Muesli diet - improves gastrointestinal function and cleanses the skin

Muesli is a mixture of grains that are flattened into flakes using special equipment such as a press. Most often, the basis of this product is oatmeal, but you can often find rye, wheat, barley and corn in the composition. Muesli is considered the best choice for breakfast, as it is not a heavy food and provides the body with vitamins and microelements in full.

The benefits and harms of muesli

There is a large amount of muesli on store shelves; you can choose the option that suits your taste best. After all, food, even during a period of weight loss, should be enjoyable. But nutritionists assure that the best choice would be muesli with the addition of seeds and pieces of fruit:

• fiber from fruits and seeds actively cleanses the intestines and gives a feeling of fullness even when consuming small portions;
• certain substances from dried fruits are involved in the absorption of microelements;
• Oatmeal has the ability to bind toxins and heavy metal salts and remove them from the body.

But not all muesli will be absolutely beneficial for your figure. For example, if you purchased a product with the addition of coconut flakes, chocolate chips or dry bananas, then it will definitely not be beneficial. There are also fried muesli on sale, which are very high in calories, but “poor” in vitamins and microelements - they are simply destroyed by exposure to high temperatures.

There is no harm from ordinary muesli with the addition of a small amount of unsweetened fruit; they can be eaten even by pregnant women and small children, during the postoperative period and when diabetes is diagnosed.

We recommend reading about the low glycemic index diet. You will learn about the effects of GI on the body, low GI foods, the pros and cons of the GI diet, and diet menus. And here is more information about the diet according to your body type.

Muesli diet for 7 days

Select vegetables and fruits for your diet based on personal preferences. Stick to this menu for no more than 1 week, and then you can continue to regularly eat muesli for breakfast.

In 7 days you can get rid of 5 extra pounds. To consolidate the results obtained, do a weekly fasting day on muesli, while drinking at least 2 liters of water per day.

Is it possible to eat while losing weight?

Muesli can be found on the menu of almost every diet. They will be useful both in the morning and at lunchtime, and if fruits are excluded from their composition, then in the evening they will have a lot of benefit and little harm. Naturally, this does not mean that you can completely switch to a “muelaine diet”. This way, the body will not receive the necessary minerals and proteins/fats in the required volumes, which will certainly lead to disruptions in the functioning of internal organs and systems.

If a person has set a goal to lose weight, then muesli can be chosen as breakfast or dinner. In the first case, you should give preference to complex product compositions, which contain pieces of fruit and seeds with nuts. Moreover, they can be topped with milk and enhanced with honey.

But in the evening, at dinner, muesli should be prepared with water and without any flavoring additives, the only thing allowed is a few raisins and some dried apples.

Ready-made muesli from the store

They can be consumed with milk, juice, coffee, or mixed with cottage cheese. When losing weight, it is better to give preference to low-fat milk, kefir or yogurt, or even plain water. If the choice falls on juice, then let it be natural juice without added sugar. To reduce the calorie content of the juice, you can also pre-dilute it with water. You should avoid additives in the form of candied fruits - since candied fruits and fruits are not the same thing, and they contain much more sugar.

Calorie content of the product

In fact, the calorie content of the product is quite high:

• with dried fruits – 325 Kcal;
• with nuts and raisins – 375 Kcal;
• oatmeal in its pure form – 366 Kcal.

That is why it is recommended to eat a complex product with the addition of various flavorings in the morning. This way, the calories will have time to “burn” over the whole day, and there will be more than enough energy for stable performance. And you need to take into account that adding milk or honey to a dish significantly increases its calorie content.

Watch this video about the benefits and harms of muesli:

What is muesli

Muesli is a mixture of cereals processed in a special way for better soaking in milk with pieces of dried berries and fruits, nuts and bran, sometimes with the addition of honey syrup. The base is most often represented by oats.

Muesli is prepared in 2 ways:

• without processing - consist of ground components;
• baked – cereals are combined with honey and natural juices, and then baked at low temperatures. Baked muesli includes, for example, granola and crunch.

Contraindications

As such, there are no strict and categorical contraindications to eating muesli. They are included in the diet for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and are allowed for any other pathologies. But there is one limitation - a gluten allergy, which prohibits the consumption of any cereals.

When choosing the type of product, you need to take into account one more fact: dried fruits, nuts and raisins can provoke an inadequate reaction in the body. Therefore, you should be especially careful if you have ever had an allergy to food products, namely fruits or nuts.

Additional vitamin enrichment

Often on store shelves you can see products with attractive labels on the packaging: “Enriched with vitamin C” or “Contains iron.” Such slogans cannot be taken seriously, because such vitamins are reproduced artificially, which affects the deterioration of their absorption. You will be lucky if they are excreted from the body along with food; it is much worse when low-quality components begin to accumulate in the liver. Don't buy these products just because you can save money. Only natural products and real vitamins are good for health.

Which ones should you choose?

There are two types of product available for sale.

Bars

They are a mixture of fruit, cereal flakes and honey or syrup. The bars are very popular among athletes: they can be a quick and satisfying snack and can be consumed before and immediately after training.

