Today, healthy eating is a very common and popular topic. The internet is simply full of advice and recommendations, however, following them recklessly is unreasonable and just plain unhealthy.
Therefore, when compiling a correct nutritional menu, it is necessary to consult a dietician. And in general, it will not be superfluous to study special literature on this topic. The main thing is to use reliable sources. For example, the World Health Organization regularly addresses the issue of proper nutrition in its methodological materials.
So, the specialists of the organization presented 10 principles that will make any diet more useful:
- A varied diet allows 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;
- A teaspoon of salt a day is the daily norm for an adult, so it is better to undersalt than to 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 menu of the day 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 suggestions in this manual do not contain specifications, therefore, based on them, it is not possible to compile a correct feeding menu. But to use it as a guideline for further work, you can do it successfully.
Also, the best option when choosing a new diet is to consult a nutritionist. A doctor with such training will give professional advice 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 lectures and workshops where they share their secrets and teach others.
How to make a correct nutritional menu?
The first step towards healthy eating is the menu. After all, it is the list of "allowed" products that will determine the variety of dishes, the system of snacks.
Nutritionists when compiling a correct nutritional menu are guided by several key principles:
- Meat in the diet should be combined with fruits and vegetables;
- For a correct functioning it is necessary to consume about 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 must be strictly calculated based on the amount of sugar and you should not eat sweets in the afternoon;
- Preserves and semi-finished products, all kinds of sauces, as well as representatives of fast food restaurants subject to the strictest ban;
- The food pyramid is a great way to organize your meals to guide you.
Also, 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 fairly general rules. For example, breakfast is preferable half an hour after waking up and dinner about three hours before bedtime.
Characteristics of a weight loss food program
It is important to understand that the nutritional plan also depends on the objectives pursued. Thus, we can distinguish a children's nutrition plan, a nutrition plan for various diseases, an athlete's nutrition plan before competitions and, of course, a weight loss food plan.
To begin with, we note that weight loss is impossible without a correct and balanced diet, and the latter never meant the existence of water and vegetables. So, let's go back to the principles of the WHO: a variety of foods provide the full range of elements useful to the human body. This rule must be taken into account when compiling the menu.
Also, if you want to lose 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't go against your lifestyle. Rather, on the contrary, the menu should be adapted to it.
So, we have two options for a diet designed for those who get up early and late:
| Diet 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 weight loss menu plan is calorie counting. To do this, you need to keep a record of all foods consumed throughout 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 nutritional planning is a time-consuming process, the preparation of which must take into account the following:
- The relationship between proteins, fats and carbohydrates can be different depending on the objectives pursued. For example, during the so-called "drying" it is advisable to increase the percentage of proteins consumed;
- General calculation of calorie content - while the required daily calorie intake, which varies according to age and lifestyle, should be evenly distributed;
- A variety of products that match in terms of nutrient content and calorie content - only a correct and balanced diet can give the result. Refusing to eat will only harm your health.
It is also necessary to keep in mind that "unscheduled" snacks should not be considered a tragedy, but it makes sense to analyze them and change the frequency or composition of subsequent meals. Another obstacle may be new dietary foods. For example, when dieting, it is better not to experiment with new flavor combinations, as they can also adversely affect the regime.
You can learn more about the rules of nutrition, the principles of forming a sensible diet in dietetics courses.
Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that the following product categories should be the basis of a correct nutritional menu:
- Chicken;
- Turkey;
- Fish;
- Seafood;
- Egg;
- Dairy products;
- Fruit;
- Vegetables;
- Greens;
- Peanuts;
- seeds;
- natural spices;
- spices;
- Wholemeal products;
- legumes;
- Olive oils, linseed, corn, sesame.
It is necessary to exclude from the diet:
- Sausages;
- Smoked products;
- Canned food;
- Vacuum packed snacks;
- Semi-finished products;
- sauces;
- Ready meals for heating in the microwave;
- Fast food;
- Carbonated drinks;
- Juices in packs.
Separately, it is worth noting that salted nuts do not belong to proper nutrition, like all products containing an increased level of spices, additives and flavors. As for confectionery products, they should be minimized and the composition of such products should also be treated responsibly. For example, you might have an oatmeal muffin for breakfast.
weekly nutritional program
In general, a healthy and balanced diet can be quite diverse, so it is quite possible to develop a menu in which there will be new dishes every day. We present an example of a menu for a week according to all the recommendations previously provided:
| 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, 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, a breakfast apple is transferred into 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, lifestyle and daily calorie intake. Therefore, the serving size for men and women will be different.
Recipes for proper nutrition
We offer several simple, yet 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 you want you can also add a peach or a pear, but not without the abuse of sweet fruit.
- Oat and apple pancakes - 152 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Oatmeal - 80 gr.
- Medium-sized apple - 1 pc.
- Chicken egg - 1 pc.
- Honey - 30 gr.
Grind the oatmeal in a blender. Clean the apple, mix with the resulting powder and egg. Fry the pancakes for about 3 minutes per 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. One tablespoon.
Cook the vegetables for 15 minutes in the oven, then remove the skin and cut them. 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 need to be poured with boiling water, let it brew. Cut the onion and carrot, cook for 15 minutes with the mushrooms. Boil the milk. Transfer the soup to a blender, add milk, then whisk until puree, garnish with herbs if desired.
- Beef stew - 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 the meat with onion and lemon juice for one hour. Stew the carrots, tomatoes, onions and beef in a pan. When ready, add the vegetables. As a side dish - buckwheat (cook without salt).
- Lean sweet sausage - 269, 98 kcal / 100 gr.
Ingredients:
- Dates - 125 gr.
- Plums - 125 gr.
- Nuts - 100 gr.
- Sesame - 2 tbsp. spoons.
- Orange - 1 pc.
- Cinnamon - tsp.
Plums and dates need to be washed and pitted, then chopped with a blender. In the resulting mixture, add the orange zest and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of orange juice, mix. Toast the walnuts in a pan a little earlier (without adding oil). Mix all ingredients until smooth. Put the mixture on cling film, form a roll, 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, for example, to lose weight, then the most effective option is to go on a diet from a dietician. It will take into account the individual characteristics of your body and develop a nutrition plan that will help you achieve your goals.