Ionova’s diet: menu for the week and month, reviews and results of losing weight

Based on her own wealth of experience in dietetics, the doctor has compiled several types of her own dietary courses aimed at achieving maximum results in losing weight in the shortest possible time. At the scientific and practical international congress, which took place in Frankfurt, Ionova’s diet was recognized as one of the highest quality, which is why it gained such popularity among many people who want to lose weight. The Ionova pyramid diet has positive reviews and photos of people losing weight.

Diet Ionova menu for the week

Lydia Ionova's diet menu for the week is as follows:

1st day:

• Breakfast (before 11.00) - buckwheat porridge (you can add a little salt), a glass of clean still water;
• Lunch (until 14.00) - a portion of boiled fish;
• Afternoon snack (before 17.00) - a little low-fat cottage cheese, a glass of milk;
• Dinner (until 19.00) - two oranges and two apples;
• Before bed - 100-1500 grams of grated carrots.

Day 2:

• Breakfast (before 11.00) - a portion of oatmeal;
• Lunch (until 14.00) - boiled chicken fillet, a glass of boiled water;
• Afternoon snack (before 17.00) - a little low-fat yogurt;
• Dinner (until 19.00) - three tangerines;
• Before bed - a salad of greens and tomatoes.

3rd day:

• Breakfast (before 11.00) - pearl barley porridge, a cup of green tea;
• Lunch (until 14.00) - boiled beef meat and a glass of boiled water;
• Afternoon snack (before 17.00) - a glass of kefir;
• Dinner (until 19.00) - persimmon (no more than three pieces);
• Before bed - a salad of fresh cucumbers and herbs.

4th, 5th day:

• Breakfast (before 11.00) - a portion of boiled asparagus;
• Lunch (until 14.00) - some boiled or baked fish with fresh herbs;
• Afternoon snack (before 17.00) - low-fat cottage cheese with sour cream;
• Dinner (until 19.00) - red apple and grapefruit;
• Before bed - a salad of green vegetables.

6th, 7th day:

• Breakfast (until 11.00) - a portion of rice, a cup of mint tea;
• Lunch (before 14.00) - a portion of boiled chicken breast, a glass of boiled water;
• Afternoon snack (before 17.00) - any low-fat fermented milk product;
• Dinner (until 19.00) - two medium green apples/pears;
• Before bed - fresh vegetables.

The essence of the diet

The basic principle is simple.
Food should consist of foods familiar to humans, but the basis is a healthy diet. Thus, a person eats food that he likes. This is an important aspect from a psychological point of view, since you don’t have to overcome yourself and force yourself to eat or not eat certain foods. It is easier for a person to follow a diet, and there is less chance that he will fail. The diet, which is called the “Pyramid”, was recognized at an international congress by the world's leading nutritionists. Many of them have long been dealing with problematic issues regarding the treatment of obesity. They research what methods are best to fight extra pounds, what nutrition system to follow when treating this or that type of obesity.

Lidia Ionova believes that in order to effectively combat excess weight, it is necessary to select food products taking into account their glycemic index. This indicator indicates the ability of a particular product to influence blood sugar levels. It is known that increased appetite and a tendency to eat food in excessive quantities is a consequence of sudden changes in sugar levels.

Having learned to control it, you can lose weight without strict restrictions and harm to your health. In addition to losing body weight, following proper nutrition techniques has a positive effect on the general condition of the body. Patients experienced normalization of blood sugar levels, decreased blood pressure, and increased performance.

Also, when developing the diet, the author took into account the human body’s ability to better assimilate a particular product at a certain time of day. All products with a glycemic index below 50 are divided into groups. At certain times of the day you can consume one of the products from the recommended group.

Balance

Balance in the diet is an important component. Despite the presence of 5 main food groups, it is important that the diet includes the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. For example, if you consume a small amount of calories, and most of them are fat, then there is a deficiency of other important substances. With such a diet you will lose weight, but ruin your health.

For the correct amount of food consumed, it is recommended to build a food pyramid yourself. That is, calculate in what volume and from which specific group you will consume products.

First step

Find out how many calories you should eat per day. Below is a table that will help you make the correct calculation.

Coef. physical activity:

1. Sedentary lifestyle: X x 1.1.
2. Average physical activity: X x 1.3.
3. Too active: X x 1.5.

Let's give a small example of correct calculation: imagine a 35-year-old woman leading a sedentary lifestyle, weighing 70 kg. Then her daily calorie intake will be calculated as follows:

(0,0342*70+3,3577)*240=5,9317*240=1423,6

1423.6*11=1566 kcal.

