BALANCED DIET

In addition to the fact that your daily food income must be lower than the calorie expenditure to lose weight, it is important to have a properly balanced diet. If you have “only” 2 burgers a day, it is okay in terms of calories, but the diet is unbalanced.

A balanced diet is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. What does a balanced meal plan mean and how to put it together?

First, we need to look at what our food is made of.

The balanced diet must contain essential nutrients:

  • proteins
  • fats (lipids)
  • sugars (carbohydrates)

Equally important for the human body are the following:

  • vitamins
  • minerals
  • trace elements
  • water

In order to be able to say that our diet is balanced, the basic elements (sugars, fats, proteins) must be in the right proportions.

It is also important to drink plenty of water.

Proteins and their importance for the body

Proteins are vital for the body. They are a source of energy, have an important role in tissue building, take care of various functions and also play an important role in hormones production.

The daily protein intake should be 0.8-1.5 g of protein per KILOGRAM OF HUMAN WEIGHT.

Protein-rich foods include in particular:

  • lean chicken, eggs, milk, yoghurts (Greek), cheeses (cottage cheese), nuts (peanuts, almonds), beef, fish (tuna, salmon), oats, tofu, lentils, shrimps and chia seeds.

 

 

Proteins also help with weight loss, as they support the growth of muscle mass, induce a feeling of satiety and increase the thermic effect of food by up to 20%.

 

 

Fats and their importance for the body

Fats are the largest source of energy. They protect the body from heat loss. Fat protects internal organs against mechanical damage.

Fats should account for about 25-30% of all-day energy intake.

Fats are divided into saturated and unsaturated fatty fats.

Unsaturated fatty acids are of great importance to the body. They are found in vegetable oils and marine fish.

Saturated fat intake should be reduced as this fat causes obesity, atherosclerosis and many further complications. Many of these fats are found in meat and meat products and in milk and dairy.

Sugars and their importance for the body

Sugars or carbohydrates are an immediate source of energy for the human body.

Carbohydrates should cover 50 to 65% of a person’s food intake.

Foods rich in carbohydrates that are suitable for weight loss are e.g.

  Oat meal

  • Brown rice (basmati, long grain rice)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Whole grains (barley, oats, rye, triticale and others)
  • White potatoes with skin
  • 100% wholemeal bread
  • 100% wholemeal pasta
  • Beans and lentils
  • Rice porridge
  • Quinoa
  • Couscous
  • Pumpkin
  • Baked pumpkin
  • Fresh beets and various fruits



HEALTHY PLATE

If all this is too complicated for you and you find food composition information just too overwhelming, take a look at the “healthy plate”. The healthy plate shows what foods to eat and in what quantity – everything will become much clearer!

healthy eating plate vector illustration labeled educational food example scheme vegetables whole grains fruit protein as 185358717