Do you want to lose 5, 10, or 20 kilograms? Then create an individual diet plan for losing weight that will support you on the way to your desired weight.
Many overweight people have often tried to lose weight – mainly without the hoped-for success. Because diets, weight-loss products, and pills often promise quick weight loss without any exercise or diet change- that is a fallacy. It’s best to delete the word “diet” right out of your vocabulary. Because: Successful weight loss only works in the long term with a change in your previous eating habits. And of course only in combination with the sport.
Do I Need A Diet Plan To Lose Weight?
You can, of course, lose weight healthily and permanently without a nutrition plan, system – but a nutrition plan can support you on the way to your desired weight and even make it easier for you to lose weight. The program takes you by the hand, so to speak, and guides you through the arduous slimming process day after day. Because the plan dictates what ends up on your plate every day. Of course, it is best to have an individual nutrition plan prepared for you with the help of a nutritionist.
If you want to create your nutrition plan, you can, of course, also do it – it’s just a little more complex. However, you will learn a lot about healthy eating while creating your eating plan.
And it is precisely this knowledge that leads you to your goal in the end: The nutrition plan gives you good instructions on how and how much you can eat in the beginning, but you can apply the knowledge you have learned in the long term and thus maintain your weight. The better you stick to your eating plan, the faster you will reach your ideal weight.
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How Do I Create An Individual Weight Loss Diet Plan?
If you want to create a nutrition plan, you should consider these three steps in advance:
Define The Goal
Before you get started; you have to define your goal clearly: How many kilos should you lose in what period? A weight loss of 0.5 to 1 kilo per week is expected and considered healthy – always in combination with exercise, of course. If your starting weight is very high, the pounds will melt away much faster, especially initially, as a lot of water is washed out. Do you also want to build muscle? Then it gets tricky because Those who primarily want to build muscle need additional energy in the form of calories – but when losing weight, it is precisely the other way around; here, the calorie intake has to be reduced. So it’s best to focus on one goal at a time.
Analyze Eating Habits
People with a few pounds too much on the scales often have no overview of what is going into their mouths. They are convinced that they “don’t eat that much” because the brain does not correctly register drinks and snacks in particular. But effective weight loss only works in the long term with a change in eating habits – and this is exactly what you first have to examine and analyze yourself. Where are fat traps lurking? In which situations do you reach for sweets? How often do you eat in a fast-food restaurant? This works best with a food diary – whether digital or old-fashioned in a notebook.
Take (Energy) Balance
For your body to get rid of excess fat reserves, you need to burn more energy than you take in. Because if you constantly consume more calories than you use at the end of the day, you will automatically gain weight. Means: You finally have to take stock – namely, a negative energy balance (which in this context, however, is to be assessed as positive). Because a negative energy balance means that more calories are burned than consumed, in the case of a “positive energy balance,” you accordingly add more calories than you consume. However, this approach only makes sense if you want to build up mass.
What Is My Daily Calorie Requirement?
Your calorie consumption, i.e., how many calories you consume per day, is based on your primary and performance metabolic rate—never heard? Then it’s time for a bit of theory lesson: The basal metabolic rate indicates how many calories your body consumes in complete rest to maintain vital body functions, for example, during sleep. The basal metabolic rate is different for every person and is determined by age, gender, height, and weight. Muscles, for example, also ensure that the basal metabolic rate increases. But since you don’t sleep all day or lie on the couch, the basal metabolic rate alone is not meaningful.
To calculate your total calorie requirement, you need a second value: energy consumption. Here sports and other activities, as well as the job, are included in the calculation. The performance turnover can be calculated individually using so-called PAL factors (PAL stands for “Physical Activity Level”). Sounds complicated?
What Should My Daily Calorie Deficit Be?
The bigger the calorie deficit, the more you lose weight. But: You have to make sure that you consume enough calories to meet your basic needs. If you eat significantly less, it messes up your entire metabolism in the long run, and the yo-yo effect is pre-programmed as soon as you usually eat again. That is why crash diets, in which you consume far too few calories, have no long-term success.
In general, you shouldn’t reduce your total calorie requirement by more than 500 kcal per day. On rest days (no training), you can reduce the calorie intake by another 100-200 calories. It is best to leave out the snacks. Even better than 500 calories below need are values between 200 to 500 calories below need because the slower you reduce your weight, the healthier it is for the body.
What Is The Optimal Nutrient Distribution For My Nutrition Plan?
Every food consists of 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Before we explain the proportions of these when losing weight, let’s refresh your basic knowledge of the primary nutrients:
Macronutrient: Protein
Egg white (or protein) is an essential component of your muscles, and your body uses the protein you consume from food, among other things, as a building material for new muscle fibers. Furthermore, the body needs a relatively long time to break down and process proteins, so the feeling of satiety lasts for a long time. It’s best to include protein-rich foods with every meal of the day. Protein-rich snacks in between also prevent cravings.
You should consume at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. The maximum amount is around 2-3 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. The maximum values are more interesting for bodybuilders and professional athletes. Hobby athletes should instead settle for 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. Small arithmetic example: a 90-kilo man can consume around 180 – 270 grams of protein a day. For your body to be able to use the protein optimally, it needs fluids. The best water – and drink at least two, preferably three liters of it a day.