Second step

Calculations need to be carried out only if you want to lose weight.

The next step involves calculating your caloric intake. You need to subtract 20% from the result in the first step. But remember that a woman should consume at least 1000 kcal per day, and men less than 1200.

As an example, we will use the same woman, 35 years old.

20 percent of 1566 = 313 kcal. That is, to lose body weight you must consume 1566-313 = 1256 kcal.

Third step

To build a food pyramid, you need to distribute portions by food class. Below is the table

In other words, to get rid of extra pounds while consuming 1253 kcal per day, you need to stick to the middle column (for 1200 kcal). And if your result from the second step is 1100 kcal, then you are allowed to take the average value of the number of servings between the first and second columns.

Below is a table that will help you maintain weight

All products can be safely combined and consumed during any meal. But it is better to be careful with the starchy group. They are recommended to be eaten only for breakfast or lunch. This rule only applies to those who want to lose excess weight.

Fourth step

Do not forget about the correct volume of one serving.

Availability of all product groups

Your diet only has a chance of becoming balanced when it contains the following food groups every day:

1. Protein products
2. Starchy foods
3. Fruits
4. Vegetables
5. Fats

There is also a group of dairy products, and in his book “Healthy Habits. “Dr. Ionova’s diet” I included it in the list of mandatory ones for daily consumption. But scientific developments in the field of nutrition are ongoing, and recently studies have appeared that talk about the possible negative consequences of regular consumption of dairy products, especially for men. Therefore, until absolute clarity appears on this issue (if it ever appears!), I excluded the group of dairy products from the mandatory ones.

Let me remind you that in addition to milk, dairy products include kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, and yogurt.

The main task before you is to include all five food groups in your daily meal. In this case, your diet will be balanced.

The protein group includes all foods containing large amounts of protein. These are various types of meat and fish, cottage cheese, cheese, eggs, legumes (beans, peas, lentils). Protein group products are the main source of complete proteins. They contain the entire set of amino acids necessary for the construction and renewal of cells in the human body.

Starchy foods include bread and baked goods, cereals, pasta, legumes (since they contain both protein and carbohydrates), and vegetables - potatoes. The main purpose of products in this group is to supply the body with energy.

The group of fruits includes, of course, the fruits themselves, as well as berries, fruit juices and dried fruits.

The group of vegetables , of course, includes all types of vegetables (including leafy ones, such as salads, spinach, etc.), and mushrooms. Vegetables and fruits are the most important suppliers of mineral salts (especially potassium salts), a number of microelements, organic acids and fiber.

The group of fats includes healthy vegetable fats: all types of oils (sunflower, olive, soybean, pine nuts and walnuts, flaxseed, etc.), nuts and seeds. Of course, this group also includes animal fats, but since we strive to reduce their consumption to a minimum, there is no need to specifically add them to the diet.

Food pyramid

Ionova has developed a pyramid with which you can determine at what time what food should be consumed in order to prevent weight gain and promote maximum absorption of all nutrients.

The doctor also identifies two basic rules according to which you need to eat:

• eat only those foods whose glycemic index does not exceed 50;
• create your daily menu according to the principles of the pyramid.

According to Ionova, using these recommendations in your diet, you can stay in great shape and feel great throughout your life. Dr. Ionova’s diet, reviews of which are presented below, is not considered one of the extreme dietary courses that must be followed for several days in order to then successfully return to your previous eating habits. The proposed diet should ideally become a new way of life for you. Then you can not only achieve the desired results in losing weight, but also improve your body’s health.

Who is Dr. Ionova

Lydia Ionova, who created a carefully developed nutrition plan, is a nutritionist, the author of her own weight loss method and the founder of Dr. Ionova’s clinic. Today she is on the list of the most sought-after nutritionists in Moscow according to Forbes. In 2009, Lidia Ionova became the first nutritionist from Russia to undergo training at the School of Obesity Treatment (Cambridge).

Subsequently, she published several of her own books, which are designed to help those who want to lose weight lose extra pounds. In addition, Lidia Ionova is a permanent consultant to leading Russian television channels, among which are Russia 1, Channel One, NTV, etc. She also has a large number of participations in foreign and Russian scientific congresses dedicated to dietetics.

Are there any contraindications to the diet?

