Proper nutrition for weight loss - eat and lose weight!

To lose weight, maintain health and strengthen your immune system, you need to eat right.
A balanced, nutritious diet will help avoid many health and appearance problems. However, you need to pay attention not only to the composition of the menu, combinations of products, but also to the serving size.

To start eating right and getting rid of excess weight, you need to learn how to determine the amount of food at one time.

This can be done even without a kitchen scale, visually.

This skill will help you control the amount of food so as not to overeat, keep your figure slim and your health strong.

Why is the amount of food important?

The portion of food should be moderate, since undereating or overeating has a bad effect on a person’s figure, physical and psychological state.

Lack of food can cause the following problems:

1. A person is previously tormented by hunger.
2. The likelihood of breakdown and overeating of harmful foods increases.
3. Concentration and memory decreases, as a person constantly wants to eat.
4. Mood worsens.
5. A deficiency of nutrients occurs and metabolic processes slow down.
6. A person gets tired quickly and performance decreases.

Negative consequences of overeating:

1. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, the body does not absorb most of the nutrients.
2. Heartburn, stool disorders, and nausea occur.
3. The body spends a lot of energy breaking down foods, especially if they are incompatible.
4. Acne and ulcers appear on the skin.
5. Brain activity decreases, a person feels drowsiness, laziness, and indifference to everything that happens.
6. The work of many organs and systems is disrupted.
7. Metabolism and blood flow slow down, and women develop cellulite.

Attention! To determine a single serving, you need to take into account a person’s activity, age, gender, concomitant diseases, etc.

Why does a person lose weight when he eats little and often?

With increased portions, all “extra” microelements, amino acids, proteins and other substances are not absorbed by the body. As a result, processes of stagnation are observed in various parts of the intestine, and as a result, their further decay. At the same time, fats and simple carbohydrates in the gastrointestinal tract begin to transform into glucose, which, under the influence of insulin, begins to flow to all cells in the body.

Important! When you overeat, the resulting glucose feeds the fat cells of the entire body, even those that “envelop” the internal organs. As a result, a person begins to suffer from obesity, including the visceral type.

How to determine and select portion sizes: weight, volume, energy value

To lose weight or maintain weight, you need to calculate the optimal size of a single serving of food. It is this indicator that determines the appropriate calorie content of the daily diet.

On average, men should consume from 2400 to 2500 kcal per 24 hours, and women - from 1500 to 1800 kcal.

Important! The calorie content of the daily menu largely depends on the level of physical activity. If a person regularly engages in sports or heavy physical work, then he needs more calories. With a passive lifestyle, the portion of food should be reduced.

If a person eats 5-6 times a day, then the calorie content of one serving with proper nutrition will be as follows:

• women – from 250 to 300 kcal;
• men - from 400 to 480 kcal.

If a girl regularly engages in strength sports, then the nutritional value of one serving is about 400 kcal; for an active man, this figure increases to 550 kcal.

It is important to consider the ratio of beneficial nutrients in the diet:

• proteins – 30% of the total menu;
• complex carbohydrates – 60%;
• fats – from 5 to 15%.

Read more about BZHU for weight loss for women and men in the article at the link.

Nutritionists have calculated the average optimal serving size for women – 250 g, for men – 350 g.

To accurately determine food portions, you need to purchase a kitchen scale. They are used to weigh each portion and its components separately.

Diet plan for weight loss

In addition to permitted and prohibited foods, there are several points that you should also think about when planning your daily diet:

• type of heat treatment;
• portion size;
• frequency of meals;
• drinking regime.

How to prepare healthy meals

The number of recipes for healthy dishes is slightly less than standard ones, so you don’t have to worry about the lack of culinary ideas. All methods of heat treatment are available to you, including frying, but it is done without oil, in a special non-stick frying pan. You can:

• cook;
• bake;
• cook in a double boiler;
• stew;
• cook on the grill.

How many times a day to eat

A constant feeling of hunger is not something that promotes proper nutrition for weight loss, even if you need to lose weight urgently. If you follow the above principles of BJU balance, you will not starve, because... carbohydrates will provide the desired degree of saturation. However, in addition to this, it is important to strictly adhere to the eating regimen, which will help get rid of the every minute desire to chew something. According to nutritionists, the correct diet is to eat up to 6 times a day. However, this figure is determined individually:

• If you eat a portion of meat, saturation can last up to 4 hours, and the product will also take a long time to digest.
• If you have a snack with vegetables, after 2 hours the body needs to be given a new “dose” of food.
• According to the rules of healthy eating, it is advisable not to take long (longer than 4 hours) breaks in the menu, so as not to provoke a drop in sugar, which will lead to insulin spikes and a slowdown in metabolism.

Serving size for proper nutrition for weight loss

Do you eat your fill or feel hungry after eating? A question that plagues most women who take out their scales before cooking. For some, losing weight inexorably entails reducing portions to ridiculous sizes, which provokes breakdowns, because. no saturation occurs. Doctors do not agree with this policy - even for weight loss, proper nutrition does not require fasting: the amount of food on the plate should be such that after half an hour you do not feel empty in your stomach, but also do not suffer from overeating.

