What is a food diary and why is it needed?
A food diary can be kept in a notebook, on a computer, an e-book, or from the Internet. This is a kind of detailed drawing up of a proper nutrition plan, where you need to enter information about what was eaten and when, how you feel before and after eating. The whole point is that by keeping such records it will be easier for a person to understand the cause of excess weight and easily solve it. After all, obesity is not always caused by eating large quantities of food; the cause may also be illness or poor lifestyle. Records must be completed regularly. A nutritional schedule for effective weight loss is considered one of the fundamental factors for achieving the desired result.
Diary diary name is necessary
Dinners for weight loss. Recipes, calories.
Hello, readers of dietalegko.com. And again we will talk about nutrition, or rather about meals.
We covered everything related to lunches in the article – Lunches for weight loss.
Well, now let’s look at dinners using the same principle. What to eat, how, in what quantity, how many calories can you eat during an evening meal and, of course, traditionally a selection of ready-made dinner recipes at the very end of the article. Be sure to read to the end, use ready-made options, or you can create an evening menu for yourself using Dietary recipes on our website.
About calorie tracking
Thanks to accounting, you can lose weight effectively and safely. Many are skeptical about this technique, considering it quite complicated. If you count calories wisely, you can balance your diet and, accordingly, improve your figure. Benefits of counting:
- By distributing meals over hours for effective weight loss, a person can more easily tolerate giving up the usual amount of food than with fasting or strict diets. In this case, you need to eat every 2.5-3 hours, which allows you to constantly satisfy your hunger.
- You can eat your favorite foods, but do it in small portions so as not to go beyond the approved amount of calories for the day.
- With a balanced diet, where calories are counted, weight loss occurs effectively, and when the desired result is achieved, the lost kilograms do not return.
Food diary for weight loss
Important! It is recommended to purchase a digital scale to weigh each food (uncooked) for accurate calorie counting.
What you need to know about calorie intake
Every day we consume a certain amount of calories, and every day our body spends a certain amount on vital processes. If we consume more calories than our body needs, it stores everything “in reserve” as fat, and our weight increases. If we consume fewer calories than the body needs, it begins to use up reserves - that is, it breaks down fat and tries to adapt to the new regime. If we consume very few calories, the body begins to extract energy from its own tissues - both muscles and organ tissues are used. Nutritional calorie content can tell us how many calories we eat in food. Knowing the caloric content of food, we can give the body exactly as many calories as it needs, and no more.
The calorie content of food depends on the foods included in the diet. If you ate fatty borscht with pork, potatoes fried in lard with lamb ribs, Olivier salad and washed it all down with jelly, the calorie content of your lunch will go over 1000 kcal. And if you ate fish soup made from lean fish, baked chicken breast with vegetable salad and green tea, you most likely met 300-400 kcal.
Fats and fast carbohydrates are the highest in calories. Porridges and cereals have average calorie content. Vegetables have a very low calorie content - you can eat a large cup of salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with herbs, and the calorie content of such a dish will be only 150-200 kcal. Low-calorie foods include low-fat protein products - chicken, turkey, lean fish, as well as dairy products - kefir, cottage cheese. Boiled and baked foods are lower in calories than fried foods, as they are cooked without oil. Lean pork kebab has less calories than lamb kebab. The calorie content of a chocolate bar is 2 times greater than the calorie content of a plate of borscht. The calorie content of a cake is greater than the calorie content of two apples. As you can see, filling and nutritious meals may not contain any calories at all, while high-calorie foods will not always be healthy and satisfying.
How to properly distribute calories throughout the day
For proper nutrition, a person needs an individual menu, which will have a clear distribution of calories throughout the day. To do this, you should follow the basic principles:
- Establishing a food intake regime, taking into account the energy value of each product (1 gram of fat contains 9 kcal).
- Find out what proportion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates are contained in a particular product. A healthy diet requires that the diet contain at least 20% fat, and 80% is distributed between proteins and carbohydrates. It should be noted that in nature there are no products that contain only proteins, carbohydrates or fats.
- Distribution of the number of meals depending on the given goal: to lose weight or maintain a normal figure.
- Be sure to do an analysis every week, this will help you determine the main criteria for yourself and take into account the mistakes made.
A healthy diet for every day
For each person, the menu is compiled individually, based on weight, age, and gender. For example, if a person consumes less than 1500 calories per day, then the number of meals should be 3-4 times; if more, then the meals should be distributed over 5-6 times.
Important! Eating frequently helps you avoid feeling hungry throughout the day. In addition, in this way the body does not become oversaturated with food and, accordingly, blood sugar does not increase, since insulin increases with the process of digesting food.
How to calculate BZHU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates):
- The calorie content of products is often displayed on the packaging of the purchased product; its composition is clearly stated on it.
- If a product is purchased without packaging, its energy value should be looked up on the Internet, there is enough information there.
- If several ingredients are required to prepare a dish, you will need to weigh each one separately and calculate the calorie content from them. The resulting numbers need to be summed up.
Calculation example
If you plan to eat 80 g of 5% cottage cheese for breakfast, then the calculation is based on the following indicators (per 100 g of cottage cheese):
- 121 kcal;
- 5 g fat;
- 17 g protein
- 1.8 g carbohydrates.
The indicated numbers are multiplied by 0.8 (80 g), namely:
1400 calorie menu
- calories - 121*0.8 = 96.8 kcal;
- proteins - 17 * 0.8 = 13.6 g;
- fats - 5*0.8 = 4 g;
- carbohydrates - 1.8 * 0.8 = 1.44 g.
How many calories should a person consume per day?
To live, a person requires energy, which he receives from food. The diet must contain all useful substances, including proteins, carbohydrates and even fats. To calculate how many calories the body needs per day, you need to know the amount of energy consumed per day.
Women require fewer calories than men. Fat in the female body is deposited faster, especially in the abdomen and thighs. At different ages and at different activity levels, women require different amounts of energy per day.
With a sedentary lifestyle (kcal):
- 18–25 years old - 2000;
- 26–50 years old - 1800;
- from 51 years old - 1600.
At an average pace of life (kcal):
- 18–25 years old - 2200;
- 26–50 years old - 2000;
- from 51 years old - 1800.
High activity level (kcal):
- 18–30 years old - 2400;
- 31–60 years old - 2200;
- from 61 years old - 2000.
Daily calorie content for men leading an active lifestyle (kcal):
- up to 31 years old - 3000;
- 31–50 years old – 2700–3200;
- over 51 years old - 2300–2700.
Consumption rate for a sedentary lifestyle (kcal):
- from 31 years old - 2300;
- 31–50 — 2200–2250;
- over 51 years old - 2100.
The figures presented are averages. For an accurate calculation, it is necessary to take into account individual parameters (weight, height, exact age).
Eating by the clock for weight loss
Keeping a food diary with counting calories consumed is very important for maximum effect when losing weight. The principle of eating fractionally throughout the day (3-4, 5-6 times) allows a person to feel full despite the fact that the portions become slightly smaller. But the number of meals should be comfortable for a person. If it is more convenient to eat the indicated amount of calories in 3-4 meals, then this is also considered normal. The main thing is to follow the planned diet.
What are carbohydrates in food
As an example, we can note the following time-based nutrition schedule for effective weight loss in order to lose extra pounds:
- 07:00 - breakfast - 400 kcal;
- 10:00 - lunch - 300 kcal;
- 13:00 - lunch - 300 kcal;
- 16:00 - afternoon snack - 300 kcal;
- 19:00 - dinner - 200 kcal.
The total number of kilocalories in the example given is 1500 kcal.
Note! For men, the number of kilocalories should be twice as large. As for the number of meals, you can add one more to the schedule, but the frequency should not be every 3 hours, but every 2.5.
If the caloric intake was slightly exceeded on the day, it is not recommended to arrange a fasting day. This can disrupt metabolism, which will negatively affect the achieved result. It's better to do an extra hour of exercise or do other physical activities. You can also spend more time walking outdoors.
Recommendations for counting calories for weight loss
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If a person has decided to lose weight, but does not know how to count calories to lose weight, he needs to decide on the value of the diet. To do this, you need to calculate your energy consumption rate.
Advice from nutritionists on how many calories a woman needs:
- Those who are slightly overweight and are involved in sports training need to subtract 10% of calories from the average norm for a healthy person. This is the best option for losing weight without stress for the body.
- For those who carry a small amount of extra pounds and do not exercise, it is recommended to subtract 20% of calories from the average daily intake.
- In obesity, daily energy consumption is reduced by 40%. Physical activity is contraindicated for people with excess body weight, but walking and simple gymnastics are allowed.
This diet does not cause stress, because a person eats the same set of foods as before. The difference is that portion sizes are reduced. There are no strict nutrition rules: one day you can slightly exceed the calorie intake, then do a fasting day during the week.
You can lose weight without counting calories. To do this, you need to adhere to several principles:
- Food must be of high quality, with the necessary content of nutrients. The main task is to achieve a balanced diet. If the body lacks any substance, a person begins to overeat in search of the required component.
- Meals should be fractional. Approximate serving size is 1 glass. You need to eat 5-6 times a day. This is an easy way to lose weight psychologically, because a person knows that in 2 hours the next meal will be eaten. To “deceive the eyes”, you can use smaller dishes.
- The cause of many diseases is a lack of water in the body. Water participates in all metabolic processes and dissolves broken down food. Its deficiency leads to weight gain. You need to drink liquid throughout the day. Minimum quantity: 5 glasses.
- Exercise stress. Muscles burn fat only while working. Obese people benefit from walking outdoors or on a treadmill. You need to study on a schedule, not from time to time. You should choose a pace that does not cause shortness of breath. If you are not overweight, you can do cardio exercises and strength training.
- Get enough time to sleep. Lack of sleep does not allow the body to fully recover, leading to stress and the desire to eat something tasty. The minimum duration of sleep is 7–8 hours.
Following these simple rules will help bring your body back to normal without thinking about the question of how many calories you need to burn.
Advantages of the method:
- The menu is varied, you can independently choose the dishes that will make up your diet.
- The menu is balanced, the body receives the necessary substances in the right quantities.
- The ability to independently regulate caloric intake.
Flaws:
- Dieting takes a lot of time to prepare food.
- The need to develop a menu.
- Counting calories for each cooked dish.
Nutritionists do not promise quick weight loss using this method. In each individual case, the body behaves differently. You can speed up getting rid of extra pounds by performing a set of physical exercises.
How to keep a food diary
Calorie calculation
The calorie diary should contain cells of seven columns. In each of them you need to mark your parameters, for example:
- the first indicates the time of meal;
- in the second - what foods were eaten at the designated time and in what quantities;
- in the third - where they ate and with whom;
- in the fourth - what sensations and thoughts were inherent at the time of eating;
- in the fifth - what kind of training was carried out;
- in the sixth - make notes about when a person wakes up and falls asleep;
- in the seventh you can indicate additional factors, for example, trips, events, events.
Note! All these components will make it possible to analyze the records to find out the causes of obesity, which affects the body as a whole.
The presented names of the diary sections are conditional. Everyone can compose them at their own discretion and add additional points. But the point is that you need to note important points, because they will make it much easier to analyze and will help with weight loss. Before you start keeping a proper nutrition diary, you should determine for yourself what form it will take. After all, you can make notes in a regular notebook, notepad, in a spreadsheet that can be printed, and even on your phone using a special application. You can download a healthy eating diary for weight loss on the Internet or create a template yourself, adding some of your own points that will allow you to achieve the desired result faster.
Calculation of calories per day
Below is one of the options for filling out a food diary.
Gr. | Squirrels | Fats | Carbohydrates | Kcal | |
Breakfast | |||||
Apples | 120 | 0,5 | 0 | 13,6 | 55 |
Porridge 5 grains | 50 | 3,3 | 1 | 20,7 | 106 |
Butter | 10 | 0,1 | 8,3 | 0,1 | 75 |
Total for breakfast | 3,9 | 9,3 | 34,4 | 236 | |
Lunch | |||||
Russian cheese | 38 | 8,9 | 11,4 | 0 | 141 |
Tea without sugar | 350 | 0,7 | 0,2 | 0,1 | 5 |
Milk4% | 50 | 1,5 | 2 | 2.4 | 33 |
Radish | 70 | 0,8 | 0 | 2,9 | 14 |
Just for lunch | 11,9 | 13,6 | 5,4 | 193 | |
Dinner | |||||
Chicken noodles | 300 | 12,9 | 0,6 | 13,2 | 114 |
Chicken breast, chicken fillet | 70 | 16.1 | 0,7 | 0 | 79 |
Just for lunch | 29,0 | 1.3 | 13,2 | 193 | |
Afternoon snack | |||||
Yogurt miracle 2.5% | 115 | 3,6 | 2,9 | 20,1 | 121 |
Dinner | |||||
Greenhouse cucumbers | 120 | 0,8 | 0 | 2,2 | 12 |
Greenhouse tomatoes | 150 | 0,9 | 0 | 4,4 | 21 |
Radish | 50 | 0,6 | 0 | 2,1 | 10 |
Sour cream 20% fat | 20 | 0,6 | 4 | 0,6 | 41 |
Toothed green mackerel (raw) | 200 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 170 |
Just for dinner | 36,9 | 6,0 | 9,3 | 254 | |
Just in a day | 85,3 | 33,1 | 82,4 | 997 |
Note! During the day you need to eat 4 fruits and drink 10 glasses of water.