Due to the variety of permitted products, the diet has virtually no contraindications. On the contrary, this kind of diet is often prescribed to normalize blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels, which is why patients experience increased performance and improved general condition.

It should be noted that Dr. Ionova’s diet is approved by many health organizations, and this, in fact, is an important indicator of its effectiveness.

Very little time will pass, and you will not be able to imagine life without a healthy and varied diet proposed by Dr. Ionova. And weight loss, which reaches 10 kg per month, will only encourage you and set you up for new successes.

It's summer - the season of vacations and fresh vegetables and fruits, the most suitable conditions for following a diet. Find like-minded people and your business will be more fun. And because of the comfortable conditions for weight loss, Dr. Ionova’s diet will leave behind only pleasant memories and will forever be added to the list of favorites.

Drink enough water

A person weighing, say, 80 kg needs 2.8 liters of fluid. When forming this habit, the main task is to gradually, over the course of several weeks, increase the amount of water consumed per day to the norm - 35 ml per kilogram of weight.

This recommendation is for people with healthy kidneys. If you have any problems with the urinary system, be sure to consult your doctor.

If you find it difficult to drink the required amount of water, start drinking clean water before meals and between meals. In addition, you should give up sugary drinks and juices (including freshly squeezed ones), replacing the latter with whole fruits, since their glycemic index is much lower.

Basic principles

Lydia Ionova's program is based on the following principles:

1. Weight correction should not be carried out by simply reducing the number of calories consumed, which often leads to a deficiency of nutrients necessary for the body. It involves using a diet that, while getting rid of fat deposits, would help maintain and improve health.
2. Losing weight should not be rapid or spasmodic. According to WHO standards, a stable rate of weight loss from 3 to 5 kg per month (depending on its initial value) is considered safe for health. A loss of 10–15 kg over a few weeks can cause great harm to the body, sometimes irreparable. And sudden changes in weight can destabilize metabolic processes for a long time, which can be very difficult to restore.
3. The process of losing weight should be comfortable. A person should not experience a constant feeling of hunger, otherwise failures from the diet, if it is long-term, are inevitable. It is quite possible to get rid of excess food without significantly limiting yourself in the amount of food and having a sufficient range of food choices. According to Lidia Leonidovna, the psychological factor, including a positive attitude, in the process of following a dietary regimen is very important for success.
4. The goal of Ionova’s program is not only to eliminate excess weight, but also to form lasting healthy eating habits. In the process of following this effective and easy diet, a person must change his eating habits in favor of foods that are healthy for the body, and eliminate the craving for “ballast” in the form of fast food, sweets and fatty foods.
5. An important aspect in maintaining the achieved results is a properly organized, balanced diet. If it contains a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins, the body does not reconfigure itself to the “emergency storage” mode and the extra pounds do not return.

Lidia Ionova recommends sticking to the diet regimen for 3 months. But, as the nutritionist assures, while losing weight, most patients become so accustomed to proper, healthy eating that they no longer want to return to eating foods that are “ballast” and cause weight gain.

Results of applying the methodology and reviews

At 9-10 am the porridge is cooked in water, which gives a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Next, for lunch, at 12 noon, you can eat 200-300 grams of boiled breast or a piece of fish. At 15:00 you need to eat 150 grams of cottage cheese with a glass of kefir, and at 18:00 you eat a pear, maybe a couple of apples or an orange. In the evening, at about 8 o'clock, you can have a snack with a green salad, or stew a vegetable mixture.

The menu is varied, meat can be replaced with fish, vegetables can be different every day, and the easiest option in winter is to buy mixed vegetables, fruits can be both exotic and the most common: apples of all varieties, pears.

Dr. Ionova’s diet is not just another list of prohibited foods, but a clearly formulated nutritional system that allows you to change your life and improve your health. With this diet plan, there are no moral or physical ailments, and the results are amazing.

In the first days, about 1 kg per day is lost, then the process slows down, but even in this case, with a lot of weight, you can lose 5-7 kg in the first week, and with a small weight, about 3 kg can be easily removed.

Thus, Lydia Ionova’s diet should be considered as one of the options if you want to lose weight tastefully and without harm to the body.