The only thing that nutritionists emphasize is that muesli in this form can be included in the menu no more than 2 times a day. The best option would be to substitute bars for a second breakfast or afternoon snack, but you should absolutely not consume them at night - the calorie content is high, and the presence of sugar in the composition makes them harmful to your figure.

Experts recommend giving preference to bars to those losing weight who cannot give up sweets. The fruit syrup in this product perfectly reduces cravings for unhealthy desserts and helps you easily switch to a healthy diet without chocolate, pastries and cakes.

Natural product

This will definitely be useful! Moreover, it is possible for those losing weight to independently choose a specific composition. For example, at the beginning of the diet you can allow the presence of fruits/honey in the plate, but over time the amount of these flavoring additives in the cereal should be reduced and completely eliminated.

In addition, the natural product will replace one or two main meals, which facilitates the task of selecting and monitoring dietary dishes. It is especially convenient to eat muesli in the morning - time is short, and quickly “grabbing” a couple of sandwiches will be harmful and will reduce the rate of weight loss.

Advantages and disadvantages

Cooking recipes

In order not to make a mistake in choosing a truly dietary product, you should learn how to prepare muesli yourself at home.

With kefir

Place 1 tablespoon of oatmeal, 2 tablespoons of wheat bran, 3 pieces of dried apricots (finely chopped) and 5 pieces of raisins in a ceramic bowl. You can enrich the mixture with several hazelnut kernels or one walnut. This mixture can simply be brewed with hot water, but adding kefir will be more effective - the dry mixture should not float freely in it.

Kefir with muesli should be consumed in the morning - you will quickly feel full, the effect will be long-lasting and will help avoid hunger pangs until lunch. It will be better if the dish sits for 15 - 20 minutes - the flakes and bran will get wet, swell, and the dish will become more tasty and easier on the stomach.

Baked

This option is perfect as a dietary dish. For this:

• mix oatmeal and rye bran in equal quantities;
• add half the amount of chopped fresh apples received;
• mix everything with honey.

The consistency of the mass should be like pancake dough. It is placed in a mold and baked in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes at medium heat. You can form the bars with your hands, only before doing this you need to wet them, then the finished product is packed in baking paper and sent to the oven.

To learn how to make baked muesli, watch this video:

With mineral water

Any muesli, but without dried fruits and nuts, is poured with mineral water in such a proportion that after swelling it becomes a viscous slurry. You can safely eat such a dish for dinner - it contains a lot of calories, which means that the feeling of hunger is unlikely to occur before going to bed, and bran does not give a chance for a gastronomic breakdown.

With vegetables

Also a good option for an early dinner:

• peel beets and carrots (fresh);
• grind them in a blender, turning them into puree;
• mix the resulting mass along with the juice with crushed oat flakes and rye bran.

You can add low-fat kefir and a little salt to this cocktail.

Fully or partially limited products

• fatty meats, fats, smoked meats, canned food, sausages and semi-finished products;
• fried foods;
• fatty dairy products;
• baked goods, sweets, ice cream;
• cakes, chocolate, pastries, sweets;
• limit salt.

Table of prohibited products

Muesli – thin waist or extra pounds?

Muesli is touted as an effective means for losing weight. This is true when it comes to muesli made from whole grains without sweet and high-calorie fillers. You can lose 2-3 kg in a month using them if this is your only breakfast dish.

Although the composition of muesli is dominated by cereal flakes, they are quite high in calories. They can contain from 380 to 500 Kcal, on average - 483 Kcal. This makes me doubt that muesli will be beneficial and not harmful to the figure.

Some types of muesli are absolutely not suitable for those who are struggling with excess weight. If they contain honey, nuts, chocolate, fats, coconut, icing, then there is a high probability that they will increase fat reserves.

Important! The most nutritious ones are toasted muesli (those with a delicious crunch). They do not help the cause of health and threaten harmony.

The rules for compiling the diet are as follows:

• it is advisable to have only cereal and no sweets for breakfast;
• before lunch, you need to consume as much liquid as possible - thanks to this, in the human body they will swell with moisture, which will eliminate snacking before a full meal during the day;
• if you feel that the calories you received with breakfast are not enough, refrain from making up for their shortage during lunch or dinner;
• use only “natural” cereals.

Those that are produced correctly should not contain any flavor enhancers, since the dried fruits included in their composition are already quite sweet. If the product is too sweet, this may mean that the manufacturer skimped on quality raw materials or added extra product and is trying to hide it. Not only can this significantly reduce your weight loss results, but it can also be dangerous to your health.

You can use “dressing” with low-fat dairy products, namely natural yogurt, milk, kefir (low-fat), juice without sugar.

On average 100 gr. Muesli contains about 300 kcal .

Eating with the addition of all kinds of sweet foods, such as honey, chocolate, puffed rice, nuts, and even more so in some kind of sugar glaze, does little to promote weight loss. We should also not forget about such things that are unhealthy for our body as coconut oil and vegetable fats - they should not be in good packs.

Granola for weight loss can also be used as a hearty carbohydrate breakfast.

If you choose a product with a minimum calorie content, you need to purchase it without any additives, or at least with fruit. At the same time, you should not eat with brightly colored pieces of an exotic look. The best choice would be apples, cashews, or a little raisins or other dried fruits.

