We already know about breakfast, lunch and snack; it’s time to consider all the issues related to the last meal - dinner. I’ll say right away that the most correct dinner is protein, this is suitable for every follower of a healthy lifestyle and even for those who are interested in what to eat for dinner to lose weight.
What kind of dinners are they? What should dinner be like with proper nutrition? And should you? When, what and how much can you eat? Or maybe it's better to skip it altogether? — a lot of questions, no less answers.
To be or not to be?
The very first question that interests a beginner in pp is not even what to eat for dinner with proper nutrition, but is it necessary to eat at all? After all, you can often come across recommendations, especially for those losing weight, about the harm of eating at night, they say, a glass of kefir instead of dinner and you are a skinny beauty. Yes, if you don’t eat, then it’s not difficult to become thin, but as for beauty, this is unlikely. After all, what is the beauty of proper nutrition for weight loss - weight loss comes from reducing fat . And that is why a proper, healthy, wholesome and tasty dinner should be on the menu every day!
A light dietary last meal with a sufficient amount of protein is a guarantee that the muscles are not subject to catabolism, you will not feel hungry until the morning, the gastrointestinal tract will function normally, and the body will receive all the necessary elements for energy and vigor the next day.
And a delicious diet dinner will prevent uncontrollable gluttony, which is so common for many people , when consciousness turns on after the fifth cutlet or on the second piece of cake.
Rules and features of evening meals
Now let's look at the main rules for dinner at pp. In short, they are the same as for lunches, snacks or breakfasts :
- portion control;
- do not forget about KBJU;
- exclude harmful products.
But it is important to know the details:
There is no single advice on what time is best to have dinner - for early risers this may be the famous “don’t eat after 6”, but for night owls a late dinner at 9 pm is completely allowed. The main thing is that there are still 3 hours left before bedtime;
dinner on pp is a maximum of protein and fiber, a minimum of fats and carbohydrates. This is especially true for those who have switched to a healthy diet in order to lose weight; if you don’t know exactly what dinner should be in order to lose weight, make a vegetable salad with 1 tsp. vegetable oil and take a portion of chicken breasts with mushrooms in cream or some baked fish;
do not try to cut calories at the expense of dinner - the body cannot be deceived by a portion of salad or boiled rubber breast. The number of calories should be the same as at lunch (well, maybe a little less), that is, the concept of “dinner for 100 calories” cannot exist! Although for 100 calories (or rather kilocalories) you can organize a snack before bed, if you feel slightly hungry, this is where the famous glass of kefir will help. But remember - this is not dinner, this is just a snack for the night! The calorie content of dinner is about 25% of the daily calorie intake, that is, at least 300 kcal!
Here's what nutritionists recommend for dinner (in the same video they do a great job talking about the myth of 6 p.m.):
Blitz tips
- Don't overeat, but don't go hungry in the evening.
- Give up starchy foods and sweets in favor of healthy foods.
- Fast food is evil, but macaroni and cheese is perfectly acceptable.
- Instead of smoothies and kefir, choose a full dinner of meat, fish and side dishes.
- Don't deny yourself sweets if you really want them. But choose your sweets wisely.
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This article was reviewed by a certified nutritionist who has a bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics, D. G. Veremeev.
Articles are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
Prohibited foods for dinner
It is clear that if you are eating properly, you should not eat foods for dinner that are not on your personal list. However, among the right foods there is one that is undesirable to eat:
- It is better to exclude any fruits, even apples, after lunch. The fact is that all fruits contain sugar - glucose, fructose. And if you consume such a low-calorie, but still carbohydrate-based delicacy in the evening, then by morning, at best, you may be “flooded” - carbohydrates attract water molecules. And if you go overboard with the quantity, then not all the plus on the scales will be water—fat will also increase. What’s interesting is that everything is not so strict with berries, so if you want cottage cheese with fruit for dinner, replace the fruit with a handful of any berries - it will be healthier ;
- By the way, cottage cheese itself is also not a completely permitted product for dinner. For an ordinary person, of course, it’s possible, but for someone losing weight, it’s not possible. Cottage cheese, like any other dairy product, greatly affects the level of insulin, which blocks the work of somatropin, on which weight loss depends. But it is at night that we lose weight best. So for those who are on a temporary pp diet, it is better to replace dinner with pp cottage cheese with other dishes. If you are happy with your weight, simply omit the question about whether you can eat cottage cheese for dinner a couple of times a week; .
