Balanced diet: a weekly menu for weight loss

Many people, exhausting themselves with strict diets, are tired of adjusting their menu to a certain framework and depriving themselves of joy is tasty and varied. It is for them that an excellent solution will be the transition to a balanced diet. Such a system not only promotes weight loss, but also improves mood. It is not only healthy, but also satisfying and tasty at the same time!

The benefits of a balanced diet for weight loss

Thinking about the benefits or dangers of this method of nutrition, we try to figure out what effect it produces on the body. A balanced diet not only promotes weight loss, but also has a general healing effect on all systems and organs.

Pros of a balanced diet:

• weight and body fat reduction;
• general well-being;
• recovery, strengthening immunity;
• improvement of the condition of the nail plates, skin and hair;
• increased energy formation.

It is also worth noting that among adherents of a balanced diet, fatigue, drowsiness, weakness are reduced, and mood and motivation only increase.

Theory and rules of good nutrition

Losing weight is a huge work and endurance. To achieve this goal, you need serious willpower.

Proper and balanced nutrition should become a habit, and then the desired beautiful curves of the body will become a reality.

Speaking about the principles and rules of a balanced diet, it is worth noting the following points:

1. You need to know the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates for the normal functionality of the body, as well as count calories.In this regard, everything is individual, based on physique, age, gender, physical activity, etc. To calculate the daily calorie intake, there are many programs where you just need to enter all your data.
2. Consume a normal amount of water per day, approximately 1.5 to 2 liters.
3. It is forbidden to eat fatty, fried, smoked, salty. Replace this cooking with steaming or in the oven.
4. Consider the serving size; it should not exceed the mark of 350 - 400 g.
5. Buy low-calorie or low fat dairy products.
6. Exclude starvation! During a feeling of hunger, the body experiences stress and begins to accumulate fat as a storage substance.
7. The last meal should be no later than 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.

Tip: the first intake of water is recommended to be done immediately after waking up, in order to "start" all the mechanisms of the body. Follow up with a quarter of an hour before eating. After a meal, it is better to drink after 1 - 1.5 hours.

Proper balanced nutrition for pregnant women

It is important for expectant mother to eat as correctly as possible so that the fetus does not lack any nutrients. So the mother protects the health of not only the child, but also her own, while maintaining harmonious outlines of the figure.

1. It is necessary to switch from three meals a day to 4 - 5 meals a day. But with an increase in the number of meals, portions should be small.
2. Products choose only natural, fresh.
3. The basis of the diet for pregnant women: fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs. They perfectly affect intestinal motility, and also because of the high content of vitamins and minerals, they are useful for hair, skin and nails. Sour-milk, fish and meat products are excellent sources of protein and calcium.
4. Never overeat, it will not benefit either the child or you. Eliminate hunger, it is better to have a snack with natural yogurt or fruit.
5. Diversify your menu, it cannot be the same. The baby's body must receive a variety of nutrients.
6. In the first half of the day, focus on protein foods, and in the second - on sour-milk and vegetable products.
7. Do not exclude sufficient water intake, as well as healthy smoothies, fruit drinks, jelly, stewed fruit and herbal teas.
8. Steam food, stew or cook. If you really want fried, use very little oil, only to grease the surface of the pan.

Given that each organism is individual in itself, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist before deciding to change your diet.

The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates with this diet

The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is the basis of this type of nutrition and the key to success in the process of losing weight. And the ratio should be as follows - 1: 1: 4. For a better understanding, divide your lunch visually into three parts: two of the three parts are carbohydrates, and one is divided between proteins and fats.

Menu for the week

We have compiled an indicative menu of balanced diet for weight loss. In order for such a diet to provoke weight loss, the daily calorie intake should be about 1200 - 2000 kcal. A more accurate norm can be calculated in a special application, of which there are now quite a lot.

