What time should you eat? What to eat to lose weight - list of foods and how to eat properly
Do not deny yourself sweets, even if you are on a proper diet or diet. Our clients eat sweets and lose weight, so it’s realistic to indulge in treats and lose weight. It is important to know when it is better to eat sweets in order not to gain weight, and today there are two conflicting opinions, we will analyze them in this article.
“If you want to lose weight, stop eating sweets” - this postulate is known to many. But is it really true that all slender women never eat sweets, cookies, other confectionery and flour products? After all, people of different sizes line up in stores to buy the “forbidden fruit.” Despite the fact that sweets are most often included in food, psychologically giving up such treats can be very painful. And many nutritionists say that you can pamper yourself with different delicacies. It is only important to know when it is better to eat sweets so as not to gain weight.
Why you shouldn’t give up sweets completely
Sugar itself, as a carbohydrate, in small quantities (up to 50 g per day for women and up to 60 g for men) is necessary for the human body because:- it is a source of energy;
- it improves brain function;
- it is necessary for the liver to perform its barrier function (removing toxins from the body);
- it improves a person's mental state.
The best time for sweets, the hours when sugar is best absorbed by the body, is a topic that modern nutritionists argue about. Some are of the opinion that you can only enjoy dessert without harming your figure in the morning. Others believe that if you are going to eat chocolate and cakes, it is better to do it in the afternoon. Both points of view are quite reasonable.
What time of day is best to eat sweets?
Opinions for the MORNING
Many weight loss experts advise consuming sweets exclusively. in the morning, until 12 o'clock. They justify a positive answer to the question whether it is possible to eat sweets in the morning as follows:1. An energy reserve is created for the coming day.
2. Sweets for breakfast are insurance against overeating.In the morning, the body needs energy more than ever. For breakfast to be truly nutritious, it must consist of 60% carbohydrates. It's great if it's porridge. But if you have a protein omelet, for example, you can easily complement it with a small cake. Fast carbohydrates will improve your mood and performance. They are unlikely to be deposited on the waist and hips with extra centimeters, as they will be used up in a day.
3. Sugar-containing foods for breakfast help create a psychological mood for proper nutrition for the rest of the day.The energy value of a proper breakfast should reach 500-600 kcal. If you eat cottage cheese and drink unsweetened coffee, your body will not receive even half of the required “fuel”. It is not surprising that soon a person will really want to eat again. Eating a cake will make you feel full. At the same time, the received dose of sugar reduces the production of gherlin; during the day the person will not experience a strong feeling of hunger.
The person does not feel that he is infringing on himself in any way. It is easier for him not to give in to temptation, knowing that tomorrow morning he will be able to afford the coveted eclair or a piece of chocolate.
Opinions for the afternoon tea
Opponents of this theory are quick to express their opinion that, unfortunately, it has its drawbacks:
- In the morning, the insulin level is very low, eating sweets leads to a sharp jump, which, on the contrary, will provoke overeating during the day;
- sucrose is a carbohydrate that is quickly absorbed by the body, so we can’t talk about any energy reserve;
- It’s better to eat “sweets” in a separate meal, without combining them with other dishes or products, and a piece of cake up to 100 g can hardly be called a full breakfast.
1. Sugar breaks down quickly and is well absorbed.
2. You will be able to hold out until dinner.From 16.00 to 18.00 the level of insulin production is highest, so sucrose is quite quickly broken down into fructose and glucose and is almost completely absorbed by the body. Eating a cake will not harm your figure.
3. It will be possible to eat separately.A sufficient amount of time has passed from lunch to afternoon tea; the body needs to be recharged with energy.
4. You won’t want sweets late in the evening.As mentioned above, confectionery and other sweets are recommended to be consumed separately from other products. This can be done as part of an afternoon snack. But, besides this, it will be useful to harmonize the intake of a large amount of simple carbohydrates if you first eat something with a very low GI.
But:Snacking on “goodies” allows you to avoid overeating at dinner.
- after such an afternoon snack, it is recommended to spend the evening actively, and not lying in front of the TV;
- It is advisable to train 30-40 minutes after such a carbohydrate “load”;
- there is a risk that after sweets you won’t want to have dinner at all.
Meal timing affects your overall health, as well as maintaining your figure. The American Heart Association's journal Circulation published results from a Harvard study showing that men who skip breakfast have a 27% increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Eat breakfast yourself
Studies show that skipping breakfast leads to snacking and unhealthy eating throughout the day, as well as spikes in blood sugar, which can trigger the development of diabetes, increase blood pressure, raise cholesterol levels, and therefore lead to cardiovascular disease. What you eat and when you eat it are important. The basis of a complete breakfast is “long” carbohydrates, some healthy fats and protein. For example, a soft-boiled egg, vegetable salad and whole grain bread. Or unsweetened oatmeal with nuts, berries and fruits.
