Proper nutrition: the menu and how to make it

Proper nutrition is the key to health and good shape

Today, healthy eating is a very common and popular topic. The internet is simply full of tips and recommendations, however, recklessly following them is unreasonable, and simply unhealthy.

Therefore, when compiling a menu of proper nutrition, you should consult a dietitian. And in general, it will not be superfluous to study the specific 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 experts of the organization presented 10 principles that will make each diet more useful:

  1. A varied diet allows the body to receive all the variety of nutrients;
  2. Whole grains have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora, improving its work;
  3. Fruits, vegetables and nuts are the best options for a snack;
  4. One teaspoon of salt a day is the daily norm for an adult, so it is better to salt than oversalt;
  5. It is necessary to monitor the level of sugar consumed, also pay attention to the so-called. hidden sugar;
  6. Moderate consumption of fatty foods;
  7. In the daily menu, it is better to give preference to fish or poultry, limiting the consumption of red meat;
  8. Ready meals are a rich cocktail of trans fats, salt, sugar and a large number of artificial additives;
  9. Fried foods will never be healthy;
  10. Alcohol in any amount is harmful to health.

Of course, the tips in this manual do not contain specifics, so they cannot be used to compile a menu of proper nutrition. But 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 an expert opinion and compile a menu that will be not only healthy, but also nutritious and tasty. And today it is not necessary to visit clinics for that. Many nutritionists hold open lessons and workshops where they share their secrets and teach others.

How to make a menu of proper nutrition?

The first step to a healthy diet is the menu. After all, the list of "allowed" products will determine the variety of dishes, the snack system.

Nutritionists are guided by several key principles when compiling a menu of proper nutrition:

  • Meat in the diet should be combined with vegetables and fruits;
  • For proper functioning, it is necessary 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 not eat desserts in the afternoon;
  • Cans and semi-finished products, all kinds of sauces, as well as representatives of fast food under the strictest ban;
  • The food pyramid is a great way to organize your meals to guide you.

In addition, when compiling a 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 best half an hour after waking up, and dinner about three hours before bed.

Characteristics of a weight loss meal plan

It is important to understand that the diet plan also depends on what goals are desired. So, we distinguish between a diet plan for children, a diet plan for various diseases, a diet plan for athletes before competitions and, of course, a diet plan for weight loss.

To begin with, we note that weight loss is impossible without a proper and balanced diet, and the latter has never meant existence on water and vegetables. So, we return to the principles of the WHO - a variety of foods provides a whole range of useful elements to the human body. This rule must be taken into account when compiling the menu.

Proper and balanced diet for weight loss

In addition, if you want to lose weight with a proper diet, you should follow a few more rules:

  • You should eat at certain 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. On the contrary, the menu needs to be adjusted.

So we get two diet options for those who get up early and late:

Diet for "seams" Diet for "Owls"
7. 00 Breakfast 10. 00 Breakfast
10. 00 The first snack 13. 00 The first snack
13. 00 Dinner 15. 00 Dinner
16. 00 Another snack 17. 00 Another 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 the foods you ate during the day. And today it is quite easy to do, because there are a large number of special applications for such purposes.

How to plan meals for each day?

Proper diet planning is a long-term process, the preparation of which should take into account the following:

  • The ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates - can be different depending on the goals to be pursued. For example, during the so-called "drying" it is recommended to increase the percentage of consumed proteins;
  • General calculation of caloric content - while the required daily dose of calories, which varies depending on age and lifestyle, should be evenly distributed;
  • A variety of products that match the content of nutrients and calories - only a proper and balanced diet can give results. Refusing to eat will only harm your health.

It should also be borne in mind that "unplanned" snacks should not be understood as a tragedy, but it makes sense to analyze them and change the frequency or composition of subsequent meals. Another stumbling block may be new foods for diet. is not to experiment with new combinations of flavors, because they can also negatively affect the regime.

More about the rules of nutrition, the principles of forming a reasonable diet can be learned in dietetics courses.

Summarizing all the above, we can conclude that the following product categories should be the basis of the menu of proper nutrition:

  • Chicken;
  • Turkey;
  • Fish;
  • Sea food;
  • eggs;
  • Milk products;
  • Fruits;
  • Vegetables;
  • Greens;
  • Nuts;
  • seeds;
  • natural spices;
  • spices;
  • Whole grain products;
  • legumes;
  • Olive, flaxseed, corn, sesame oil.

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 beverages;
  • Juices in packages.
To lose weight, fast food snacks are replaced with fruit

Separately, it is worth noting that salted nuts are not part of a proper diet, as are all products that contain increased levels of spices, additives and flavors. As far as confectionery products are concerned, they should be kept to a minimum, and the composition of such products should be treated responsibly. For example, you might have an oatmeal cookie for breakfast.

