Caloric content of the diet and BJU-balance
A healthy nutrition program cannot be compiled without determining the calorie content of the diet and calculating the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU-balance).
Properly selected nutrition allows you not to feel hunger and weakness, provide the body with enough nutrients, maintain weight at the right level and feel great.
To calculate the caloric content of the diet, you need to know the allowable rate and the optimal daily number of calories, as well as take into account lifestyle: the calorie content of food during active sports should be higher than when sitting in the office and the same rest at home watching TV.
The average daily calorie intake for men is, depending on age and lifestyle, 2000-2400 kcal, for women – 1800-2400 kcal [2]. The balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should normally be as follows:
proteins – 30-40%;
carbohydrates – 40-50%;
fats – 20–25%
Knowing your own indicators and using the calorie table, you can very easily create an approximate menu for the week, which will present all the products the body needs.
Diet: regularity is the head of everything
With proper nutrition, the time of eating should be precisely calculated, since only the timely intake of nutrients can compensate for energy costs.
For a healthy person, the most rational is a four-time diet. It provides a uniform load on the digestive system, food is better digested and absorbed.
With two meals a day, with intervals between meals of up to 7 hours or more, the level of cholesterol in the blood increases, fat deposits accumulate, and the intensity of the thyroid gland decreases.
In addition, after a long period of time, a person can immediately eat a lot of food, overfilling the stomach and reducing the mobility of its walls.
Stretching the stomach not only negatively affects the quality of food digestion, but also raises the diaphragm, interfering with normal cardiac activity.
Long breaks cause the release of a large volume of gastric juice and irritation of the gastric mucosa.
Too small breaks between meals are also undesirable. In this case, there is not enough time for the complete digestion process, which can lead to disruption of the digestive tract.
A very important factor
A very important factor in the organization of a healthy diet is the regularity of eating. By a certain time, a person has a feeling of hunger, which triggers the secretion of gastric juice necessary for the digestion of food.
With violations of the diet, this reflex in a person fades. Food enters the stomach, which is not yet ready for the process of digestion.
As a result, appetite decreases, and all the food that has entered the body is very poorly absorbed, which causes gastritis, cholecystitis and other diseases.
As practice shows, in order for a person to get used to the chosen diet, two to three days are enough.
With two meals a day, with intervals between meals of up to 7 hours or more, the level of cholesterol in the blood increases, fat deposits accumulate, and the intensity of the thyroid gland decreases.
In addition, after a long period of time, a person can immediately eat a lot of food, overfilling the stomach and reducing the mobility of its walls.
Stretching the stomach not only negatively affects the quality of food digestion, but also raises the diaphragm, interfering with normal cardiac activity.
Long breaks cause the release of a large volume of gastric juice and irritation of the gastric mucosa.
Too small breaks between meals are also undesirable. In this case, there is not enough time for the complete digestion process, which can lead to disruption of the digestive tract.
Example menu for the day: following the principles of a healthy diet
Healthy eating is not only healthy, but also delicious. We will prove this using the example of a one-day menu, compiled taking into account the calorie content of products and the balance of BJU.
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with mushrooms from one whole egg and two proteins, a slice of whole grain bread, chicory with cream – 384 kcal, 25 g of proteins, 19 g of fat and 26 g of carbohydrates.
Snack: one banana and a quarter of a bar of dark chocolate – 220 kcal, 4 g of protein, 12 g of fat, 28 g of carbohydrates.
Lunch: vegetable salad and broccoli soup with chicken and cream – 327 kcal, 30 g protein, 14 g fat, 21 g carbohydrates.
Snack: two tangerines and an apple – 174 kcal, 40 g of carbohydrates, vitamin C.
Dinner: cod baked with stewed vegetables – 288 kcal, 32 g of protein, 5 g of fat, 3 g of carbohydrates.
At night: a glass of kefir – 76 kcal, 6 g of protein, 2 g of fat and 8 g of carbohydrates.
With such a menu, the total calorie intake per day will be 1470 kcal, proteins – 98 g, fats – 53 g, carbohydrates – 153 g. In addition, the products included in the dishes contain all the necessary set of vitamins and microelements.
How to instill healthy eating habits?
According to experts, any habit can be formed in 21 days. The same statement applies to healthy eating.
These habits are not at all difficult to instill, you just need to set a clear goal for yourself and not step back from it. Take note of some helpful tips:
Ask yourself why do I want to change my eating habits? The answer should be as specific as possible, and the end goal achievable. For example, lose three kilograms, improve complexion, get rid of heartburn, etc.
Keep a food diary – it helps to correct nutritional errors at a time when new habits have not yet been fixed. Today it is very easy to do this: in almost any mobile application store you can find special programs, both paid and free.
By installing them on your smartphone, you can control the diet. When there is a need to eat exclusively healthy food and drink enough water, the diary will no longer be needed.
Take your time. A sharp and complete replacement of the usual “harmful” dishes with new and useful ones in almost 100% of cases leads to a breakdown.
The diet should be changed gradually, gradually introducing healthy food into it.
Avoid hard limits. You should not force yourself not to eat after 18.00, completely eliminate desserts.
All these prohibitions lead to stress and abandonment of attempts to change habits for the better.
For dinner, you can choose simple and easily digestible food: vegetables, fruits, cottage cheese, chicken eggs, lean fish, white chicken meat. And it is better to eat sweets in the morning and in small quantities.
The diet should be varied. Healthy food doesn’t have to be bland and tasteless. There are many gourmet dishes that are extremely beneficial for the body.
Stop eating out. Before eating habits have changed, do not visit cafes and restaurants, there are too many temptations.
Preference should be given to homemade food.
Go to the store only on a full stomach. This way you will be less likely to buy something harmful in a brightly seductive package.
Set a water and food reminder on your phone, and it will be easier for you to stick to your diet.
Find like-minded people – it is always easier to change something in a company. It is very good if you are supported by loved ones: in this case, family dinners will not turn into a test of endurance for you.
Ignore the attacks from the outside, just learn to find worthy answers to comments about your new food preferences. And learn to refuse treats. This is especially true of joint office tea parties with sweets and cookies.