- the same goes for cereals and the question of whether you can eat porridge for dinner. Any cereals are pure carbohydrates, albeit slow ones; this is prohibited at night! The body rests; it doesn’t need so much energy. Even the most ordinary “empty” barley cooked in water or healthy brown rice for dinner when losing weight is not eaten;
- pickled, pickled vegetables are also not products from which you can make light dishes for dinner. Take pickled cucumbers - they seem to be low in calories, but you shouldn’t eat them in the evening - the salt in the composition retains water, disrupts the normal course of metabolic processes, and by the morning you will wake up not rested and invigorated, but with swelling and a feeling of thirst.
Also, make sure that there are no products among those that are not suitable for you. For example, cabbage causes bloating for many, then it is better to choose not cabbage, but some other low-calorie salad for dinner.
What can you eat for dinner
What should you eat for dinner if proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are not just words for you, but a way of life?
The list of products and dishes is quite diverse - all recipes from vegetables, mushrooms, fish, meat, and seafood are suitable.
For example, a huge plate of mussels is what you need.
And if you are not afraid of gaining weight, then something with dairy products (cottage cheese, low-fat cheeses, kefir, fermented baked milk) is also allowed 2-3 times a week.
You can have a handful of berries - raspberries, blueberries, cherries, etc. By the way, raspberries contain special substances that promote fat burning, but only when fresh (these components are “hidden” in the seeds).
The main thing is that all dinner recipes are light, dietary, preferably quick-cooking, with minimal heat treatment.
What should you not eat for dinner when losing weight?
There are a number of foods that are not suitable for dinner when losing weight on a healthy diet. They cause flatulence, heaviness in the stomach, are too high in calories, so there is a risk of deposition of excess fat in the body.
Undesirable products include:
- beans and peas (cause bloating);
- cream, full-fat milk, sour cream;
- vegetables rich in starch (potatoes, beets, carrots);
- corn;
- fatty meat (goose, duck, pork);
- flour products (pasta, pastries, fresh white bread, pancakes or pancakes);
- sweets;
- dishes and semi-finished products made from meat and dough (dumplings, dumplings, pizza, sandwiches, pasties, belyashi, etc.);
- cornflakes;
- fast food;
- smoked meats, pickles;
- nuts, fruits (fresh and dried).
Drinks that are not suitable for dinner include soda, tea or coffee (they invigorate and lead to insomnia), and alcohol.
This food is considered heavy and is not suitable for low-calorie dinners for weight loss. But there are foods that are controversial when consumed in the evening.
Cabbage causes flatulence, but is low in calories and rich in vitamins, and cleanses the intestines well. It is recommended to add it to salads in small quantities.
Cereals are slow carbohydrates that quickly fill you up. They are also good for health and contain many minerals. But if they do not have time to be digested overnight, the excess will go into the “fat depots” of the body.
Nutritionists do not advise women who are losing weight to eat cereal at night. But for men, people who have regular physical activity, the consumption of complex carbohydrates is necessary to obtain energy. They are allowed to eat a little porridge before going to bed.
Important! When creating a menu for dinner, take into account the individual characteristics of the body and pay attention to your condition.
What to eat for dinner to lose weight
A healthy, tasty dinner with proper nutrition for weight loss differs from a regular dinner for weight loss in that it is exceptionally stricter - we move berries, cottage cheese and other dairy products to the morning for the period of weight loss.
There are many options for what to eat for dinner while losing weight - from baked chicken in the oven with a salad of fresh vegetables to stewed fish. It’s not difficult to come up with a dietary dinner; the website has suitable recipes with photos, for example, stuffed mackerel.
An excellent protein food for dinner is soups, but not all of them, but those made from vegetables and meat or fish.
Is it possible to have mushroom soup for dinner? It’s possible, but still mushrooms are a specific product, and although they are considered a protein, they are closer to vegetables than to meat or eggs.
It’s impossible not to mention another important product for the food processor—eggs. Scrambled eggs with and without vegetables (naturally, cooked in a frying pan with a non-stick coating and under a lid), omelettes, including Japanese (there is a suitable recipe here), simply whipped whites with sahzam - the meaning of all these dishes is already the answer to the question “is it possible Do you eat eggs for dinner if you’re losing weight?” It contains so much protein and no carbohydrates - just what you need for a nightly meal when losing weight!
I only advise you to take whites rather than whole eggs, leaving 1 yolk for taste. There is simply a lot of fat in the yolks, their calorie content is high.
PP dinner – recipes
PP dinner should contain protein. The body is tired during the day, and at night it must recover. Protein is easily digestible, gives a feeling of fullness and provides the body with the substances necessary for renewal. I offer some recipes for PP dishes suitable for dinner.
Chicken fillet stewed in kefir
Required Ingredients:
- Chicken fillet;
- 150 ml low-fat kefir;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- A bunch of dill;
- Salt, pepper - to taste.
Cut the fillet into strips about 1 cm thick. Finely chop the dill. Place the chicken fillet in the form, add chopped garlic, dill, and pepper. Salt, pour kefir and leave to marinate for 2 hours. After that, let it simmer.