weekly diet program

In general, a balanced healthy diet can be quite varied, so it is quite possible to develop a menu on which 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
  • Oatmeal with dried fruit;
  • 2/3 cup low-fat milk
  • fruits.
  • Vegetable salad (you can take, for example, olive oil as a topping);
  • wholemeal bread sandwich with herbs, boiled chicken breast and soft cheese;
  • fruits.
Baked fish, vegetable salad as a side dish.
Tuesday
  • Whole grain toast;
  • cheese;
  • boiled egg;
  • fruits.
  • Salad of bulgur, chicken breast and cherry tomatoes (can be seasoned with honey and dijon mustard);
  • fruits.
  • Whole grain pasta with tomatoes and dried herbs;
  • herbal tea.
Wednesday
  • Fresh cheese with honey;
  • walnuts;
  • fresh juice.
  • Sandwich with salmon, avocado and dill on whole grain bread;
  • natural yogurt.
Chicken fillet with roasted vegetables.
Thursday
  • Two-egg omelette;
  • tomato;
  • cheese;
  • small baked apple with honey and cinnamon.
  • Chicken soup with vegetables;
  • salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, flax seeds with dressing (olive oil).
Pie with lean beef, lettuce, dressing - natural yogurt, garlic and dill.
Friday
  • Smoothie (banana, yogurt, vanilla);
  • roll with salmon, avocado and cucumber.
  • Salad of roasted pumpkin, spinach, cheese and lemon oil topping;
  • rye bread with lean ham;
  • fruits.
  • Steak with fresh vegetables;
  • baked apple with honey and cinnamon.
Saturday
  • Buckwheat with carrots and peppers;
  • natural yogurt;
  • fruits.
Couscous with carrot, onion, corn, green peas.
  • Roasted beets;
  • rye bread with soft goat cheese;
  • olives.
Sunday
  • Cheesecakes with maple syrup;
  • natural yogurt;
  • fruits.
  • Soup with croutons and boiled egg;
  • tomato and mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing.
  • Peppers stuffed with brown rice and ground beef;
  • cherry tomato with soft cheese and herbs to taste.

It should be noted that when small snacks are included in the diet, fruits and nuts should be removed from the main menu. In other words, the apple from breakfast is transferred to the afternoon snack. A similar system can be used the other way around, 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 portion size for men and women will be different.

Recipes for proper nutrition

We offer a few simple but delicious and healthy meals for every day.

  1. Smoothies - 67-70 kcal / 100 gr.Yogurt-based smoothies in a healthy diet

    Ingredients:

    • Banana - 1 pc.
    • Oatmeal - 30 gr.
    • Yogurt (or kefir) - 100-150 gr.
    • Vanilla - to taste.

    Mix all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. You can also add a peach or pear if you wish, but not without the abuse of sweet fruit.

  2. Oatmeal pancakes - 152 kcal / 100 gr.If you eat properly, you can cook oatmeal pancakes and apples for breakfast

    Ingredients:

    • Oatmeal - 80 gr.
    • Medium-sized apple - 1 pc.
    • Chicken egg - 1 pc.
    • Honey - 30 gr.

    Grind the 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.

  3. Lecho salad - 50 kcal / 100 gr.Lecho salad can serve as a tasty and healthy side dish.

    Ingredients:

    • Bulgarian pepper - 4 pcs.
    • Eggplant - 1 pc.
    • Tomato - 3 pcs.
    • Vinegar - to taste.
    • Greens - to taste.
    • Salt - to taste.
    • Vegetable oil - Art. spoon.

    Bake the vegetables in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the peel and cut. In the resulting salad add chopped herbs, oil, vinegar, salt, stir.

  4. Mushroom puree soup - 30 kcal / 100 gr.Mushroom puree soup - a fragrant dish for a healthy diet

    Ingredients:

    • Champignons - 700 gr.
    • Onions - 1 pc.
    • Carrots - 1 pc.
    • Milk - 250 ml.
    • Greens - to taste.

    Mushrooms must be poured over boiling water, leave to boil. Cut onions and carrots, cook for 15 minutes with mushrooms. Boil the milk. Transfer the soup to a blender, add the milk, then whisk until you get a puree, garnish with herbs if desired.

  5. Braised beef - 80 kcal / 100 gr.The menu of proper nutrition includes stewed beef with vegetables

    Ingredients:

    • Beef - 100 gr.
    • Buckwheat semolina - 150 gr.
    • Carrots - 1 pc.
    • Tomato - 2 pcs.
    • Onions - 1 pc.
    • Lemon juice - to taste.
    • Greens - to taste.

    Marinate the meat with onion and lemon juice for an hour. Saute carrots, tomatoes, onions and beef in a pan. When ready, add the greens. As a side dish - buckwheat (cook without salt).

  6. Low-fat sweet sausage - 269, 98 kcal / 100 gr.Useful dried fruit for making lean sweet sausages

    Ingredients:

    • Persimmons - 125 gr.
    • Prunes - 125 gr.
    • Nuts - 100 gr.
    • Sesame - 2 tbsp. spoons.
    • Orange - 1 pc.
    • Cinnamon - a teaspoon.

    Prunes and dates must be washed and pitted, then chopped with a blender. Add orange peel and 1 tbsp to the resulting mixture. spoon of orange juice, stir. Pre-fry the walnuts in a pan (without adding oil). Mix all ingredients until smooth. Put the mixture on a transparent foil, form a roll, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Put the sweet sausage in the fridge for half an hour.

If you want to create a menu for a specific purpose, for example, for weight loss, 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 create a diet plan that will help you achieve your goals.