As a rule, people who want to lose weight are interested in the issue of PP (proper nutrition). To begin with, you need to calculate the average number of calories per day for the last month and choose an approximate target level of daily calorie intake based on age, gender and level of physical activity. For example, we take 2800 kcal per day as a starting point. For a woman aged 26-50 who leads a sedentary lifestyle, the target level will be 1800 kcal per day.
At the first stage, you should minimize the consumption of salt, sugar, trans fats, soft drinks, alcohol and increase the consumption of pure water to a comfortable level, for example, to 1.5 – 2.5 liters per day. Sweet, salty, fatty foods and alcohol cause appetite and often lead to overeating. Many do not pay attention to one chocolate bar, a “small” piece of cake, a glass of wine, a can of beer with chips, nuts or salted fish. Now you need to keep an eye on all of this.
By minimizing the consumption of sweet, salty, fatty foods, especially trans fats, you should gradually bring your daily average caloric intake closer to your daily calorie intake (in our example, up to 2000 kcal). Next, you should improve your diet by gradually eliminating unwanted and adding healthy foods, and without unnecessary haste, move towards the goal of 1800 kcal per day, controlling your weight and the thickness of your fat layer.
When planning your daily menu, don’t forget that in addition to the nutritional value, the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in food should be balanced. Depending on the tasks, different schemes of the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates are used. It is advisable not to reduce the amount of protein consumed below 1 – 1.5 grams, and fats 0.7 – 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. This is the necessary minimum of “building materials” to maintain the body in the norm. Study this issue in more detail and determine the guidelines for yourself. 1 gram of protein contains 4 kilocalories, 1 gram of fat 9 kilocalories, the rest is made up of carbohydrates containing 4 kilocalories per 1 gram.
In our example, for a woman 26-50 years old, weighing 65 kg, leading a sedentary lifestyle, with a target level of 1800 kcal per day when losing weight with moderate fitness activity, BJU can be calculated as follows. 1.5 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight per day will give 390 + 585 = 975 kcal, plus another 825 kcal will come from carbohydrates. Total 97.5 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, 206 grams of carbohydrates. Protein should be varied. In addition to the variety of fats, at a minimum, you should control the ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, animal and vegetable. Most carbohydrates should be complex and with a low glycemic index. Be sure to add greens and fresh or pickled vegetables to each meal. Fiber and greens will undoubtedly have a positive effect on health.
Reducing calorie intake by more than 20% per day and an imbalance in BJU can be harmful to health. The FatSecret food and ready-made meal calorie counter will help you not to fall below or exceed the set benchmark. Download FatSecret for free for Android, iOS or Windows Mobile at https://antiage.click/en/downloads at the bottom of the page.