Follow these guidelines:

• The amount of chicken or fish meat per serving is 100-150 g, visually it should not exceed the size of your palm.
• The volume of cereals, pasta is a handful scooped into your palm, i.e. 50 g or a little more.
• You need to eat a lot of vegetables, so their portion is cupped palms (the food is cut into pieces).
• It is advisable to coordinate the correct serving size with the daily calorie content: do not exceed 400 kcal for the main meal and 200 kcal for a snack.

Compliance with drinking regime

Some women and men underestimate the importance of water in the diet, especially when losing weight. Some people substitute the concepts of “drink” and “tea” or “coffee”, but the drinking regime is pure, still water, which does not actively burn fat, but is necessary for weight loss. Failure to comply with the correct drinking regime leads to stagnation of lymph, blood thickening, dehydration, swelling, poor skin tone and deterioration of well-being.

Key recommendations regarding what and how to drink for proper weight loss:

• A glass of water before meals is a must-have element of your menu.
• Each cup of coffee must be compensated with 0.6 liters of clean water, because... This drink causes dehydration.
• Juices, compotes and other drinks are food; they do not count towards the regime.
• Forget about the 2-liter rule: the optimal amount of water is calculated individually. The norm for humans is 30 mg/kg.

Number of meals per day

Most nutritionists advise sticking to five meals a day, which gives you a feeling of fullness and energy. And light snacks with proper nutrition help get rid of the feeling of hunger between main meals.

You need to eat at intervals of 3-3.5 hours, then the body uses energy more efficiently. This style of eating accelerates fat burning, helps maintain muscle mass, and improves body contour.

A person should adhere to the following dietary regimen:

1. Breakfast – 8 a.m.
2. Afternoon snack – 11 o’clock.
3. Lunch – 2 pm.
4. Afternoon snack – 17:00.
5. Light dinner - at 20:00.

Important! To maintain water-salt balance, you need to drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day. In this case, it is better to drink filtered water 30 minutes before a meal or 1.5 hours after it, so as not to stretch a full stomach.

What is the plate principle in the healthy eating model?

The plate model is a nutritional pattern that was invented by the Finns.
It helps you eat right, get rid of extra pounds or stay in shape. This method works as follows:

1. Take a plate whose diameter is 20-24 cm.
2. Divide it into 2 equal parts, and then split one of the halves in half. You will get 1 half and 2 quarters.
3. Fill half with vegetables, 1 quarter with complex carbohydrates (buckwheat, barley, potatoes, class A pasta), 2 quarter with proteins (meat, fish, seafood, beans, soy products).

The weight of the vegetable half is 500 g. The products can be eaten fresh, boiled, stewed or steamed.

A serving of carbohydrates is 100-150 g (3/4 cup). Consume such products without harmful sauces and dressings.

The weight of protein foods, such as fish or meat, is from 80 to 120 g. Give preference to dietary varieties, remove the skin. Eating the right amount of food will help you maintain vital body functions and lose weight.

Rule of hand

This method allows you to determine the volume of a single serving without using scales:

1. A woman's palm is equal to 100 g of chicken fillet or fish.
2. A woman's fist is a piece of meat or fish weighing 200 g.
3. Thumb tip – 5 g of oil.
4. A handful of a girl’s hand – 50 ml of liquid food or 1 serving of vegetable salad, porridge, pasta.

The amount of nutrients in 1 serving can also be calculated using your hand:

1. Egg whites – 1 palm.
2. Vegetables, fruits - 1 fist.
3. Slow carbohydrates – 1 palm.
4. Fats – 1 phalanx.

According to this method, a person should consume 2 palms of protein, 1 palm of carbohydrates, 3 fists of vegetables and fruits, 1 palm of fat per day.

You can also measure the amount of liquid food with your hand. A woman's fist is equal to the size of 1 glass - this is approximately 200 g of soup without grounds.

This is interesting! The size of the fist is similar to the volume of the stomach. To avoid overeating, focus on this part of the body when determining your portion size.

Fish portion

White fish: whole hand

White fish such as cod, haddock or pollock are low in fat and calories, so a serving can be as large as your hand (about 150 grams and 100 calories).

White fish contains small amounts of omega-3 and is a good source of selenium, important for the immune system, healthy hair and nails.

We invite you to find out how many kcal are burned during sleep

Oily fish: palm

Like meat, a portion of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel or sardines should be about the size of your palm. Fatty fish fillets weigh about 100 grams and contain about 200 calories. One serving per week will provide you with enough omega-3 fatty acids.

The benefits and harms of fractional nutrition

With five meals a day, a person does not feel hungry, so the body needs less energy, and therefore fewer calories. Then the calorie content of the daily diet is reduced by 15-20%.

Fractional nutrition means that a person eats food often, but in small doses. Then the products are digested faster, and the nutrients from them are better absorbed.