Menu for the week:

Day	Eating	Dishes
1	Breakfast	Oatmeal in milk with honey and nuts + bread from durum cereals or whole grains
	2nd breakfast	An Apple
	Dinner	Stewed fish + tea + boiled potatoes with herbs
	High tea	Kefir
	Dinner	Steamed vegetables
2	Breakfast	Cottage cheese with dried fruits + boiled egg + green tea
	2nd breakfast	Berries with honey
	Dinner	Boiled veal + soup in vegetable broth + fresh
	High tea	1 favorite fruit
	Dinner	Kefir or cottage cheese + ½ avocado
3	Breakfast	Cereal bread rolls (2 pieces) + toast with a slice of cheese + herbal tea with ginger
	2nd breakfast	Orange
	Dinner	Boiled chicken + broccoli or steamed asparagus + fresh citrus
	High tea	Kefir
	Dinner	Bread roll + vegetable salad
4	Breakfast	Bread rolls (2 pieces) + natural yogurt + fresh
	2nd breakfast	Dried fruits or berries with honey
	Dinner	Baked fish + vegetable salad + tea with lemon
	High tea	Cottage cheese
	Dinner	Boiled chicken breast + greens
5	Breakfast	A slice of cheese + porridge in water with dried fruits + green tea
	2nd breakfast	Natural yogurt
	Dinner	Steamed chicken broth + sautéed vegetables
	High tea	Kefir
	Dinner	Cottage cheese or baked fish fillet
6	Breakfast	Kefir Boiled chicken breast without skin + bread + green tea
	2nd breakfast	An Apple
	Dinner	Salad with vegetables and feta cheese + pasta with tomato paste + mint tea
	High tea	Grapefruit / Orange / Mango / Peach
	Dinner	Natural yogurt or fermented baked milk
7	Breakfast	Muesli + apple + fresh
	2nd breakfast	Mix of nuts / dried fruits
	Dinner	Meat + broccoli and cauliflower steamed + green tea
	High tea	Natural yogurt
	Dinner	Vegetable salad

What products need to be emphasized

This nutritional technique focuses on fresh, natural and healthy products, namely:

• cereals and pasta from durum wheat;
• fruits and vegetables;
• berries and greens;
• nuts, legumes and bran;
• dairy products with a small indicator of fat;
• bread (rye or whole grain);
• from sweet - dark chocolate;
• vegetable oils (olive, etc.);
• various teas, compotes, smoothies and plenty of water.

At the same time, it is not recommended to store the products in a refrigerator for a long time, as they lose some of their useful properties.

Important! 40 - 45% of the daily calorie intake for a morning meal.

What is forbidden to use

When switching to a proper balanced diet for weight loss, eliminate the following unhealthy foods and habits:

• alcohol and smoking;
• salt, sugar, spices and seasonings in large quantities (it is better to minimize);
• fatty, fried, smoked, salted and pickled dishes;
• fast food and sugary drinks with gas;
• pastries and desserts;
• a variety of confectionery;
• mayonnaise and similar sauces.

It is recommended to gradually remove the above products from the menu - so the body will more easily survive changes in nutrition.

Myths and misconceptions about a balanced diet

Here we debunk all the most popular myths and misconceptions about proper nutrition:

1. Proper nutrition is expensive.
   Surely, each of us could hear such a statement. Yes, this can happen if the purchase of products is done rashly and randomly.
   The purchase must be carried out as planned: in advance, find out your CBJU norm, see the products allowed with this type of food, make a menu for a week, write down all this and go shopping.On shelves with products, pay attention to their composition and calorie content. After a complete transition to proper nutrition, you will notice how your costs will be reduced. Refusal of fast food, alcohol and various confectionery products will also play its role.
2. Proper nutrition is not tasty. This is another misconception, because from the right products you can cook a wide variety of dishes. You can subscribe to some culinary blog or buy a cookbook on proper nutrition. You can even trust your tastes and cook something unimaginable, very tasty and at the same time healthy. PP is not only delicious. This is a whole platform for creativity, and from the process you can get great pleasure and aesthetic pleasure, beautifully laying out the prepared dish on a plate and decorating it with greens.
3. In the past, they ate right. Previously, there was not such a wide variety of products, and ate what they have. But there were enough overweight people and health problems.
4. The stores have the most useful and high-quality products. Also not, because on the shelves of the stores most often are the popular brands of food products that are more advertised. Better not pay attention to the untwisted brands, but read the information on the packaging well.Pay particular attention to the shelf life indicated by the manufacturer. Natural products do not have a long shelf life, due to the lack of preservatives. Fruits and vegetables need to be bought in their respective season. For example, strawberries are grown in the greenhouse in winter, which means that it will at least be tasteless and, at the very least, saturated with special substances for accelerated growth.

A balanced diet is a chance not only to adjust the contours of the figure, but also to improve health. Healthy foods provide the body with many vitamins and minerals necessary for the health of all organs and systems.