Healthy eating for the uninitiated

They say that success is the sum of regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet. Not only that! They also say that "abs are made in the kitchen, not in training", which is why a proper diet is so important. We do not only mean the calorie requirement, but also nutritious products rich in vitamins and minerals. So how do you compose the perfect diet for beginners? Read this post, which was created in cooperation with our trainer Dominika Firek.

If you are just entering the world of healthy eating, daily exercise and a responsible lifestyle, you are certainly wondering what to eat, how big your portions should be, how frequent meals should be and how much you should actually eat for it all to make sense. Even if you have tried to eat healthily so far, changing your eating habits, you need to remember a few tips that will help you build your dream figure even faster and more effectively.

 

1. Calorie balance

The most important factor, regardless of whether you want to gain weight or get rid of excess kilograms, is calorie balance. It is the basis on the way to our goal. So if you want your body mass to increase, you need to consume more calories than you burn. This rule also works the other way around, if you dream of a slimmer figure, you should eat fewer calories per day than you burn. Only later do issues such as regularity of meals, hydration, selection of products and macronutrients become important, which you will read more about in the next part.

2. Regular meals

Of course, this does not mean that you have to eat by the clock. Adjust the number of meals to your lifestyle and set the times at which you will eat them. Depending on your needs, determine whether you need 3, 4 or 5 meals a day. Contrary to what we have been told in recent decades, you do not have to eat 5 meals if your lifestyle does not allow it. Adjust this issue individually to yourself.

If you start work at 9:00 and wake up at 7:00, eat breakfast around 7:30. Drink a large glass of water beforehand - your body really needs it after a whole night.

It is best to eat subsequent meals at 3-4 hour intervals, but no longer than 5 and a half hours.

3. Get help

You certainly know that your meals should be balanced. Unless you suffer from chronic diseases or intolerances, you do not have to use the support of expensive dietitians and specialists right away. On the Internet, you will find a lot of blogs and Instagram profiles that will help you cook healthy meals. On our Instagram and Facebook every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, our trainer Dominika publishes simple and quick ideas for fit breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. All with precisely calculated calories.

Remember, however, that each dish you compose yourself should include protein, carbohydrates and fats. Sounds like black magic? ;)

It is worth knowing that for beginners (but not only) phone applications that calculate calories and macro meals for us are beneficial and super helpful, examples of them are: My fitness pal, Fitatu, Fat secret. This is a huge convenience, especially if you are just starting your adventure with this lifestyle. You will quickly see that with each passing day, it will be easier and easier for you to eat intuitively and count calories.

4. Don't forget about water

Remember to hydrate regularly. We will say more, do not part with water! It is also good practice to reject all sweetened and carbonated drinks. By drinking them, you often provide your body with empty, unnecessary calories.

If you have trouble drinking enough water, add some lemon, fruit or herbs to it. It will give it more flavor!

Remember also that drinking water not only has a positive effect on your health and well-being, but above all on the appearance of your body and complexion. Try to drink at least 2-2.5 l of water a day. If you happen to forget to do this, you can also use useful applications on your phone that will remind you to drink water regularly and will suggest how many liters of water you should actually drink based on your weight.

5. Avoid processed foods

It must be admitted that this is not the easiest task. Every one of us likes to eat something "unhealthy" sometimes, grab a sandwich or a ready-made dinner for the road. And... there is nothing wrong with that! The 80/20 rule works great here. It consists in the fact that 80% of our diet is full-value, healthy and unprocessed products (diet for the body), and 20% is taken up by more processed products and those that are generally considered inappropriate during reduction or healthy eating (diet for the head). This rule can apply to an entire week, month or even a day.

When you are on a weight loss diet (you want to lose those extra pounds), it is important to watch your calorie intake as much as possible, sensibly and wisely, without going into any extremes.

For the sake of satiety, it is worth limiting the consumption of white bread, white pasta and replacing them with whole grain equivalents. Sugar, you can easily replace with a healthier version, e.g. xylitol or erythritol. Also, give up hardened fats, which are the most harmful to health. They increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

6. Compose ready-made menus

I'm talking about "emergency recipes" that on days when you don't feel like doing anything, you're tired or very hungry, will save you from eating a quick bar. A short cheat sheet that will help you plan a balanced meal:

PROTEIN - its source can be found in fish, meat, eggs and dairy products. If you are on a plant-based diet, reach for legumes (chickpeas, lentils, peas, soybeans)

CARBOHYDRATES - these are all groats, rice, pasta (choose whole grains), fruits and vegetables such as potatoes.

FATS - choose avocado, olive oil, flaxseed oil, but also dairy products such as yellow cheese, butter or cream. Avoid hydrogenated fats. It is important to follow the 1:3 rule (where 1 is saturated fatty acids and 3 is unsaturated fatty acids).

VITAMINS - try to add a portion of fresh vegetables to each meal, which will provide you with many nutritional values, vitamins and minerals.

Sample meals for the 1800 kcal diet