This style of eating relieves the digestive organs and improves the general condition of the body. Therefore, such diets are often used for gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, colitis, ulcers, etc.).

Small portions of food stabilize the concentration of glucose in the blood. When the level of this substance decreases, a feeling of hunger occurs, and this threatens overeating.

Fractional nutrition helps to get rid of excess fat, maintain shape, and during training, increase muscle mass.

This style of eating has its negative sides:

1. Fractional meals are not suitable for people who are emotionally dependent on food because they do not take breaks between meals.
2. A person does not always manage to eat on time, especially if he works.
3. In case of diseases of the pancreas, insulin resistance may develop on a fractional diet.

As you can see, this style of eating has virtually no drawbacks, except for individual intolerance or incompatibility with lifestyle.

The right food for weight loss. A portion of food for weight loss. Water before meals for weight loss

The problem of excess weight is quite common for both women and men. Almost every third person strives to lose weight. However, getting rid of extra pounds is not the solution to the problem. the task is not to harm your health on the way to your ideal body.

The main rule of losing weight

In order for the body to tune in to the process of burning subcutaneous fat deposits, conditions of a calorie deficit should be created.

This means that the number of calories consumed should not exceed the amount consumed by the body during its activity. Without receiving energy from the outside, he will begin to “search” for it inside.

Pay attention!

And in this case, internal fat reserves will begin to be used up as “fuel”, providing the person with the opportunity for normal life activities. Accordingly, weight loss will begin.

Food for weight loss should contain the optimal ratio of vitamins, minerals, proteins and other substances that make up the nutritional value of the food. Don’t be afraid of carbohydrates and completely give up fats; with a smart approach, they won’t ruin your figure. Eating the right food for weight loss is the key to health.

A universal solution is steamed food!

Food is enriched with many additional calories during its heat treatment. Those who want to lose weight should avoid fried foods, especially in cases where sunflower oil, margarine and other vegetable or animal fats are used.

The way out of this situation is to cook food in a double boiler or slow cooker. It has long been known that steamed food is the healthiest. For weight loss, it has many advantages, namely:

• contains a minimum amount of calories;
• is quickly absorbed and does not cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
• preserves vitamins and microelements;
• most products retain their natural taste;
• prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and the deposition of toxins;
• prepares quickly.

The enormous benefits of plain water

Not only does food matter for weight loss, maintaining a constant water balance is also extremely important. Water before meals for weight loss is one of the simplest and most affordable options. It is enough to drink 1 or 2 glasses each time half an hour before meals. For the whole day you should get about 2-3 liters of water. Having such a useful habit, you can lose up to 5 kg in a month.

Quite often people mistake thirst for hunger. Therefore, before eating, you should drink a couple of glasses of water. Perhaps after 15-20 minutes the false hunger will leave you.

There is also a version that water washes away previously formed gastric juice, thereby promoting the formation of a new one. As a result, food received later will be digested more efficiently.

Know your portion

It is important to note that eating for weight loss will not bring the expected results if you consume even the lowest calorie foods, but in huge quantities. Of course, a portion of food for weight loss should contain fewer calories and be somewhat smaller in volume than what you could eat.

To correctly calculate your portion, you need to consider a number of factors:

• person's age;
• anthropometric data (height and weight);
• gender;
• Lifestyle.

Of course, the ideal option would be to regularly weigh each dish or individual product. But this is quite tedious, and probably no one will want to do it. Therefore, the following recommendations will help you “by eye” determine the approximate amount of a particular product that corresponds to one serving.

• Vegetable dishes: volume 2 fists.
• Fruit – 1 fist.
• A portion of meat is visually equal to the palm of your hand.
• Cereals and flour products 1 fist volume.
• A portioned piece of bread is a CD box.
• Nuts - golf ball

Losing weight can be delicious!

Absolutely everyone wants food for weight loss to be not only healthy for their figure, but also tasty. The process of losing weight doesn't have to be painful, you don't have to force yourself to eat foods that you don't like at all. This will ensure that you are in a bad mood, and the risk of breaking out and trying something harmful to your figure will increase significantly, for which you will then scold yourself very much.

Delicious food for weight loss is a reality. For example, fish from the Salmon family have excellent taste. It can be steamed, baked in the oven or grilled, or served as part of a light salad.

The same goes for meat. Delicious seafood is also allowed when losing weight. There are a lot of recipes for vegetable salads, the additional advantage of which is a huge amount of vitamins.

Soups are also considered dietary dishes, especially cold soups.

For those who cannot live without sweets, there is an excellent alternative. Marshmallows, marmalade and fruit jelly are delicious and will not affect your figure. Of course, keep in mind small portions in this case!

The basis of the diet is protein foods

Everyone knows that the nutritional value of any product consists of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. To build muscle mass, dry your body and prevent the formation of fat deposits, you should eat as much protein as possible. Protein foods for weight loss should be the basis of your diet. It could be:

• lean chicken;
• Fish and seafood;
• veal and other lean meats;
• seafood;
• low-fat hard cheese and soy tofu;
• cottage cheese;
• egg whites, etc.

There are also various protein shakes with fruit fillings. They are commercially available and are convenient because they make it possible to get a portion of proteins without spending time on preparing any dishes.

Hunger and other errors that do not solve the problem

It should be borne in mind that not only the food itself is important. To lose weight, you also need to stick to a certain routine. The optimal number of meals is 5 times a day. Portions should be small. This will help speed up your metabolism. Each meal should consist primarily of protein dishes.

A common mistake people make is to completely avoid foods containing carbohydrates and fats. This should not be done, because...

It is in them that vitamins and macroelements necessary for normal human life usually predominate.

Another problem that you may encounter in this case is a lack of strength for work activity, since carbohydrates provide energy to our body.

Another common mistake people make in pursuit of an ideal body is starvation. You shouldn’t put stress on your body, just reduce the amount of food you consume. But within reasonable limits! Without enough food, we get a whole bunch of problems:

• inhibition of metabolism;
• the risk of gaining extra pounds after stopping fasting;
• deterioration of the functioning of the digestive system;
• lack of vitamins - deterioration of hair, nails, etc.;
• difficulties with mental activity.

The harm of bulimia

One of the most unusual ways to combat excess weight is vomiting. Such a process as vomiting after eating for weight loss causes much controversy. It can subsequently lead to disruption of the normal functioning of the digestive system and to such a serious illness as bulimia, which can be extremely difficult to cure.

The body gets used to regularly inducing vomiting after each meal, then a conditioned reflex arises and vomiting no longer appears at the request of the person, but as a reflex. And this can lead to exhaustion and even death.

The meaning of breakfast

All those who want to safely lose weight and maintain the results for many years should adhere to some simple rules. The first thing to remember is to have a full breakfast.

The first meal - breakfast - is the most basic and most significant. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of a proper breakfast:

• it helps speed up metabolism;
• foods eaten in the morning do not form unwanted deposits, since they are completely digested and absorbed by the body during the day;
• you will consume fewer extra calories per day;
• the concentration of leptin, a hormone that can suppress appetite, increases in the blood;
• brain activity improves.

Examples of a healthy breakfast

However, breakfast must be right! When consuming sweets and baked goods, which are simple carbohydrates, you should not expect benefits for the body.

What kind of breakfast will be healthy? Below are several of its variations.

• Classic oatmeal. It takes very little time to prepare: you need to brew a portion of the cereal with boiling water and in a couple of minutes the oatmeal is ready! You can also add fruit. It turns out tasty and nutritious.
• Whole grain breads with fruit, cottage cheese or lean fish.
• Cereal flakes with milk. Additionally, you can add some nuts, dried apricots, raisins or fruits.
• Chicken breast (without skin) in pita bread. You can also put some hard cheese there.
• Omelet made from chicken egg whites with vegetables.

What should dinner be like?

Breakfast is nutritious and healthy. During the day – mainly protein foods, in small portions. The question remains: what to eat for dinner? The last meal of the day needs to be taken seriously.

It is advisable that dinner time be at 18:00. Otherwise, the food eaten may not be absorbed and will be reflected on the figure in the form of fat deposits. It is worth giving preference to vegetables, cottage cheese and other fermented milk products. The following dishes are also ideal:

• light soups with water or chicken broth;
• vegetable salads;
• home-made yogurt with the addition of a minimal amount of sugar;
• baked fish with vegetable side dish;
• 100-150 g of lean meat, cooked without adding fat.

It will not be difficult to learn the above recommendations and adhere to them. For this, the body will thank you with excellent health and desired body parameters. And if you add regular exercise, you will be pleased with the results very soon.

Source: https://fb.ru/article/142308/pravilnaya-eda-dlya-pohudeniya-portsiya-edyi-dlya-pohudeniya-voda-pered-edoy-dlya-pohudeniya

Recommendations from professionals

Nutritionists and professional trainers say that serving size is the most important indicator that helps to achieve impressive results.

To lose weight and get healthier, you need to completely change your lifestyle, follow the rules, control portion sizes, as well as food compatibility. Skipping a meal is strictly prohibited, even if you have no appetite.

Kovalkov Alexey, nutritionist

Russia's leading nutritionist, author of a weight loss program and numerous publications on weight correction, says that the average size of an adult's stomach is 500 ml.

Food should occupy 2/3 of the total volume. That is, an approximate single serving of food is 350-400 g. This dose does not disrupt the functioning of the stomach and promotes the full production of enzymes and other important substances.

When a person consumes about 400 g of food, he is better able to absorb the necessary nutrients, while the risk of increasing adipose tissue is minimal.

The nutritionist claims that a portion of vegetables on a plate is reduced in the stomach by exactly 2 times after chewing. That is, 300 g of product equals 150 g of fiber inside. Therefore, the doctor advises his clients to eat a lot of vegetables.