Chicken fillet in pita bread with vegetables
We will need:
- 100 g boiled chicken fillet;
- Cucumber;
- Tomato;
- A bunch of lettuce;
- Thin pita bread;
- 2 tbsp. l. yogurt;
- Salt, pepper, dried garlic - to taste.
Mix the spices with mustard and yogurt and grease the pita bread with this mixture. Place lettuce leaves, chopped chicken fillet, cucumber and tomato. Roll it up. You can eat it as is, or you can heat it in a frying pan without oil until crispy.
Chicken fillet baked in foil
Required ingredients:
- Chicken breast;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 5 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
- Half a teaspoon of mustard;
- 2 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- Salt, pepper - to taste.
Mix olive oil, soy sauce, mustard, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken breast with this mixture. You can cut it so that the meat is better soaked.
Place the breast in a bowl, pour the remaining marinade on top and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Wrap the marinated breast in foil and bake for half an hour in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Then open the foil and let the breast fry for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh vegetables.
Fish baked with vegetables
To prepare it you will need:
- 400 g fish fillet;
- 2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
- A bunch of dill;
- Frozen assorted vegetables;
- 50 ml cream;
- 200 g grated cheese;
- 1 tbsp. l. olive oil;
- Salt, pepper, thyme, coriander - to taste.
Sprinkle the washed fillet with lemon juice, salt and pepper, sprinkle with thyme and coriander and leave for 15 minutes. Chop the dill and slightly defrost the vegetables.
Grease the pan with olive oil and add half the dill. Place the fish on it and the rest of the dill on top. Pour cream over the fish, add vegetables and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake until done.
Steamed fish
Prepare the fish: wash, cut into slices, salt, sprinkle with lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour 2 cups of water into the multicooker bowl. Place a steaming dish on top, lay out the fish and cook for 10 minutes. You can serve a vegetable salad with the fish.
Ideal dinner pp: menu options and examples
So, what should a meal at pp be like for weight loss and more, we figured it out, let’s move on to practice - specific recipes.
200 calorie dinner: is it possible?
It is very rarely allowed to eat for dinner with proper nutrition for only 200 kcal. This is only possible if you eat too many calories during the day . The main thing here is to eat something low in calories, but such that you don’t feel hungry later. The most suitable dietary options for dinners with proper nutrition:
- a bowl of soup with spinach and boiled egg;
- a large portion of salad from any fresh vegetables (season with lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of yogurt) and 2-3 whites of boiled eggs;
- a piece of boiled hake and 150-200 g of chopped fresh cucumbers.
What to eat for 300 calories: healthy dinner recipes
As we found out, the minimum number of calories (or, more correctly, kilocalories) that is acceptable is 300.
Here is a list of those pp-dinner options, the calorie portion of which is excellent for this norm:
- a portion of kefir-baked drumsticks (here is the recipe) and a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and vegetable oil;
- a large portion of chicken soufflé and a glass of fresh tomato juice;
- to lose weight, it is useful to eat simply stewed vegetables with 2-3 pieces of steamed lean fish (pollock, cod, hake) for dinner;
- 2-3 eggplant boats with minced meat are both filling and not dangerous for your figure. You can add raw vegetables.
We have a hearty dinner for 400 kcal
Those who play sports or simply lead an active lifestyle should eat at least 400 kcal for dinner, even with a diet. It's even easier to choose here:
- beef goulash with new potatoes (last recipe in this article);
- boiled or baked green beans and an omelette of 2 yolks, 3 whites and a piece of Parmesan;
- a serving of Norwegian red fish soup and Greek salad;
- omelette with chicken and fresh vegetables;
- If you are not afraid of gaining weight, then you can sometimes treat yourself to some cottage cheese casserole according to one of these recipes.
Tropical green smoothie
Beat with a blender 1 tbsp.
pineapple pieces and chopped kale, 1/2 tbsp. green grapes, 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice and extra virgin coconut oil, 1 small cup of fresh ginger and 2 tsp. ground flax seeds. Categories: Healthy eating / Healthy breakfasts / Breakfast / Main courses / Cereals, legumes / Vegetables and mushrooms / Eggs and dairy products / Pancakes, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches / Recipe collections / Food Network - recipes
Video recipe for the perfect protein dinner
Finally, I suggest watching a video that shows how to prepare a delicious and quick dinner from chicken fillet:
Irina Polyanitsa My name is Irina, I am the owner and admin of the site, as well as the author of most of the recipes and articles. I love to cook simple and healthy delicacies. Certified gym instructor, personal trainer. She completed a course on nutrition and health at Stanford University, Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, as well as a course at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy (about nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy).