Basic rules of healthy eating
Healthy eating is important
These simple principles of eating are very important in the weight loss process. Considering these rules it is possible to control and satisfy the fill with food and ease weight loss.
Eat minimum fat
The body has a huge potential to store fat. If you eat rich food, this potential becomes greater. The body uses only 3 calories of energy to transform 100 calories of ingested fats into fat backups of the body. That means that 97% of ingested calories by fats accumulate as fat. For comparison – to transform 100 carbohydrate-origin calories into fat, the body uses 23 calories. So, by eating fat-rich food, you can feed the hungry fat cells very fast, besides if you already have extra weight, this process occurs much more effectively than if you do not suffer from being overweight.
Passing over to the low-fat diet, in the beginning, may seem very complicated but with getting used to lighter food, the previous provisions will appear oily and too rich. To make dietary products you like, experiment with different spices and fat-free sauces.
Successful long-term weight control is possible only then if you can refuse regular overfeeding of your fat cells with already mature fat. To maintain health, you need only 3-5 grams of fat a day.
Control the consumption of sugar
We love sugar. The sweet taste of cookies, cakes, or ice cream in subconsciousness is related to celebrations, birthdays, holidays, and other pleasant events. Passion for sweets is biologically defined, that’s why it is so hard to break this habit.
From the ancient times as a result of experiments and experience in consciousness formatted a thought that sweet is not poisoned, that it is good. If an ancient man tried sour or bitter berry, there was a big possibility that it is poisoned, that’s why the fact that we are gourmands, largely is a survival instinct. Besides, if harmless and tasty food is found, it must be eaten in possibly larger amounts, because you don’t know when next time will appear such a great chance.
Same we all have experienced how rapid energy charge is given by a sugar-rich food. Practically all of the sugars in the body are cleaved into glucose, which is the main source of our energy. Research revealed, that both humans and animals, being hungry, prefer sweet food. Maybe you noticed that to satisfy a hunger mostly you eat a cookie or a piece of chocolate first and only then get to proper food.
This is how it forms a spellbound circle – you satisfy hunger with sugary food, but ingested sugar starts biochemical reactions which increase the sense of hunger and push you to eat more. Sugar-rich food gives energy fast, but the level of the energy fades as fast as increased. Anyway, a charge of the energy, which appears after an encouraging walk, lasts much longer. Ingestion of sugar also stimulates the secretion of serotonin which is a natural tranquilizer, which makes you feel apathetic and sleepy. In this condition, we continue to eat a little bit more sweets. If you are noticing this habit in you, then instead of sweets choose fruits or sugar-free cookies.
Choose lean sources of protein
Proteins are an important component of nutriment – they are used in the formation and restoration of cell structures and for the biosynthesis of enzymes and hormones. The role of protein in weight loss is questionable, different views recommend ingesting from 40 even to 120 grams of protein a day. Before you choose the right amount to ingest, you must understand proteins importance in your body.
For successful long-term weight loss is necessary to ingest comparatively a lot of protein because of lots of reasons. Proteins are stimulating the release of digestive hormones CCK or cholecistocynine which for its part is stimulating the release of neuromediators which makes you feel full. Proteins stabilize the level of glucose in the blood, which decreases a sense of hunger. The more complicated is the molecule of a protein, the slower it is digested, that’s why the level of glucose in the blood doesn’t vary so fast as after the ingestion of carbohydrates. That’s why it is important to disperse a daily amount of protein between all daily meals, starting from breakfast. Choose protein-rich products, but lean – low-fat.
We recommend approximately 70-100 grams of protein a day, depending on your weight and physical activities. Good choices are egg whites, beef, low-fat milk, fat-free yoghurt, dietary flakes, fat-free cheese, chicken, or turkey.
Eat low-density products
Low-density products, in this case, are food, wherewith relatively big amount of food you get comparatively few calories. For example, soups, fruits and vegetables, and special fat-free and dietary products. High-density products example: chocolate, dough products, and cheese – a low amount of the product contains a lot of calories.
Soups are an excellent addition to a meal if you want to lose weight. In addition to liquid ingestion, there are many positive aspects, especially then, when the number of calories is not increasing.
Many types of research show that usage of soups and salads can make weight loss 50% more effective.
To know roughly the density of the product is essential to know the weight of the portion and the number of calories in it. A portion of 100 calories that weighs 100 grams will be as twice as dense as a portion of 100 calories that weighs 50 grams. The objective is to include in the menu more products with a density lower than 1 – fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Products with a density above 2 usually are fat-rich and nourishing.
Ingest a lot of cellulose
Cellulose is one of the best weapons in the battle against overweight – it excites satiety very fast and even decreases the risk of heart illnesses and tumours. Unfortunately, most part of people does not eat even half of the necessary daily amount of cellulose. In countries where the average usage of cellulose is high, obesity cases are much less.
A large number of cellulose is found in fresh fruits, vegetables, and sprouted grains. The daily amount can be increased by choosing wholegrain bread instead of white, brown rice instead of white, fresh fruits instead of juices, etc. Most part of cellulose-rich products is low density that’s why they are highly important in weight loss. During the day it is not so hard to ingest cellulose – instead of eating white bread with chicken, eat a wholegrain sandwich with chicken with added lettuce, a slice of cucumber, and tomato. A choice like this can won’t change the number of calories in the sandwich but will add to it 6 grams of cellulose which is 1/5 of recommended 30 grams a day.
Eat your calories, not drink
Beverages with a high-calorie level, for example, fruit juices, soda, and lemonades can stop your weight loss program very fast. You add at least 500 calories to your daily amount if you drink a few glasses of juice or soda. Try to count carefully the calories you ingest with beverages and you will be surprised – a glass of sweetened juice drink can contain up to 300 calories and 50 grams of sugar.
The only allowed exception is lean dairy products – milk contains calcium, protein, and other valuable substances, it improves the work of the alimentary canal and helps to lose weight.
Count calories
Even if you strongly stick to the rules stated above, it is important to know how many calories you ingest and how many you use. The rule is simple – to lose weight, energy must be used more than gained. To maintain the weight, both volumes must be in balance. If rules are observed, the weight disappears, and you are doing right, but if the weight doesn’t disappear, you must decrease the amount of ingested energy or increase the number of physical activities.
To balance the usage of calories, watch, that calories of the largest meal do not exceed 800 calories, but the whole amount of daily calories can not be bigger than 2000 calories.