A. Kovalkov recommends focusing on carbohydrates in the first half of the day, and then consuming vegetables with healthy fats. You need to have dinner with proteins and vegetables.

Akmal Kadri, fitness trainer

A master of sports in all-around strength training advises adjusting food portions if necessary.

He argues that a person does not know how his body will react, so you need to remain flexible and change the serving size depending on your feelings and goals.

The trainer recommends using the hand rule when determining portions. If a person wants to increase muscle mass, but he can’t do it, then you can add another 1 palm of carbohydrates and 1 knuckle of fat.

To lose weight, it is recommended to remove 1 palm of carbohydrate foods, as well as 1 palm of fat.

Yulia Bastrygina, nutritionist

Candidate of Medical Sciences, author of publications on healthy eating, claims that people often overeat because they do not feel normal. To avoid weight and health problems, you need to use the following tricks:

1. When switching to proper nutrition, gradually reduce the portion size.
2. Use small plates to trick your brain. The same can be done with glasses.
3. Develop the habit of not finishing the entire portion.
4. Don't be distracted from eating so that your brain and body have time to process this information.

Do not use express diets to lose weight; along with your diet, you need to completely change your lifestyle. Fractional meals are most suitable for this purpose.

What foods should you eat to lose weight?

Greetings, friends. The blog “SPORTS ACADEMY” is in touch with you. In this issue we will talk to you about products. Namely: what foods should you eat to lose weight? Many girls ask this question, so let's talk about it.

If you are interested, then stay with me. When a person decides to lose weight, he understands perfectly well that potatoes, all kinds of sausages, sausages and the like...

These are products that prevent a person from losing weight! Friends, for those who adhere to proper nutrition, I recommend reading the article the role of protein in human nutrition.

And naturally the question arises: what foods should you eat to lose weight? In fact, it turns out there are a lot of healthy foods. In addition to those harmful ones that we are used to eating constantly, day after day. And now the time comes to change your diet.

And porridge comes first! This is buckwheat, oatmeal, wheat, brown rice. Many people don't like to eat them. Where to go? With proper nutrition, you can’t go without porridge! You should understand this perfectly well. Of course, it’s better not to cook porridge; it’s better to steam it.

When porridges are steamed in this way, they retain more nutritional properties, microelements, etc... It is very convenient to steam porridges at night, because many people simply don’t have time to do this in the morning. And this morning I got up and the porridge was already ready!

You need to include more protein in your diet. These are eggs, chicken breast, turkey, etc... Kefir is very healthy, when purchasing, pay attention to the expiration date, the shorter the expiration date, the healthier the kefir. All bacteria and beneficial substances are contained in kefir in full.

Pay attention!

And if kefir has a long shelf life, then immediately pass it by. because there are very few bacteria in such kefir, and accordingly it will bring benefits “NIFIGA”. It is simply processed at a special temperature, killing all the beneficial bacteria. This increases the shelf life.

The next useful product is cottage cheese! It is better to eat it as dinner. It's a kind of casein. It will take longer to digest and you will feel full longer. And of course we include fruits, pears, apples, oranges, and tangerines in our diet.

Dried fruits are prunes, dried apricots, raisins. I love eating cottage cheese with raisins. Or when there are no raisins, I finely chop dried apricots and prunes and add them to the cottage cheese. Dried fruits add sweetness to cottage cheese, which makes it more enjoyable to eat.

What other foods should you eat to lose weight? For example, you can eat yogurt, but without any additives, just pure yogurt, it is also very healthy. This is all kinds of meat, this is fish. Eat meat, let it be beef. Seafood is squid, shrimp, white lean fish.

About vegetables - this is, of course, cabbage, you can make a salad from it. In general, different types of cabbage are useful in their own way, these are Brussels sprouts, Chinese, cauliflower, broccoli.

Also frozen green beans, if you have the opportunity to buy fresh, then take them better. In the summer it is, of course, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, all kinds of salads, various herbs.

Friends, proper nutrition can be tasty and inexpensive. Don’t fall for the “fitness” sign in stores; “lose weight in a week”; it’s all a marketing ploy. The manufacturer just needs to sell their product. And he will write whatever he wants on the packaging!

And that's all, friends. I hope you got the answer to the question: what foods should you eat to lose weight?! Well, we will return to the topics of healthy eating and life more than once. If something is missing from the products, please add it in the comments. See you soon, bye.

Source: https://power-n.ru/pravila-pitaniya/kakie-produktyi-nado-est-chtobyi-pohudet.html

Main conclusions

As you can see, serving size matters a lot. A man can consume 350 g of food at one time, and a woman – 250 g. Although the amount of food consumed at a time depends on age, physical activity, and body characteristics.

To calculate the serving size, you can use the rule of hand. Remember that a single dose of protein is the size of your palm, vegetarian food is the size of your fist, complex carbohydrates are the size of your palm, and fats are the size of your thumb. By following these rules, you will improve your body's functioning and improve your appearance.

