals, and then the body will develop a regimen;
- Meals should be divided, the best option is 5 times a day;
- When planning meals, you can't go against your lifestyle. Instead, the menu should fit it.
Therefore, we designed two dietary options for early risers and late risers:
| How to eat "Lark" | Eating Patterns of "Owls" | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. 00 | breakfast | 10. 00 | breakfast |
| 10. 00 | first snack | 13. 00 | first snack |
| 13. 00 | dinner | 15. 00 | dinner |
| 16. 00 | second dim sum | 17. 00 | second dim sum |
| 19. 00 | dinner | 20. 00 | dinner |
Another feature of creating a weight loss menu plan is counting calories. To do this, you need to record all the food you eat during the day. Today, doing so is very simple, as there are a plethora of special applications for such purposes.
How to plan daily meals?
Proper nutrition planning is a time-consuming process, and its preparation must take into account the following:
- The ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates - may vary depending on the goals pursued. For example, during so-called "drying" periods, it is recommended to increase the percentage of protein consumption;
- General calculation of calorie content - the required daily calorie dose should be evenly distributed depending on age and lifestyle;
- The various products correspond in terms of nutritional content and calorie content - only proper and balanced nutrition can yield results. Refusal to eat will only damage your health.
It's also important to remember that "unplanned" snacks shouldn't be viewed as tragic, but it makes sense to analyze them and change the frequency or composition of subsequent meals. Another stumbling block may be new foods in the diet. For example, when dieting, it's best not to try new flavor combinations, as they can also negatively affect your diet.
You can learn more about nutritional rules in nutrition courses and form the principles of a reasonable diet.
Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the following product categories should be the basis for a proper nutritional menu:
- chicken;
- turkey;
- fish;
- seafood;
- Egg;
- dairy products;
- fruit;
- vegetable;
- Green vegetables;
- nut;
- seed;
- natural flavors;
- spices;
- whole grain products;
- beans;
- Olive, flaxseed, corn, sesame oil.
It is necessary to exclude from the diet:
- sausage;
- smoked products;
- canned food;
- vacuum-packed snacks;
- semi-finished products;
- sauce;
- Ready-to-eat food heated in a microwave oven;
- fast food;
- Carbonated drinks;
- Juice in packaging.
Also, it's worth noting that salted nuts are not considered proper nutrition, like any product that contains increased levels of flavors, additives, and flavors. As for confectionary products, it should be reduced to a minimum and the ingredients of such products should also be handled responsibly. For example, maybe you eat oatmeal muffins for breakfast.
weekly nutrition plan
In general, a balanced healthy diet can be varied, so it is quite possible to develop a menu with new dishes every day. We provide an example of a week's menu based on all the suggestions given earlier:
| day of the week | breakfast | dinner | dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| on Monday |
|
|
Grilled fish, vegetable salad as a side dish. |
| Tuesday |
|
|
|
| Wednesday |
|
|
Chicken Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables. |
| Thursday |
|
|
Pita with lean beef, lettuce, dressing - natural yogurt, garlic and dill. |
| Friday |
|
|
|
| Saturday |
|
Couscous with carrots, onions, corn, green beans. |
|
| Sunday |
|
|
|
It should be noted that when small snacks are included in the diet, fruits and nuts need to be removed from the main menu. In other words, an apple at breakfast is converted into an afternoon snack. A similar system can be used in reverse, adding snacks to main meals (breakfast and lunch).
It's also important to remember that serving sizes are calculated individually based on age, health, lifestyle, and daily calorie intake. Therefore, the serving size will be different for men and women.
Proper Nutrition Recipes
We serve several simple but delicious and healthy dishes every day.
- Smoothie - 67-70 kcal/100 g.
raw material:
- Banana - 1 pc.
- Oatmeal - 30 g.
- Yogurt (or kefir) - 100-150 grams.
- Vanilla - to taste.
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. You can also add peaches or pears if desired, but don't overuse the sweet fruit.
- Oatmeal Apple Pancakes - 152 kcal / 100 gr.
raw material:
- Oatmeal - 80 g.
- Medium Apple - 1 pc.
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Honey - 30 g.
Grind oatmeal in a blender. Wipe the apples and mix with the resulting powder and eggs. Fry the pancakes for about 3 minutes on each side. This dish can be served with honey.
- Lecho Salad - 50 kcal / 100 gr.
raw material:
- Bulgarian peppers - 4 pcs.
- Eggplant - 1 pc.
- Tomatoes - 3 pcs.
- Vinegar - to taste.
- Vegetables - to taste.
- Salt - to taste.
- Vegetable Oil - Art. spoon.
Roast the vegetables in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the peels and dice. Add chopped herbs, oil, vinegar, salt to the resulting salad and mix.
- Mushroom Bisque - 30 kcal / 100 gr.
raw material:
- Shiitake Mushrooms - 700 g.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Carrot - 1 pc.
- Milk - 250 ml.
- Vegetables - to taste.
Mushrooms must be poured with boiling water and let it brew. Chop onions and carrots and cook mushrooms for 15 minutes. Boil milk. Transfer soup to blender, add milk, and puree, garnishing with vanilla if desired.
- Beef Stew - 80 kcal / 100 gr.
raw material:
- Beef - 100 grams.
- Buckwheat groats - 150 g.
- Carrot - 1 pc.
- Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Lemon juice - to taste.
- Vegetables - to taste.
Marinate the meat with onion and lemon juice for an hour. Stew carrots, tomatoes, onions and beef in a pan. When ready, add the vegetables. As a side dish - buckwheat (cooked without salt).
- Skinny Sweet Sausage - 269. 98 kcal / 100 gr.
raw material:
- Date - 125 g.
- Plums - 125 grams.
- Nuts - 100 g.
- Sesame - 2 tbsp. spoon.
- Orange - 1 pc.
- Cinnamon - tsp.
Plums and dates must be washed, pitted, and chopped in a blender. To the resulting mixture, add the orange zest and 1 tablespoon. A spoonful of orange juice, mix well. Toast the nuts (without the oil) in the skillet ahead of time. Mix all ingredients until smooth. Place the mixture on plastic wrap, roll up, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Put the sweet sausage in the refrigerator for half an hour.
If you want to create a menu for a specific purpose, such as losing weight, then the most effective option is a diet by a dietitian. He will take into account the individual characteristics of your body and create a nutritional plan that will help you achieve your goals.