Today, healthy eating is a very common and popular topic. The Internet is simply full of advice and recommendations, however, following them thoughtlessly is unreasonable, and simply unhealthy.
Therefore, when compiling a proper nutrition menu, you should consult a dietitian. And in general, it will not be superfluous to study the special literature on this issue. The main thing is to use reliable sources. For example, the World Health Organization regularly addresses the topic of proper nutrition in its methodological materials.
So, the organization's specialists presented 10 principles that will make any diet more useful:
- A varied diet enables the body to receive all the variety of nutrients;
- Whole grains favorably affect the intestinal microflora, improving its work;
- Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are the best snack options;
- One teaspoon of salt per day is the daily norm for an adult, so it is better to undersalt than oversalt;
- It is necessary to monitor the level of sugar consumed, also pay attention to the so-called hidden sugar;
- Moderate consumption of fatty foods;
- In the daily menu, it is better to give preference to fish or poultry, limiting the consumption of red meat;
- Ready meals are a rich cocktail of trans fats, salt, sugar, and a wide variety of artificial additives;
- Fried foods will never be healthy;
- Alcohol in any quantity is harmful to health.
Of course, the tips from this manual do not contain specifics, therefore, based on them, a proper nutrition menu cannot be compiled. But to use it as a guideline for further work - you can quite successfully.
Moreover, the best option when choosing a new diet is to consult a nutritionist. A doctor with such training will give a professional opinion and draw up a menu that will be not only healthy, but also nutritious and tasty. And today it is not necessary to visit clinics for this. Many nutritionists hold open lessons and workshops where they share their secrets and teach others.
How to make a proper nutrition menu?
The first step towards a healthy diet is the menu. After all, it is the list of "permitted" products that will determine the variety of dishes, the system of snacks.
Nutritionists when compiling a proper nutrition menu are guided by several key principles:
- Meat in the diet should be combined with vegetables and fruits;
- For proper functioning, you need to consume approximately 100-150 grams of protein per day;
- If desired, sweets can be included in the diet. But it is important to remember that their use should be strictly calculated according to the amount of sugar, and you should not eat desserts in the afternoon;
- Canned and semi-finished products, all kinds of sauces, as well as representatives of fast foods under the strictest ban;
- The Food Pyramid is a great way to organize your meals to guide you.
In addition, when compiling the menu, it is important to focus on the time intervals between meals. Depending on their duration, the saturation of dishes with certain elements is determined. But there are also quite general rules. For example, breakfast is best half an hour after waking up, and dinner is about three hours before bedtime.
Features of a weight loss meal plan
It is important to understand that the nutrition plan also depends on what goals are being pursued. So, we can distinguish a nutrition plan for children, a nutrition plan for various diseases, an athlete’s nutrition plan before competitions and, of course, a diet plan for weight loss.
To begin with, we note that weight loss is impossible without proper and balanced nutrition, and the latter has never meant existence on water and vegetables. Thus, we return to the principles of WHO - a variety of food provides the whole range of useful elements to the human body. This rule must be taken into account when compiling the menu.
In addition, if you want to reduce weight with the right diet, you should follow a few more rules:
- You should eat at certain time intervals, then the body will develop a regimen;
- Meals should be fractional, the most optimal option is 5 times a day;
- When planning meals, you can not go against your lifestyle. Rather, on the contrary, the menu should be tailored to it.
Thus, we get two options for a diet designed for those who get up early and late:
| Eating regimen for "Larks" | Eating mode for "Owls" | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. 00 | Breakfast | 10. 00 | Breakfast |
| 10. 00 | First snack | 13. 00 | First snack |
| 13. 00 | Dinner | 15. 00 | Dinner |
| 16. 00 | Second snack | 17. 00 | Second snack |
| 19. 00 | Dinner | 20. 00 | Dinner |
Another feature in compiling a menu plan for losing weight is calorie counting. To do this, you need to keep a record of all foods eaten during the day. And today it is quite simple to do this, because there are a large number of special applications for such purposes.
How to plan meals for every day?
Proper nutrition planning is a time-consuming process, the preparation of which must take into account the following:
- The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates - it can be different depending on the goals pursued. For example, during the so-called "drying" it is recommended to increase the percentage of protein consumed;
- General calculation of calorie content - while the required daily dose of calories, which varies depending on age and lifestyle, should be distributed evenly;
- A variety of products that correspond in terms of nutrient content and calorie content - only proper and balanced nutrition can give the result. Refusing to eat will only harm your health.
It is also necessary to keep in mind that "unscheduled" snacking should not be taken as a tragedy, but it makes sense to analyze them and change the frequency or composition of subsequent meals. Another stumbling block can be new foods for the diet. For example, while dieting, it is best not to experiment with new flavor combinations, as they can also negatively affect the regimen.