It's no secret that the basis of a beautiful, slender figure lies in the correct approach to diet and choosing the right portion size. Eating balanced food brings the body back to normal over time and the extra pounds disappear. It is important to learn how to determine the required serving size to avoid overeating.

What should be the portion of food when losing weight?

Servings of food with proper nutrition in grams should not exceed 350 grams at a time .

The serving size for weight loss is up to 70% of the main diet, which is equal to 200-250 grams, while the amount of food should increase by 2-3 meals. That is, you should eat fractionally. This technique is the most favorable for weight loss. The system of this method allows you to cleanse the body, activate the production of enzymes, and improve metabolism. A person practically does not feel hunger due to frequent meals.

How to Determine the Correct Portion Size for a Healthy Diet

For those who want to lose weight, the amount of food eaten at one time should be as large as possible.

Some nutritionists advise making sure that the volume of one meal does not exceed 350-400 g. For example, 200 g. salad, 100 g mashed potatoes, 100 g cutlets. Or 300g. borscht, 20 g sour cream, 50 g black bread, a small piece of apple.

However, from my own experience I know that this can be very difficult. The feeling of fullness simply does not come and thoughts about food become obsessive, and as a result, “eating” comes and all efforts come to naught. In addition, meals may not be the same in volume. For example, for breakfast you can eat 500-600 grams, but for a late dinner you only need 150.

How can you ensure that the amount of food you eat is sufficient to fill you up, but at the same time you lose weight? The answer is: you need to choose low-calorie foods. Let's say, instead of homemade cottage cheese, choose low-fat cottage cheese, do not put sugar or milk in tea, do not pour butter on porridge, and so on.

Of course, full-fat cottage cheese is healthier than low-fat cottage cheese, but you can switch to it after your stomach has already shrunk - and it will shrink in any case if you set up your fractional meals correctly. In addition, it is important that you can switch to higher-calorie foods when you realize that your eating habits have truly changed and you are no longer a glutton.

There is also such advice to feel full faster. Every meal should contain protein. For example, lean boiled chicken, fish or beef.

Know that over time you will begin to produce the same hormone leptin, which helps reduce appetite and you will begin to eat up much faster.

During a meal, you need to know exactly that the amount of food you need is such that you are not hungry and at the same time do not eat too much.

But it’s impossible to weigh every portion of food, especially since you don’t always eat at home. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the volume of food visually and there are two ways to do this.

Why is it important to observe portion sizes?

The main condition for losing weight is following the rules of the established regime and serving size with proper nutrition. When the stomach is empty, it begins to produce the hunger hormone, which leads to overeating. And as a result of overeating, the stomach begins to stretch and leads to extra pounds. When switching to the correct portions for weight loss, the size of the stomach decreases , thanks to which it is possible to remove the feeling of hunger even with a glass of water. By following this technique, you can lose up to two kilograms in the first week.

It is believed that the ideal volume of food served at one time is equal to the size of your fist.

Amount and portions of food with proper nutrition in grams

The number of meals should be 3-5 per day . In this case, you need to give up fatty, fried, smoked foods, and give preference to raw vegetables, lean meat, and fruits. The intervals between meals should be 2-3 hours.

Approximate portions of food with proper nutrition in grams

• For breakfast, porridge with milk and honey, a few pieces of cheese, and some bread (about 250 grams) are perfect. See: PP breakfast options.
• Repeat the second breakfast after a couple of hours and eat an omelette with vegetables (approximately 130-150 grams).
• For lunch, first - low-fat soup with bone broth (200 grams), second - lazy cabbage rolls, vegetable salad (150 grams).
• Afternoon snack – 100 grams of cottage cheese with dried fruits and sour cream.
• Dinner: stewed vegetables (150 grams) with a poultry or fish cutlet (100 grams).
• 2 hours before bedtime, you are allowed to drink a glass of kefir (200 ml).

By following a balanced diet and eating portions with proper nutrition, you will find inner lightness. The extra pounds will disappear forever.

How many grams should a serving of food be when losing weight is one of the key and most important questions when creating a diet. Without proper determination of the weight and composition of a single portion, the frequency of meals, even the most active workouts and intense physical activity will not give the desired result in the form of extra pounds lost.

At first glance, the simple procedure for calculating the weight and quality composition of a single serving of food has many nuances and pitfalls, which will be discussed in this article.

What should be the portion of food to lose weight: the pros and cons of the popular technique

Facts are facts, and the method of determining the optimal amount of food on your plate using a clenched palm and a handful remains one of the most popular. By the way, it was developed not by people far from dietetics, but by Canadian specialists - employees of one of the well-known companies. The creators of this method can be proud of themselves: they have helped many people get rid of extra pounds. However, this does not mean that the method discussed below is universal and has no drawbacks.

To begin with, let us introduce you to the basic principles of the methodology:

• The first is the division of all products included in the daily diet into 4 groups. The first includes sources of protein: lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes, dairy products, etc. The second contained vegetables, and the third contained cereals, fruits and berries, which are high in carbohydrates. In the last group are fats (nuts, seeds, vegetable oil, etc.).

