In order to losing weight, you do not need to eat monotonously, for example, only buckwheat, cucumbers or rice. The food menu should always be rich and balanced. You can consume almost all foods, it is enough to exclude fast carbohydrates and limit fat. The breakdown of fat does not occur due to the consumption of certain foods at a certain time, but due to the energy deficit that is created during the diet. The advantage of mono-diet is that the main product quickly bothers and due to this, the appetite decreases.
Protein
Diet for weight loss involves reducing the intake of nutrients, especially fats and carbohydrates. However, along with this, protein intake is also reduced, which is not good. Protein during weight loss should be consumed in sufficient quantities, because when it is lacking, the body’s immune defense is reduced, the synthesis of proteins of the connective tissue of the dermis and its appendages is impaired: the skin loses its elasticity, becomes dry and flabby, premature wrinkles are formed, hair becomes thinner and grow poorly. The menstrual cycle is broken. There are psychological problems – asthenization. Sensing a lack of proteins, the body begins to destroy its own muscles.
Fatty acid degradation: β-oxidation occurs with the participation of a large number of enzymes, that is, proteins. Roughly speaking, burning fat is impossible without the participation of proteins. Protein not only requires more time for its assimilation, but also prolongs the process of assimilation of carbohydrates. This reduces the total glycemic index of food consumed and allows, without drastic changes in insulin levels, to maintain a sufficient blood sugar level for a long time. And this makes it possible to effectively and easily cope with hunger.
Therefore, you should include small amounts of meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, seafood, legumes, and other protein-rich foods that you like in your diet. Sour-milk products, such as low-fat kefir, yoghurts or fermented baked milk, are especially useful during weight loss. They are low in calories and normalize bowel function.
Protein foods should make up about 30% of your diet. As a protein, you can use sports nutrition, or rather slow (complex) proteins. They practically do not contain carbohydrates and fats, are slowly absorbed and well satisfy the needs of the body during weight loss.
Fats
At least 10-15% of fat must be present in the diet; otherwise the body will be disrupted. Vegetable oil and seafood (fatty fish), which should be consumed in small quantities, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are also suitable sources of fat. Separately, conjugated linoleic acid should be mentioned. Do not abuse animal fats, butter, margarine and foods that contain saturated fats (especially after heat treatment), however, completely eliminating animal fats is also not recommended.
The study showed that limiting fat intake does not cause positive dynamics in diseases of the cardiovascular system. Scientists came to the conclusion that it makes no sense to limit saturated fats, because they are neutral with respect to the risk of cardiovascular disease. This makes sense, given that modern science proves that it is sugar and starch, and not fat, that provokes obesity. In addition, the fear of saturated fats can lead to excessive consumption of too rich omega-6 vegetable oils and to an imbalance of fatty acids in the body.
Carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals
These components are not accidentally combined into one group; all of them are contained, as a rule, in the same products – vegetables and fruits. These products should make up about 70% of all products. Scientists have proved that vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids (apples, peaches, berries, onions, etc.) and anthocyanins protect a person from weight gain. You can consume almost all vegetables: cabbage, beets, carrots, radishes, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, legumes, onions and others. Make any dish from them: salads, soups or consume raw. Potato consumption should be limited, as it contains quite a lot of carbohydrates. Try replacing ordinary potatoes with yams (sweet potatoes) in small quantities.
Fruits are not only low-calorie foods, but also important sources of vitamins and minerals that are required for burning fat. Choose unsweetened fruits such as apples or pineapple; more calories (the so-called specifically dynamic action of food) are spent on their absorption than they contain. In fact, they contain a negative amount of calories. However, do not get carried away with fruits such as grapes, bananas, currants, avocados or dates, they contain a lot of sugar.
During weight loss, you can cook small portions of cereals: buckwheat, rice, millet, oatmeal, etc. Semolina and wheat porridge, white rice, corn flakes are undesirable, since they have a high glycemic index. Use foods with a glycemic index below 60.
Avoid eating flour products and pastries; however, whole wheat bread or durum wheat pasta can be eaten. Try to include steamed, baked or boiled foods on the menu, while fried foods should be avoided.
| 70% of the diet | 30% of the diet (protein products) |
| Vegetables: cabbage, beets, carrots, radishes, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, legumes, onions.
Fruits: apples, pineapples, orange, mandarin, nectarine, blackberry, melon, watermelon, pear, grapefruit, as well as juices and almost all sweet berries. Cereals: buckwheat, rice, millet, oatmeal. Flour products: black, coarse bread; durum wheat pasta and noodles. | Low-fat meat, fish (including fatty), dairy products: kefir, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, etc., eggs, seafood, legumes |
| Food Substitutes | Protein |
| Food substitute is a type of sports nutrition that contains a balanced amount of all nutrients. Food substitutes can make up to 50% of the total diet; consume them between meals at 0.5 servings. Keep track of calories. | Protein shakes can give up to 50% of all the protein you need. Prefer complex (slow) proteins. |
This article describes the most useful and popular products for weight loss, you can use only them in food, as well as supplement the diet with other products. Give preference to those foods that you like best, but remember that food should be balanced in accordance with the rules listed above.
Auxiliary tools
- Fat calculator – will show the percentage of dry and fat mass in your body. Take measurements 3-4 times in month, this will assess the progress and loss of muscle (dry weight).
- Calorie calculation – the system determines the daily calorie intake necessary for you, with which you can start the cycle, then changing depending on the results.
- Individual selection of sports nutrition
- Calorie Calculation Programs
- Be sure to start a food diary, recording the time, type and amount of food eaten. Many girls claim that they eat almost nothing, but still cannot lose weight. In fact, they don’t even notice how with countless small snacks they get a lot of calories. The diary will allow you to control yourself, and also help to analyze and correct the weaknesses of the diet afterwards.
- Weigh yourself every day after sleep and write the result in a diary.
Additional items
Fat burners
There are a number of supplements that can speed up your metabolism and thereby speed up the process of losing weight. The most popular are thermogenic. It is best to take them before training; this allows you to increase calorie consumption by 80-100%. However, it makes sense to take thermogenic without physical exertion in the first half of the day; they increase thermogenesis, which the body spends about 80% of all energy, suppress appetite, eliminate to some extent the effects of hypoglycemia and improve the psychological state.
L-carnitine
This is amino acid with unique properties. Carnitine accelerates the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondrial matrix – the site of their destruction. L-carnitine helps burn fat while protecting your muscles. This supplement is not only safe, but also good for health. L-carnitine strengthens the cardiovascular system, lowers cholesterol and raises tonus. It should be noted that carnitine has a low level of evidence.
Appetite suppressants
There are suppressors of appetite or anorectics – a means to reduce hunger. Use them if you can’t cope with your appetite.
Calorie Blockers
Fat blockers and carbohydrate blockers inhibit digestive enzymes or bind to nutrients, so most of the food you eat remains undigested. These drugs and additives can’t independently solve the problem of excess weight, but can reduce the negative impact of episodic errors in the diet. Calorie blockers are taken before a meal rich in carbohydrates or fats.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners can be used to sweeten drinks and foods. Recent scientific evidence suggests that the use of sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, stevia) leads to a decrease in total calorie intake and body weight in children and adults.
Read also:
- Sports Nutrition for Weight Loss
- Slimming Drugs
- Weight Loss Rules
- Diet For Gaining Muscle Mass
- Fat Burning Program
- Functional Food
- Diet “Urgent to Lose Weight”
- Diet for weight loss
