What is the role of a healthy dinner, how is it useful?
Many people who want to lose weight make the grave mistake of skipping dinner. A normal metabolic rate is ensured by the regular intake of calories and nutrients into the body. Skipping meals will make you feel hungry and slow your metabolism. Because of this, it will not be possible to lose weight without damaging your health.
A healthy dinner contains a minimum of calories, but at the same time it contains a large number of macro-, microelements and vitamins. Eating foods that are easy to digest will also help avoid feelings of hunger before bed and maintain a normal metabolic rate.
Regardless of what dishes you choose, dinner should not be late. It is optimal to have dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime.
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Light dinner for weight loss
Are you not exposed to physical activity, do you have an office job, don’t go for walks, and do you go to bed early? A delicious light dinner for weight loss in your case will exclude meat, because... it will not be digested and will poison the body, but fish (low-fat types) can. Seafood is also suitable for dinner. A serving of such protein should be about 50 g, and the rest of the plate will be taken up by vegetables. An alternative for losing weight can be an omelet (if you don’t value sea creatures), but always with products of plant origin.
Is it possible not to have dinner?
It is useful for people to eat small and regular meals to lose weight. Eating small portions of low-calorie foods satisfies hunger and maintains a normal metabolic rate.
If a person refuses dinner, this will lead to the following consequences:
- Peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract.
- A deficiency of nutrients, which will lead to uncontrolled overeating and excess weight gain.
- Restless sleep, irritability due to feeling hungry.
Therefore, dinner should be included in the diet.
Is eating late in the evening dangerous?
At the end of the day, your metabolism is slow, so eating fatty and high-calorie foods can cause you to gain extra pounds. Therefore, for dinner you can eat dishes that are easily digestible, satisfy hunger and contain a limited amount of calories.
An overly rich dinner, organized shortly before bedtime, brings enormous harm to health:
- eating food leads to an increase in blood glucose levels, which provokes a strong load on the endocrine system;
- increased production of bile with slow metabolism provokes the formation of stones in the gall bladder;
- an overfilled stomach puts pressure on neighboring organs, which negatively affects their functioning;
- Abdominal discomfort can cause insomnia.
Important! Therefore, doctors recommend having dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed.
Features of food for losing weight and on a diet
If a person is losing weight, then he needs to organize his diet so that the last meal is low-calorie and healthy.
Features of a proper dinner for those on a diet:
- Eat protein foods that are quickly absorbed by the body and satisfy hunger. You can combine proteins with carbohydrates obtained from non-starchy vegetables. They contain fiber necessary for the proper functioning of the intestines.
- Prepare non-hot dishes for your last meal.
- Since dinner should be low-carb, avoid eating fruits and dried fruits. It is better to eat these foods in the first half of the day, as they keep the body in good shape, preventing it from adjusting to a night's rest.
- You need to have dinner 3 hours before bedtime. Therefore, if a person goes to bed at midnight, he can eat after 6 pm.
Protein shakes instead of meals
To lose weight, it is important to take a protein shake instead of food. However, it should be noted that the drink replaces one or two meals a day. This could be lunch and dinner, breakfast and dinner, breakfast and lunch. If you maintain your daily calorie intake, you can achieve significant loss of excess body weight, but only if you do physical activity. You can also drink a protein shake instead of dinner to lose weight. Reviews say that this method is very effective in the fight against extra pounds. In addition, it will be very useful to consume protein shakes as a snack.
Simple and cheap products for cheap meals
Recipes for a quick and tasty diet dinner include low-calorie foods that are easy to digest.
What to eat for dinner when eating properly for weight loss:
- Chicken breast is a product rich in proteins and contains a minimum of fat. It must be on the menu of a person who organizes strength training for himself. Eating meat helps strengthen muscles.
- Soup is a dish cooked in vegetable broth that is quickly absorbed by the body and satisfies hunger. Contains a minimum of calories, so it is considered an ideal option for dinner.
- Chicken broth - this dish satisfies hunger and normalizes stomach function. Dietary chicken broth is also useful for those who are losing weight through diet and sports training.
- Cottage cheese is a source of calcium and protein, one of the main products of a low-carbohydrate diet. You can choose what to eat cottage cheese with. Fillers can make a dairy product more tasty and healthy. Low-fat or moderately fat (up to 5%) cottage cheese with vegetables or unsweetened fruits is rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements and proteins.
- Porridge – oatmeal and buckwheat are good side dish options for the evening. They have a low glycemic index, so they do not lead to sharp fluctuations in blood glucose levels. As for rice, it is not advisable to eat it for dinner.
- Fish - low-fat fillet, steamed or according to a dietary recipe in a slow cooker, contains proteins and a complex of vitamins, micro- and macroelements. Fish is quickly absorbed by the body.