• How is food portion size determined? To do this, you need to find out which category the selected product belongs to, and be guided by the standards offered by innovators from Canada. For the group that includes squirrels, this is your open palm from the base of your fingers to your wrist. For radishes, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes - a clenched fist. When measuring fruits, cereals and berries, cup your palm and scoop up a handful. We should do the same with bread and potatoes, believe supporters of the fashionable method. But for products containing fats, the measure is your thumb.

These rules raise many questions. How to measure cottage cheese or milk and other drinks that are considered food? What to do with bread that is difficult to scoop into a handful? There are more questions than answers. Should we trustfully listen to the advice of Canadians? Our answer: no, because there is something to criticize the methodology for. Additionally, everyone's hands are different, and one person's open palm may be significantly larger than another's.

How many grams of food to eat when losing weight

How to calculate the number of grams per person per day

In order to find out the daily food weight necessary for the normal functioning of the body and getting rid of extra pounds, you need to perform the following calculations:

• Calculate the daily kilocalorie requirement (DK) required by the body. To determine the value of this norm for men and women, the Mifflin-San Geor formula is used:

DNA for males = (9.99×M) + (6.25×H) + (4.92×Age) + 5;

DNA for women = (9.99×M) + (6.25×H) + (4.92×Age) – 161,

Where:

1. M – body weight, kg;
2. H – height, cm;
3. Age – age, full years.

• Multiply the resulting daily calorie intake by the correction factor (Ka), which takes into account the degree of human activity.

Correction factor Ka taking into account human activity

• Reduce the resulting value by 10-20% - by reducing the daily requirement of kilocalories by only 10-20%, a person does not cause much damage to his body and provokes him to lose weight and gradually lose extra pounds. To calculate the amount of daily kilocalories required for weight loss (DNA for weight loss), the value obtained as a result of the two points above is multiplied by 0.9-0.8.
• The resulting kilocalorie values ​​must be divided into 4-5 meals, taking into account the prepared diet and the energy value of the foods included in it, and calculate their weight for each meal.

Calculation example

Initial data:

• The subject is a 35-year-old woman weighing 70 kg and height 165 cm (1.65 m), leading a sedentary lifestyle (office worker).
• The optimal BMI is the body mass index, equal to the ratio of a person’s weight to the square of his height, for women of a given age is 22.95.

Calculation:

• Using the value of the optimal BMI (22.95), normal weight (Mnorm) is calculated for this age and height:

Mnorm = BMInorm.× Height2 = 22.95 × (1.65 × 1.65) = 62 kg.

On a note. Accordingly, the excess weight value is 70-62 = 8 kg.

• The daily calorie requirement (DNA), calculated using the Mifflin-San Geor formula, taking into account the coefficient taking into account human activity (Ka), for such a woman will be equal to:

DNA=((9.99×70)+(6.25×165)+(4.92×35)-161) × 1.2=2090 kcal.

• To lose weight without harm, such a woman needs to reduce her calorie intake by 20% per day. Accordingly, the daily calorie intake for weight loss (DNA for weight loss) for her will be 2090 × 0.8 = 1672 Kcal;
• If we divide this daily norm into 5 meals, it turns out that at one time this woman can eat foods with a total energy value of 334 Kcal. So, with this calculation, breakfast should consist of 150 g of low-fat cottage cheese (234 Kcal), green tea without sugar (0 Kcal) and 2 large oranges weighing 250-300 g. (approximately 100 Kcal). Thus, a single portion consumed for breakfast in grams for weight loss will weigh only 400-450 grams.
• Daily consumption of the above-mentioned amount of kilocalories and following a diet will allow you to get rid of extra 8 kg in 1.5-2 months, with a healthy loss of 150-200 g of excess weight per day.

How much can you eat at one time?

You can calculate what single servings you should have in order to lose weight using two methods:

Portion has limitations

• With the help of hands (palms, fists, fingers) - it is generally accepted that the human stomach is equal in volume to two of its fists. Therefore, in order not to stretch or burden it during the meal, many people measure a single portion using their fist, palm or fingers. For example, a single serving of meat or meat products should be no larger than the size of a palm without fingers. Vegetables and herbs consumed in salads or fresh at one time should be placed in two palms folded together. Fruits consumed at one time (oranges, apples, peaches) should have a volume equal to or slightly less than that of a hand clenched into a fist. In this way, you can very quickly and quite accurately calculate how much of certain foods you can eat at one time.
• By weight - this method allows you to determine which product and in what exact quantity should be consumed during one meal. In this case, using the above method, the daily requirement for kilocalories for weight loss is calculated, a diet of 4-5 meals a day is drawn up, the total calorie content of individual meals is divided between the products included in them, after which the weight of individual products is calculated using tabular data. The calculated amount is weighed using good electronic household scales with an accuracy of 0.1 g. This method allows you to eat exactly as much as was calculated. Compared to the previous one, its disadvantages are the large amount of time spent weighing products and the mandatory presence of fairly accurate scales.