The weight loss technique is based on five fundamental principles:

• Most girls and women choose diets that involve almost complete abstinence from many foods. They suggest cutting back on the number of calories you consume per day. Thanks to this, the process of losing weight occurs. Lydia Ionova suggests abandoning this method of fighting extra pounds. There is no need to limit yourself in the amount of food you consume. If you refuse certain foods, your body may experience a deficiency of one or more vitamins and microelements. This can lead to health problems. The nutritional system should help reduce body fat, while the body should receive all the necessary microelements.
• Losing weight should be a smooth process. Sudden changes in weight loss or weight gain are not allowed. Sudden weight loss, as well as significant weight gain, can cause significant damage to health. If the diet offers you to lose up to 10 kg in a week, it is better to abandon this method. According to international standards, it is believed that losing three to five kilograms per month will not cause any harm to human health. It is better to have a little patience and lose weight than to treat various diseases.
• The process of losing weight should be comfortable and not associated with stress. A constant feeling of hunger can lead to failures when following a diet. It can also have a negative impact on your health. Morally, a person begins to experience a feeling of discomfort and believes that he cannot complete the work he has begun. Try to avoid such thoughts. Psychological attitude is an important factor in maintaining good spirits.
• The main goal is to instill in a person the habit of eating right. Eating according to Lydia Ionova’s system, an addiction to healthy food will very quickly become a habit. A person must independently recognize the harm of fast food and other not very healthy, but tasty dishes, and refuse them. This will also add confidence that you have made your own decision and taken a step towards healthy eating.
• As a result, if you have a proper nutrition system, when the body knows that it will receive the proteins, fats and carbohydrates it needs every day, it will not have to stock up on all the necessary substances in emergency mode. This will lead to the fact that fat will simply stop accumulating in the body, and extra pounds will never bother you.

The developer of the Pyramid diet advises sticking to this type of diet for about three months. Most patients were able to lose weight. People get used to proper nutrition and almost never return to eating foods that do not provide any benefit. The diet is not strict. Patients continue to consume large amounts of calories and a variety of foods.

According to statistics, they manage to consistently lose weight by five kilograms per month until the desired result is achieved. The diet is easily tolerated and has virtually no contraindications. The only important point to remember is the danger of overeating. After eating, there should be a slight feeling of fullness, otherwise no diet will help you lose weight.

Below we provide a sample menu for the week. After reading it, you will be able to understand the basic principles of creating a daily diet.

• breakfast – pearl barley porridge, seasoned with oil, water;
• second breakfast – boiled shrimp;
• lunch – a glass of kefir;
• afternoon snack – oranges (1-2 pcs.).
• dinner – stewed bell peppers and tomatoes.

• breakfast – buckwheat porridge, seasoned with butter, tea;
• second breakfast – boiled fish fillet;
• lunch - a glass of yogurt;
• afternoon snack – apples (1-2 pcs.);
• dinner - boiled vegetables.

• breakfast - oatmeal, seasoned with oil, water;
• second breakfast – boiled chicken fillet with salt;
• lunch – 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese with sour cream or kefir;
• afternoon snack – peach (1-2 pcs.);
• dinner - salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and radishes with olive oil.

• breakfast – lentil porridge, water;
• second breakfast – stewed lean beef;
• lunch – a glass of yogurt;
• afternoon snack - plums;
• dinner - salad of cabbage, carrots and bell peppers with olive oil.

• breakfast – rice porridge, seasoned with oil, water;
• second breakfast – stewed fish fillet;
• lunch – cheese (50 g), a glass of fermented baked milk;
• afternoon snack - apricots;
• dinner – boiled carrots with olive oil.

• breakfast – bean porridge, seasoned with butter, tea;
• second breakfast - boiled squid meat;
• lunch - a glass of milk;
• afternoon snack – pear (1-2 pcs.);
• dinner – carrot and celery salad with olive oil.

• breakfast - barley porridge, seasoned with oil, water;
• second breakfast - boiled turkey fillet;
• lunch - a glass of yogurt;
• afternoon snack – kiwi (3-4 pieces);
• dinner – stewed vegetables.

We invite you to read: Mediterranean diet for weight loss and longevity

The author's method for weight loss from Lydia Ionova was discussed at the International Congress, which was held in Germany. Nutritionists have recognized it as one of the best in terms of effectiveness and safety.

According to those who have tried the diet on themselves, it helps in developing the right attitude towards food, makes it possible to gain self-confidence and consolidate the results for a long time.

In addition, the absence of strict restrictions in the choice of products allows you to avoid certain psychological discomfort. Many of those who have lost weight continue to formulate their diet according to the recommendations of a nutritionist even after achieving the desired result.

You can learn more about the weight loss method, results and reviews by visiting the official website of Lydia Ionova.