- Boiled eggs or baked omelettes are rich in protein, easily digested by the body, and do not cause gastrointestinal disorders. It is recommended to eat only proteins for dinner.
- Apples - it is better to choose unsweetened fruit varieties. To ensure that the apple is quickly digested, it is recommended to bake it.
- Mild cheese is a complete source of protein. It can be consumed as an independent product, or added to a variety of dishes.
- Vegetables - choose greens, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers. A simple and healthy salad without mayonnaise, prepared from these ingredients, contains few calories, but at the same time is a source of a complex of vitamins, macro- and microelements and fiber. The fruits can also be baked in the oven. Steam cutlets from vegetables, such as cabbage and zucchini. A cabbage or zucchini dish is hearty, but at the same time low in calories.
Drinks allowed include weak tea, natural vegetable juice, kefir, yogurt, and still water.
What foods are best not to eat in the evening?
In the evening, metabolism slows down significantly, so it is important to avoid high-calorie foods that digest slowly and cause stomach discomfort.
Foods that should not be consumed in the evening before bed:
- White bread, buns, baked goods - premium flour, which is part of these bakery products, has a high glycemic index. Therefore, within an hour after eating these products, you feel strong hunger, which provokes overeating at night.
- Red meat - the product contains a large amount of tyrosine, the consumption of which increases the level of adrenaline in the blood. It stimulates the nervous system before bedtime. Red meat also takes a long time to digest, causing a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
- Smoked meats contain a lot of salt and fat, causing swelling, dry mouth and excess weight gain.
- Rice is a grain rich in starch and fast carbohydrates, so a dietary dinner for both men and women should not include rice.
- Chocolate is a product rich in caffeine, sugar, and fast carbohydrates. It can be included in the daily diet in minimal quantities, but it is not advisable to consume chocolate in the evening, as it excites the nervous system and quickly turns into subcutaneous fat.
- Sweet fruits contain simple carbohydrates and sugar, so when metabolism slows down in the evening, they lose their benefits, slowing down the weight loss process.
- Horseradish, mustard, all kinds of spices put a heavy load on the gastrointestinal tract, which functions slowly at the end of the day.
- Fast food should not be present at all in the diet of a person losing weight.
Top 7 easy low-calorie dishes for every day
Easy, quick dietary recipes for a delicious dinner are listed in the table:
Dish | Ingredients | How to cook |
Chicken soup with barley |
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Chicken breast in kefir |
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Fish casserole |
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Zucchini pancakes with oat flakes |
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Cauliflower Casserole |
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Carrot cutlets |
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Turkey meatballs |
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Dinner options
The choice of products for preparing an evening meal is completely determined by whether you will have a load today, or have already had it, or whether you lead a completely sedentary lifestyle. You will have to decide what you can eat, taking into account the calories you have already eaten, and even after answering the question of when you will go to bed. Universal dinner options, according to a number of nutritionists, are as follows:
- Cottage cheese casserole (only egg whites + low-fat cottage cheese, you can add a few sour berries) and natural yogurt.
- A serving of kefir or fermented baked milk (up to 500 ml), but it is better to leave this option for the second dinner, which is closer to bedtime.
- Smoothies (preferably vegetable ones, since fruits have a higher percentage of sugars that are dangerous for weight loss).
- Fish and seafood prepared without additional fats - you can bake, stew, boil, but do not fry. Juices, wine, and soy sauce are suitable for marinade.
- Stewed mushrooms.
- Turkey/chicken cutlets or meatballs that were baked in the oven or steamed.
- Omelet, but with a minimum of yolks or without them, supplemented with vegetables.
- Boiled chickpeas or lentils with stewed tomatoes, zucchini and a bunch of herbs.
Protein
Nutritionists are ready to advise this option for evening food only to people who have physical activity during the day. Then the protein will be used to build muscles, and will not be converted into fats, preventing you from losing weight. However, there are certain caveats here: a healthy protein dinner is a small (!) portion of boiled or steamed poultry or fish (the norm is up to 100 grams), and lettuce, dill or another type of greens. You can take a cucumber if you don't like animal protein without plant foods.
Top 7 options for quick quick recipes
There are a wide variety of protein recipes that can be prepared quickly.
Dish | Ingredients | Preparation |
Chicken with salad |
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Fruit salad with cottage cheese |
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Vegetable smoothie |
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Quick cottage cheese casserole |
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Low calorie salad |
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Omelette |
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Salad "Brush" |
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What should you eat for dinner to lose weight?
You should try to keep dinner within 450-550 kcal. If you want to lose weight, then you should stay closer to 450 calories, and if you just need to maintain weight, especially if you spent the day at work, aim closer to 550 calories.