Important! When asked about what portion of food an adult should have to lose weight in volumetric terms, many doctors and nutritionists answer - no more than 200-250 ml. With this amount, the stomach is not overloaded and digests food most efficiently.

What you can and cannot eat

Doctors and scientists have not yet agreed on this issue. Some are convinced that it is necessary to exclude any indulgences and strictly switch to healthy foods. That is, forget once and for all not only about fast food and soda, but also about sugar in coffee, chocolate, and nuts. Other experts believe that periodically pampering yourself with tasty things is not only not harmful, but even beneficial - the main thing is not to violate the frequency of meals, portion sizes and still give preference to more “healthy” delicacies, for example, dark chocolate or nuts. Most likely, those who are burdened with significant excess weight are still better off following the first option - at least for the period until the bulk of the extra pounds is gone. Breakfast is the first meal after a long night break. The body naturally asks for food, and the portion should be nutritious and at the same time light, because the enzymes have not yet “woke up”. The ideal start to the day is whole grain porridge, which can be supplemented with nuts, dried fruits, and honey. Lunch or dinner must contain a first course and protein: meat or fish with a side dish of vegetables. But you should refrain from potatoes rich in starch, especially fried ones. You need to have dinner 3 hours before bedtime: a small portion of food will be safely digested during this time. And if you have a persistent feeling of hunger before going to bed, you should drink half a glass of kefir. Snacking on sandwiches and especially fast food is unacceptable. You can take apples, kefir, whole grain bread, muesli, cottage cheese with dried fruits with you to work.

How often to eat while losing weight

When losing weight, you need to eat fractionally, dividing your daily food requirement into 4-5 meals. Also, for the normal functioning of the body in the intervals between meals, it is necessary to drink a lot of liquid: simple purified drinking water, green or black tea without sugar. Moreover, all food consumed should not contain preservatives, GMOs, harmful additives, or flavor enhancers. Also, in order to lose weight, proper nutrition must be combined with physical exercise, going to the gym, or if there is not enough time, morning exercises or jogging.

Important ! When losing weight, you should never “take bites” - eat anything after or before meals. This habit, more typical for young children, not only suppresses appetite, but also negates the benefits of the diet. Also, when losing weight, you should exclude from your diet all alcohol (beer, champagne, wine), carbonated and energy drinks, flour, sweets, processed foods, fast food (burgers, fries, hot dogs, etc.).

What to eat for 500 kcal in one day

Very often on the Internet, users enter into a search engine the query “what can you eat for 500 kcal for the whole day,” and the service produces a lot of results with advice on how to lose weight by consuming such a small amount of calories, breaking it up into 4-5 meals . But in practice, these tips are not effective and are harmful to health.

500 calorie diet

The fact is that daily nutrition with a similar energy value (500 Kcal) is so meager (3-4 times less than the minimum requirement for maintaining normal weight and 1.5-2 times less than the norm for weight loss) that the body will equate it to starvation , with all the ensuing consequences. So, only 1 week of such a “diet” can lead to digestive problems, weakness, lethargy, decreased immunity, insomnia, and deterioration of the emotional state.

On a note. Thus, by calculating the portion size for weight loss, you can independently, without resorting to the advice of specialists, quickly and without harm to your health, get rid of extra pounds.

However, you should not get carried away with diets, since over time the body gets used to a certain diet and, feeling a lack of energy, begins to accumulate fat, while breaking down muscle tissue, which requires more energy to maintain. Therefore, the ideal option would be to combine short-term diets with constant training, periodic stay in the fresh air, and daily jogging.

How to start eating smaller meals to lose weight

For those losing weight, the process of calculating calories is quite labor-intensive and, in the end, either there is not enough time for it or it gets boring counting calories all the time when you want to eat immediately and a lot...
How much should you eat to lose weight, without counting calories every time? It’s enough just to remember a few simple techniques for determining the amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fruits and vegetables.

Now you won’t need to keep counting tables and scales in the kitchen. Only your hands will be needed.

Your hands are always with you and therefore it is very convenient to quickly navigate the amount of products that you put on your plate, without resorting to additional means and saving time.

Why should you choose fractional meals? Is it necessary to eat smaller meals when losing weight? What are the rules for fractional or interval meals? How much should you eat at each meal? You will get answers to these and other questions in this article.

Hello friends, today we’ll talk about how to start eating smaller meals to lose weight. This is the question my clients often ask me. However, I want to tell you that split meals alone will not contribute to weight loss. It is also important to observe the portion size, as well as the calorie content of the dishes. This becomes a more difficult task if you have never tried to create a menu or diet for weight loss.

However, it is nevertheless worth starting to eat fractionally for the following reasons:

• Fractional meals are very comfortable and physiological.
• Eating fractionally is useful not only when losing weight - you can eat this way for the rest of your life
• Fractional meals are a great start for those who want to start leading a healthy lifestyle, but are afraid

So, how to eat smaller meals to lose weight?