The best time to have breakfast is within an hour after waking up. It doesn’t matter whether you are a night owl, a lark or a dove - it is advisable to fit breakfast into the time frame from 6.00 to 10.00.
Morning snack
This is an optional meal, and it depends on when and what you had for breakfast. But if breakfast was early, then you should not fast until lunch. “It’s important to understand that our bodies need 2 to 4 hours to digest and absorb food,” says Jim White, a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (USA). After this time, if you eat a healthy snack, you won't have any spikes in your blood sugar, will have stable energy levels, and will be able to control yourself at lunch. White suggests snacking on a handful of almonds. Other options are natural yogurt, sliced vegetables, apple with nut butter, and whole grain crackers.
Don't delay lunch
A 2016 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that eating an early lunch helps maintain a healthy weight. It should not be later than 15.00.
Lunch is traditionally the largest meal of the day. It may include carbohydrates from sources such as potatoes (preferably baked), pasta (made from whole wheat), and whole grain cereals. A vegetable salad or vegetable side dish is a must-have on your table! Source of protein - lean meat, poultry, fish, seafood, legumes or tofu. Remember to alternate protein sources daily. It is not advisable to eat meat more than 3 times a week, the same goes for fish and poultry. Leave 1-2 days a week without meat to give your intestines a chance to rest.
If you want to treat yourself to something sweet, it’s best to do it during the daytime, so dessert will do the least harm to your figure.
Just as with breakfast, you can have a snack 2-4 hours after lunch.
Early dinner
The ideal time for dinner is 19.00. This way you will give your intestines the opportunity to carry out the “cleansing work” at night. Dinner doesn't have to be heavy. Vegetable soup, light dishes of vegetables and cereals, salad, green smoothies are great for an evening meal. If you need animal protein, it is better to cook fish or poultry for dinner. Avoid eating meat in the evening, as this can lead to digestive problems and poor quality sleep.
Don't be afraid of carbs in the evening, even if you want to lose a few pounds. Whole grain cereals, bread and pasta will not harm your figure because they contain fiber. But plain pasta, white bread, potatoes, store-bought buns, sweets and cookies should be avoided in the afternoon.
Closer to bedtime, if you are very hungry, you can indulge in a glass of kefir or yogurt without sugar or flavorings.
Nutrition before and after sports
On days when you are actively involved in sports, your diet may change slightly. About an hour before class, it is advisable to get energy from high-quality carbohydrates - for example, whole grain cereals with vegetables. Closer to training, you can eat some fruit. Within an hour of physical activity, especially strength training, keep your strength up with a protein snack. This could be a protein shake, cottage cheese, natural yogurt with nuts and berries, poultry or fish with a green salad, a whole grain sandwich with nut butter.
Good day, my dear readers. Many people associate losing weight with staying in the gym around the clock and going on a hunger strike. Yes, physical exercise has a beneficial effect on your shape. But the most important thing is what you eat and how you cook it. Therefore, I decided to talk about what you need to eat to lose weight. A proper diet will help you easily say goodbye to excess weight without harming your body.
I’ll tell you a secret - when fighting for a slim figure, a huge number of products are permissible. However, you need to be very serious about choosing the food you will consume. When losing weight, foods that speed up metabolism are very good. Read more about what you can enjoy in the article “”. Here I will briefly talk about each food group.
Cereals
This group of foods is rich in plant fibers, which are beneficial for our digestive system and. Thanks to them, a feeling of fullness comes quickly and it lasts a long time.
In addition, consuming cereals is beneficial because the body is saturated with valuable elements. These include phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, niacin, iron, selenium, etc. These substances have a beneficial effect on the body. Among other things, they speed up metabolism.
- buckwheat;
- rice (brown, black and red are especially good);
- rye;
- oats;
- barley.
Meat and fish
This is a valuable protein, so necessary for building muscle tissue. Refusal of meat when losing weight leads to the accumulation of adipose tissue and the simultaneous loss of muscle tissue. And yet, the body spends a lot of energy on digesting meat. And after such a meal you forget about the feeling of hunger for a long time.
Nutritionists advise giving preference to lean varieties of meat - lean beef, rabbit, chicken or turkey. Also add an egg to your diet.