- carbohydrates should make up from 45% to 55% of dinner calories, which is about 50 - 75 grams;
- proteins - from 20% to 25% of the total calories of dinner, their amount ranges from 25 to 35 g;
- fats should be about 15 to 25 grams, which is 30 to 35% of total calories. Instead of saturated fats such as beef and cheese, you should use monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds;
- fiber. To reach the daily requirement of 25 grams, you need to try to eat 8 grams of fiber for dinner. These may primarily include whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, small amounts of fruit and fatty fiber foods such as avocados, nuts and seeds;
- sugar - no more than 7 g. It is better not to exceed 4 grams - this is about 1 teaspoon.
How to create your own nourishing and dietary menu for the week
To lose weight, you need to eat small and regularly. The bulk of your daily calories should come from breakfast. Lunch should also be filling, but its energy value is lower than that of breakfast. Lunch is the least calorie meal. It is recommended to have several snacks between meals.
Sample menu:
Day of the weeks | Breakfast | Snack | Dinner | Afternoon snack | Dinner |
Monday | Oatmeal with fruits and nuts, juice | A glass of kefir | Vegetable soup with chicken meat, buckwheat | Cottage cheese with honey | Vegetable smoothie, hard cheese |
Tuesday | Egg white omelette, vegetable salad | Dried fruits | Lenten borscht, spinach casserole | Diet cookies with milk | Stewed fish, vegetable salad |
Wednesday | Buckwheat porridge with chicken breast, tea with honey | Crispbread with milk | Seafood salad, rice with vegetables | Yogurt with cereals | Protein omelet, carrot juice |
Thursday | Omelet, oatmeal, milk | Orange | Vegetable soup with chicken, barley porridge | Dried fruits | Cabbage cutlets, yogurt |
Friday | Curd casserole with kefir | Milkshake | Vegetable stew, turkey, kefir | Baked apples | Stewed zucchini, boiled egg, tea |
Saturday | Zucchini pancakes with rice, juice | Fruit smoothie | Lenten borscht, herring with vegetables | Kefir with biscuits | “Brush” salad, omelet |
Sunday | Chicken breast in kefir, tomato or cucumber, tea | Dried fruits and nuts | Vegetable broth, boiled eggs, salad | Yogurt with cereals | Curd casserole with kefir |
Maintaining a drinking regime is an important condition for losing weight. Drink 1.5 liters of water a day. If diet is combined with fitness, this figure increases to 2 liters.
Advice from nutritionists
Pavlova Ekaterina, nutritionist
Ignoring dinner will make all attempts to lose weight useless. Eating a low-calorie, nutritious meal will help satisfy your hunger before bed and support your metabolism. The optimal serving weight is 250 g.
Alexey Kovalkov, nutritionist, doctor of medical sciences
It is unacceptable to replace a full dinner with sports nutrition. The body must receive not only protein, but also other useful substances.
Zakirova Guzel, nutritionist
Eat low-calorie foods a few hours before bed. It should also be easily absorbed and digested. Overeating leads to sleep problems, an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases and excess weight gain.
Dinner after training
The main requirement for nutrition after exercise, if you are aiming to lose weight by burning fat, is to create a “window” between it and food. Dinner after training for weight loss should be done 1.5 hours later, so that the calories you just ate are not used to replenish energy. Protein becomes the center of your plate, so here all options for meat or fish compositions, seafood, and cottage cheese dishes are allowed, but without fat. It is desirable that all products be low-calorie, i.e. 150-200 kcal, no more, and was not accompanied by cereals.
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Main conclusions
- Dinner is an important meal, even though it should be low in calories. It allows you to maintain normal metabolism, which is necessary for effective weight loss.
- The last meal should include foods rich in proteins, complex carbohydrates, macro- and microelements, vitamins, and fiber.
- You need to eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.
- Prohibited foods include baked goods, sweets, fried foods, smoked foods and other foods that are difficult to digest.
- Dinner can consist of healthy and tasty dishes that contain a minimum of calories and satisfy your hunger.
What should he be like?
Dinner must have certain characteristics so that everything eaten is beneficial and does not end up overnight in deposits on the sides and stomach.
- Light so that the food has time to digest before bed and does not cause a feeling of heaviness and fermentation.
- Useful for the body to consume vitamins and other bioactive substances rather than storing reserves in the form of fats.
- Low in calories to promote weight loss.
- Small in volume.
- Complete and balanced: must contain all the necessary nutrients, the approximate ratio of BJU is 40/20/40.
- Protein and low-fat, based on the previous parameter.
- Nutritious so that you won’t want to eat anymore before bed.
- Early: no later than 19.00.
These characteristics are suitable for dinner both as part of weight loss and while observing the principles of proper nutrition.
In Germany. Germans have dinner from 18.00 to 19.00. The basis is cold but hearty dishes: fish, pork, beef, sausage and cheese. Can't do without traditional national beer.