A balanced diet is not only an opportunity to lose weight, remove belly fat, fat deposits on the sides, or maintain a normal figure. Proper nutrition will also keep your body in good shape, look beautiful and be healthy. The main thing is to observe the number of calories, especially when preparing homemade recipes, to control your daily routine, while not denying yourself to eat your favorite dish.
Daily diet options with different calorie content
In any menu, the bulk of calories come from lunch, with a little less from breakfast and dinner. Snacks are the lowest in calories. There are several diet options depending on the amount of calories needed.
Menu option for 1800 kcal
Menu for the day:
- breakfast: boiled meat (90 g), green peas baked with egg (1 egg, 250 g of peas), coffee with milk without sugar (1 glass, milk - 50 g);
- snack: apple (100 g);
- lunch: vegetable vegetarian soup (200 g), steamed meatballs (120 g raw meat), stewed beets (150 g);
- afternoon snack: rosehip decoction (1 glass), cottage cheese (100 g);
- dinner: boiled fish (100 g), vegetable side dish (150 g);
- at night: kefir (1 glass).
Menu option for 1200 kcal
The good thing about this menu is that everyone can change it to suit themselves. 400 kcal are allotted for breakfast, and you can eat one of the proposed sets of dishes:
- omelette (2 eggs), vegetable salad (100 g), rye bread (1 slice);
- oatmeal (1 serving), grated carrots with sour cream, bread (1 slice);
- cottage cheese casserole, salad (carrots, apple, olive oil), 1 rye bread.
Allowed drinks (without sugar): green tea, coffee with milk or cocoa. Lunch - 300–350 kcal.
Meal options:
- beetroot soup, boiled turkey (100 g), vegetable salad;
- fish soup, vinaigrette, 1 slice of beef tongue;
- chicken broth with eggs, baked fish, vegetable stew.
Drinks include green tea, fresh juice or water. There are 300 kcal left for dinner.
Menu to choose from:
- boiled fish, stewed vegetables;
- cottage cheese with berries, bread (2 pieces);
- vinaigrette, boiled beef.
Menu option for 800 kcal
The menu consists of 3 meals:
- breakfast - 250 kcal;
- lunch - 300 kcal;
- dinner - 250 kcal.
Sample diet for the day:
- breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese (100 g), low-fat sour cream (1 tbsp), tea or coffee without sugar;
- lunch: chicken breast (100 g), steamed root vegetables (except potatoes);
- dinner: 1 egg, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, skim milk (250 ml).
Instead of meat, you can eat boiled fish or seafood in the same quantity.
What you need to know about evening meals.
Dinner is one of the important meals that is directly related to the process of losing weight. Very often, people who want to lose weight make the same mistake. They either refuse this meal altogether, or do it incorrectly. Nutritionists and gastroenterologists say that you should never skip dinner, as this will affect your health over time.
What should be the right dinner for weight loss?
Serving size and calorie content.
- The portion should be small, ranging from 200-300 g.
- If dinner consists of dairy products, the serving may consist of 150 g of cottage cheese and 150 ml of kefir or yogurt.
- Salads can be consumed up to 200 g, and meat or fish products - about 100 g.
- The average calorie content of dinner should be about 300 kcal.
What products should the evening meal consist of?
- + Low-fat dairy products, hard cheese up to 50% fat, cottage cheese 5% - 9%, yogurt 1.5%, low-fat kefir.
- + Lean meat and meat products, steamed or baked in the oven.
- + Low-fat fish and fish products, also steamed or oven-cooked. — Canned food and smoked fish products are not allowed.
- - It is not advisable to consume fruits in the evening, as they contain a large amount of carbohydrates, which it is advisable to consume through physical activity. You can eat up to 100 g of fruits in the evening; if after dinner you go for an evening walk or dance in a club, then this will be in your favor.
One of the most frequently asked questions is what time should you have dinner.
In fact, there is no exact time for dinner; there are recommendations that you need to have dinner no later than 7 pm, since in the evening the metabolism slows down and the body not only does not receive benefits from a late dinner, but also suffers from it. Nutritionists and doctors recommend having dinner no later than 4 hours before bedtime. So that your body is not overloaded with food and its processing during sleep. Try to organize dinner no later than 7 pm and do not delay bedtime.
If you want to lose weight, be sure not to skip dinner, but figure out how to eat dinner correctly and you will achieve the desired results.