Some weight loss experts believe that the best meat is fish from cold waters. It is rich not only in proteins, but also in iodine and. These elements are important for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which is responsible for the speed of metabolic processes. Choose. For example, flounder, tuna, cod, pollock, etc. And seafood should not be neglected. Include shrimp and squid in your diet.
When it comes to protein, don’t worry about taking in more than 20-30 grams at a time. It will sink in later. I recently read an article, and there are even more offers to eat there. Include any protein at every meal.
Vegetables
This group of products is low in calories. Vegetables are also rich in fiber, the digestion of which requires the body to spend a large amount of energy. Plant fibers improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and normalize metabolism. In addition, fiber prevents fats from food from being completely absorbed.
- cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage, broccoli);
- tomatoes;
- cucumbers;
- pepper;
- zucchini
- turnip;
- celery (root), etc.
Fruits
Most fruits have low carbohydrate content. Therefore, they do not have much effect on blood glucose levels. Fruits are also rich in fiber, the benefits of which I have already mentioned twice above :)
Those who are losing weight can eat:
- grapefruit,
- apples,
- avocado,
- pomegranate,
- pear,
- kiwi,
- peaches,
- pomelo and other fruits.
Olya Likhacheva
Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious it is:)
Content
The problem of excess weight is equally relevant for different ages. People are accustomed to eating away their problems with unhealthy, high-calorie foods, but the result hurts their self-esteem and health even more. Nutritionists recommend eating right, eating high-quality healthy foods, leaving strict diets, and explain what to eat to lose weight. Vegetables, greens and fruits “can” simultaneously burn fat, remove fluid from the body, activate metabolism and improve hormonal levels.
What can you eat on a diet
Diet is associated with food restrictions. The diet is also regulated. Nutritionists are categorically against strict diets: the body suffers greatly when there is a lack of necessary substances. Often the kilograms lost with the help of a strict diet return very quickly when you switch to your usual diet after starvation. You need to strictly observe the measure, know what you can eat while losing weight, replacing harmful high-calorie goodies with valuable products. Sound sleep and long walks are very helpful during the diet.
What foods help you lose weight
If you need to lose excess weight, it's time to forget about evening or night raids on the refrigerator. After six o'clock in the evening it is forbidden to eat hard cheeses, fatty meats, cereals and baked goods. You need to remove high-calorie foods (more than 150 kcal) from your daily diet. If you really want to, you can treat yourself to sweets before noon. You should not rely on yoghurts with fillers: they are not helpful in losing weight, because they contain a lot of carbohydrates. If you supplement a balanced diet with training, the results will show themselves very quickly.
List of weight loss products:
- that are quickly absorbed by the body (eggs, dietary meat, white fish);
- fermented milk (kefir, homemade yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese);
- green vegetables (cucumbers, all types of cabbage);
- legumes;
- tomatoes, sweet peppers;
- berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries);
- fruits (green apples, avocados, grapefruit, pears);
- vegetable oil (olive);
- drinks (black unsweetened coffee, green tea, water).
What can you eat at night when losing weight?
A common problem for those losing weight is the desire to eat heavily in the evening, but this is a big mistake. For lunch you can still afford to cook a potato dish. During dinner when losing weight, it is better to refrain from high-calorie foods. What to eat to lose weight quickly? The best option is light vegetables, herbs, berries and unsweetened fruits; low-fat sour cream and olive oil are suitable for dressing salads. It is better not to consume animal fats, foods that remain in the body for a long time.
What not to eat
When dieting, the body begins to intensively store fat reserves, especially in the abdominal area, which are difficult to get rid of quickly. To lose weight, you need to start by increasing the amount of water you drink per day to 2-2.5 liters, then the metabolism accelerates and the process of weight loss becomes more intense. When the question is what to eat – a chocolate bar or an apple, you should choose the fruit, it is tasty and healthy. Particular attention should be paid to portion sizes; this is no less important than the calorie content of foods.
List of prohibited foods when losing weight:
- pickles, pickled or smoked products;
- milk, fermented milk products with a fat content of more than 5%;
- animal and vegetable fats;
- fast food, sweets, baked goods;
- mayonnaise, cheeses with a high percentage of fat content;
- packaged meals, instant foods;
- sausage products;
- chocolate, caramel and other sweets;
- carbonated sweet drinks;
- snacks (crackers, chips, fried nuts);
- alcohol.
What to eat on a fasting day
A fasting day is considered to be a day when the total calorie content of food eaten is less than energy expenditure (up to 900 calories). Such days provoke a shake-up in the body so that it begins to “burn” its reserves. consists of one type of product (it can be kefir, apples, cottage cheese, sour cream, lean meat). It is prohibited to eat other foods on this day. If you want to cleanse your body with a fasting day, you should eat foods containing fiber 3 days before the fasting, this will help quickly improve intestinal function.
How to eat right to lose weight
Proper nutrition is a lifestyle. PP helps to maintain weight and not gain weight; there is no risk of breakdowns, since a person does not feel hungry. What to eat to lose weight? The main condition is that the amount of energy consumed must match (if losing weight, be less) with the body’s energy expenditure. It is important to count calories and remove high-calorie foods (sugar, baked goods, sweets). The diet and frequency of meals are of great importance. It is important to decide in advance what is best to eat for dinner when losing weight in order to remove the temptation to snack on the “wrong” foods.
Principles of PP for weight loss:
- the main foods of the diet are vegetables, unsweetened fruits;
- adequate hydration;
- compulsory breakfast - porridge;
- more physical activity;
- focusing on the contents of the plate while eating;
- replacing high-calorie foods with low-calorie ones;
- complete abstinence from alcohol and alcohol-containing products;
- reducing food portions.
How many calories should you consume to lose weight?
The more fats and fast carbohydrates a product contains, the more caloric it will be. The calorie content of food when losing weight directly determines the number of kilograms lost. What can you eat while on a diet? It is better to choose foods with low and medium calorie content, but it is equally important to count the number of calories that your body “burns”. For example, during sedentary work, the body's energy expenditure is much less than during heavy physical work. In addition, to calculate a person’s basal metabolic rate (BM), we need the person’s height, initial weight, age and type of physical activity.
Daily requirement formula (kcal):
- for women = 655 + 9.6 x weight + 1.8 x height (in cm) - 4.7 x age;
- for men = 66.5 + 13.7 x weight + 5 x height (in cm) - 6.8 x age.
The number of calories required to maintain the current weight (obtained OO) is multiplied by the selected activity coefficient from the table.
When we try to stick to our chosen diet, we pay a lot of attention to what we eat. But at the same time, we don’t think at all about when exactly it is better to sit down at the dinner table, how many times during the day we should eat and what will happen if we decide to eat too much.
The standard number of meals per day is three. And that's if you're lucky. Some people mistakenly believe that if they stop eating altogether or limit their meals to once a day, they will lose weight twice as fast. But usually such experiments lead to nothing but stress and health problems.
It is advisable to eat every 3-4 hours. This improves fat burning, prevents the release of excess insulin into the blood, allows leptin (the hormone that regulates energy metabolism) to work its magic and control appetite and metabolism. It also keeps the balance of cortisol production, the stress hormone, under control.
Don't skip breakfast! Our grandmothers were right when they said that you need to start the day with a good hearty breakfast. This gives you energy to start a long, productive day. If you skip breakfast, very soon the feeling of hunger takes you by surprise and you begin to interrupt the feeling of hunger with everything that comes to hand. And in offices, sweets and cookies are usually on hand.
Don't eat three hours before bed. Eating before bed increases body temperature, increases blood sugar and insulin, and reduces the production of melatonin and growth hormone. All of these factors affect sleep and the natural fat burning that occurs when we sleep. In addition, poor sleep leads to the fact that we may overeat the next day.
If it so happens that you have time to eat before bed, it is advisable to eat light food low in and high in fat.
Start your day with protein. To improve appetite control, it is better to eat proteins at breakfast and leave carbohydrates for lunch or dinner. Omelette with tomatoes is a great quick breakfast!
Never start strength training on an empty stomach. For activities like these, your body needs energy to perform optimally. But cardio training can be done 30 minutes before meals.
This does not mean that you need to eat too much right before training. Just don't start exercising if you haven't eaten in a while and you're feeling hungry. Before the workout itself, you can snack on bananas, nuts or dried fruits - they are high in calories, quickly absorbed, provide the necessary energy and relieve the feeling of hunger.
Focus on food. While eating, it is not advisable to be distracted by anything that does not concern your lunch. Focus on your main activity, feel all the flavors, finally relax and unwind. Your lunch is an island of peace and tranquility among the stormy ocean of the working day.
The squirrels go first. When eating, eat protein foods first, and then everything else. Proteins send a signal to your brain that your body is full. This way you will eat exactly as much as you need.
Drink alcohol after meals. If you decide to have a drink or any other drink with dinner, it is better to do it after you have eaten, and not during. Drinking alcohol after meals increases the production of hormones that control appetite and digestion.
And if you decide to drink white wine in the evening, keep in mind that it increases your appetite and the chance that you will want to snack is very high.