Macronutrient: Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates serve the body primarily as a source of energy. Without energy, neither the brain nor the muscles and many other metabolic processes function. But your body’s carbohydrate stores are small and limited. The body, therefore, converts excess carbohydrates into fat. But that doesn’t mean that you should merely cut carbohydrates from your diet. It is essential that you consume the right carbohydrates and that in moderation. Carbohydrates are divided into “good” and “bad” carbohydrates.
The “good” carbohydrates are found primarily in whole-grain products such as whole-grain pasta and whole-grain bread, as well as vegetables and legumes. These are complex carbohydrates made up of long-chain molecules. The body takes a relatively long time to break down the molecules, so these carbohydrates ensure a stable energy supply and satiety. They also provide additional vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. “Good” carbohydrates are therefore also allowed when losing weight.
“Bad” carbohydrates are not welcome when losing weight because they are mainly found in sweets, ready-made, and white flour products. They contain a lot of sugar. As a result, the blood sugar level rises rapidly – but in the next moment, it drops again immediately – which shortly afterward causes food cravings.
Macronutrient: Fat
Fat is an essential part of a healthy and balanced diet and plays a vital role in losing weight. Without fat, for example, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) could not be used.
There are three types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are considered “bad fats” and lurk in sausage products and many finished products. Even worse are the so-called trans fats produced in the processing of fats and significantly increase the risk of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Therefore, you should avoid finished products containing trans-fats such as dry soups, breakfast cereals, fried foods, chips, pastries, and fast food. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand – whether single or multiple – should not be missing in a healthy diet plan for weight loss: Avocados, vegetable oils, nuts, and salmon are good sources of fat.
Low Energy Density Foods
The energy density indicates how “densely” the calories are distributed in food. A distinction is made between high and low energy density. A croissant, for example, has a high energy density because there are numerous calories here, and at the same time, it is low in weight. On the other hand, cucumber has a low energy density, i.e., much fewer calories per 100 grams.
And it is precisely this different distribution of energy density that plays an important role when losing weight: The feeling of satiety is only reported when a certain amount of food is in the stomach – it does not, however, react to the number of calories. The advantage of foods with a low energy density: They only provide a few calories and at the same time fill the stomach. Nobody needs to go hungry because you can eat yourself fully even while losing weight.
Which Foods Do Not Belong In A Good Eating Plan?
Ready-made products do not belong in a good nutrition plan. This is where unwanted preservatives, flavors, and flavor enhancers are often hidden. When shopping, always look at the list of ingredients first: Does it contain more than five ingredients or ingredients that you neither know nor can you pronounce? Then put the product back on the shelf and look around for a healthier alternative. Do the ingredient check for sausage products, spreads, or dairy products – because unpleasant surprises often lurk in the list of ingredients here. Also, try to banish sugar as much as possible from your everyday life. Because too much sugar is pure poison for your body and makes you sick in the long run.
The best thing to do is to clear out your fridge and pantry right away. And don’t worry: of course, changing your diet won’t work perfectly right away, that’s completely normal. Take small steps and give yourself time – nothing works overnight. Habits that have been established for years cannot be changed immediately. The body gives up very quickly when it feels overwhelming. Slow steps are the best way to turn your life around, so try to add a new rule to your eating plan every week.
Which Recipes Are Suitable For The Nutrition Plan?
There are many healthy and delicious recipes for your eating plan. Everything that tastes good fills you and does not break your calorie account is allowed.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – you can (still) eat plenty of food here. Dishes with eggs, i.e., scrambled eggs, fried eggs, or omelets in various variations, are allowed at breakfast. A few strips of bacon are also acceptable. Oatmeal with fruit and milk, low-fat quark or natural yogurt, as well as wholemeal bread with herb quark, cheese, or lean cold cuts (turkey, chicken, boiled ham) should also have a permanent place in your diet plan for losing weight. Toast or bread rolls made from white flour, croissants, and so-called crispy or chocolate mueslis, on the other hand, are taboo.
Recipe Ideas For The Nutrition Plan: Lunch
Delicious recipes for losing weight are salads with fried chicken or turkey breast, goat cheese, feta or mozzarella, tuna, egg, or even tofu. Meat and fish are trendy at lunch because these are healthy protein suppliers that also fill you up. Combine meat and fish generously with vegetable side dishes. Carbohydrate-rich side dishes such as wholemeal pasta, natural or wild rice, and potatoes are also allowed at lunchtime, as long as you stick to a “side dish.” In plain language: do not eat a large portion of rice with vegetables; instead, eat many vegetables with rice! By the way: Legumes such as chickpeas and kidney beans also contain many carbohydrates but are a perfect choice for lunch.
Recipe Ideas For The Nutrition Plan: Dinner
If you want to lose weight successfully, you should make sure to choose low-carbohydrate recipes for dinner. The number of carbohydrates should ideally be less than 20 grams per serving. Protein-rich foods or dishes with fish, meat, or eggs can also be on your menu here – just like at lunch. Examples would be a vegetable pan with lean meat, omelets, stews or a juicy steak.
Cheat days (“cheat days”), i.e., days you can eat whatever you want for a change – are allowed. A maximum of 1 cheat day per week is ideal. Otherwise, the risk of falling back into old patterns is too significant. Therefore, plan your cheat day in the nutrition plan. Otherwise, there will be spontaneous binge eating.
Conclusion: A Nutrition Plan Helps You Lose Weight
If you want to lose weight, you should deal with nutrition and eat foods primarily with a low energy density.
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