It is possible to learn more about the rules of nutrition, the principles of forming a reasonable diet in dietetics courses.
Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the following categories of products should be the basis of a proper nutrition menu:
- Chicken;
- Turkey;
- Fish;
- Seafood;
- Eggs;
- Dairy;
- Fruit;
- Vegetables;
- Greens;
- Nuts;
- seeds;
- natural spices;
- spices;
- Whole grain products;
- legumes;
- Olive, linseed, corn, sesame oils.
It is necessary to exclude from the diet:
- Sausages;
- Smoked products;
- Canned food;
- Snacks in vacuum packing;
- Semi-finished products;
- Sauces;
- Ready meals for heating in the microwave;
- Fast food;
- Carbonated drinks;
- Juices in packages.
Separately, it is worth noting that salted nuts do not belong to proper nutrition, like any products containing an increased level of spices, additives and flavors. As for confectionery products, they should be reduced to a minimum, and the composition of such products should also be treated responsibly. For example, maybe you have an oatmeal muffin for breakfast.
weekly nutrition program
In general, a balanced proper diet can be quite varied, so it is quite possible to develop a menu where there will be new dishes every day. We present an example of a menu for a week in accordance with all the previously given recommendations:
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday |
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Baked fish, vegetable salad as a side dish. |
| Tuesday |
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| Wednesday |
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Chicken fillet with baked vegetables. |
| Thursday |
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Pita with lean beef, lettuce, dressing - natural yogurt, garlic and dill. |
| Friday |
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| Saturday |
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Couscous with carrots, onions, corn, green peas. |
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| Sunday |
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It should be noted that when small snacks are included in the diet, fruits and nuts will need to be removed from the main menu. In other words, an apple from breakfast is transferred to an afternoon snack. A similar system can be used in reverse, adding snacks to the main meals - breakfast and lunch.
It is also important to remember that portions are calculated individually, based on age, health status, lifestyle and daily calorie intake. Therefore, the size of the portion for men and women will differ.
Recipes for proper nutrition
We offer some simple, but tasty and healthy dishes for every day.
- Smoothies - 67-70 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Banana - 1 pc.
- Oatmeal - 30 gr.
- Yogurt (or kefir) - 100-150 gr.
- Vanilla - to taste.
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. If desired, you can also add a peach or pear, but not without the abuse of sweet fruits.
- Oat-apple pancakes - 152 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Oatmeal - 80 gr.
- Medium-sized apple - 1 pc.
- Chicken egg - 1 pc.
- Honey - 30 gr.
Grind oatmeal in a blender. Wipe the apple, mix with the resulting powder and egg. Fry the pancakes for about 3 minutes on each side. The dish can be served with honey.
- Lecho salad - 50 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Bulgarian pepper - 4 pcs.
- Eggplant - 1 pc.
- Tomato - 3 pcs.
- Vinegar - to taste.
- Greens - to taste.
- Salt - to taste.
- Vegetable oil - Art. a spoon.
Bake vegetables for 15 minutes in the oven, then remove the peel and cut. Add chopped herbs, oil, vinegar, salt to the resulting salad, mix.
- Mushroom puree soup - 30 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Champignon mushrooms - 700 gr.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Carrot - 1 pc.
- Milk - 250 ml.
- Greens - to taste.
Mushrooms must be poured with boiling water, let it brew. Cut the onion and carrot, cook for 15 minutes with mushrooms. Boil milk. Transfer the soup to a blender, add milk, then beat until puree, garnish with herbs if desired.
- Stewed beef - 80 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Beef - 100 gr.
- Buckwheat groats - 150 gr.
- Carrot - 1 pc.
- Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Lemon juice - to taste.
- Greens - to taste.
Marinate meat with onion and lemon juice for an hour. Stew carrots, tomatoes, onions and beef in a pan. When ready, add greens. As a side dish - buckwheat (cook without salt).
- Lean sweet sausage - 269. 98 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Dates - 125 gr.
- Prunes - 125 gr.
- Nuts - 100 gr.
- Sesame - 2 tbsp. spoons.
- Orange - 1 pc.
- Cinnamon - teaspoon.
Prunes and dates must be washed and pitted, then chopped with a blender. In the resulting mixture, add orange zest and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of orange juice, mix. Toast the nuts in a frying pan (without adding oil). Mix all ingredients until smooth. Put the mixture on cling film, form a roll, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place the sweet sausage in the refrigerator for half an hour.
If you want to create a menu for a specific purpose, for example, to lose weight, then the most effective option is to make a diet by a dietitian. He will take into account the individual characteristics of your body and draw up a nutrition plan that will help you achieve your goals.