A little history of the dish

The first muesli was invented by the Swiss physician Bircher-Benner in 1900. One day, while walking, he met a shepherd who treated him to his breakfast - milk porridge containing fruits and berries. The doctor liked the taste of this dish, and he also realized that such food could be useful for his patients.

Bircher-Benner slightly modified the recipe and offered it as a morning dish in the hospital where he worked. Many people liked this breakfast, and soon muesli began to be eaten far beyond the borders of Switzerland. This dish was very popular in the 60s, when there was a great interest in healthy food all over the world.

Since then, this recipe has taken pride of place on the morning table of those who need to lose weight, and who care about their own health.

Muesli - calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates

100 grams of unprocessed flakes contain:

• Number of calories – 352.
• Proteins – 11.3 grams
• Fat – 13.4 grams
• Carbohydrates – 67.1 grams.

The optimal daily norm is from 30 to 50 grams. with juice or just water - it contains about 150 kcal. And remember - crispy fried ones contain more calories.

What kind of muesli are there?

There are two most common options: dry and fresh.

Dry muesli is oat (other types of cereals are also often added) flakes mixed with various kinds of seeds, nuts and dried fruits. In dry stores they are presented in various packages. There are many types of this product, they may contain spices, honey, or chocolate. The shelf life of dry flakes is usually several months.

Fresh muesli is usually a freshly prepared product that contains flattened oats, filled with juice or water, and fruit puree can also be added. Many people add products such as fresh or dried fruits, nuts, lemon juice, grains, spices, dairy products, and honey. They should not be mixed with fresh milk, as it quickly curdles when exposed to apple or lemon juice.

The leading muesli manufacturers that have received positive reviews from customers today are:

• “Golden Peter” fruit 280 gr. — 50 rub.
• Gourmet Bruggen “Crispy Dream”, 375 gr. – 120 rub.
• “Wow” with apple 280 gr. – 45 rub.
• "Nestle Fitness" with tropical fruits 350 gr. in cardboard packaging -170 rub.
• In honey with fruits and nuts 375 g. “AHA” Denmark – 140 rubles.

Remember that packaging also affects the price. Polymer bags are several times cheaper than cardboard packaging and are more informative.

slimim.com

Instant cereals, breakfast cereals and muesli have long become familiar products for us and are loved by many for their ease of preparation and pleasant taste. And from TV screens we are constantly being told that it is easy and simple to get rid of many health problems, gain energy and even lose weight by simply starting the morning with a bowl of ready-to-eat cereal.

True, scientists question the exceptional benefits of muesli, arguing that on store shelves, as a rule, there are boxes with contents of unknown quality, the main ingredients of which were processed using vegetable and animal fats, preservatives, sweeteners and other completely unnecessary additives. It turns out that advertising is deceiving us and muesli is not good, but harmful? Whether this is true or not, we will try to figure it out in our article. And at the same time, we’ll find out whether muesli can be used for weight loss and how to choose the “right” product.

What is muesli? A complex product based on whole grains that have special nutritional value for the body. The most commonly used cereal crops are oats, wheat or barley, sometimes rice balls or corn flakes. They enrich the composition of the product with dried fruits and berries, ranging from the more traditional apples, pears, raisins or prunes to exotic options - papaya, pineapples, dates, bananas, etc. Sometimes peeled sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or flax seeds are added to other ingredients .

A mixture of cereals and fruits in a wide variety of combinations is packaged in bags and boxes and sent to the store. All buyers have to do is buy a ready-made breakfast, bring it home and pour the contents with liquid to taste - milk, yogurt, kefir or juice . The time savings are obvious, considering that many of us are ready to practically sell our souls to the devil for an extra five minutes in the morning (just kidding).

Muesli is a balanced source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and a host of other useful components. The product is perfectly absorbed by our body, satisfies hunger well and gives a boost of energy for the whole day. By regularly eating muesli for breakfast, you can improve your well-being and normalize the functioning of some internal organs. Of course, we are talking about a natural product, made using a certain technology and without harmful additives.

• A multicomponent mixture, rich in fiber and dietary fiber, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Muesli normalizes intestinal function, enhances peristalsis and promotes the elimination of toxins, waste, heavy metal salts, cholesterol and radionuclides that are harmful to our body. Fiber starts metabolic processes, prevents the absorption of fats and helps cope with the problem of constipation.
• Due to the presence of complex carbohydrates, muesli is considered a good preventive measure against the development of malignant tumors in the intestines. Such carbohydrates, also called “slow”, take a long time to be eliminated from the body, prevent glucose spikes, dull the feeling of hunger and help to refrain from unnecessary snacks. The “fast” carbohydrates found in muesli are nothing more than simple sugars. They instantly charge us with energy and increase activity.
• The benefits of muesli are also manifested in the vitamins present in its composition. Vitamin B - the vitamin of calm - is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that slows down the aging process. Vitamin A is required by the immune and endocrine systems, bones, teeth and visual organs. Muesli also contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and other micro- and macroelements.

The natural product prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, age-related changes, improves the condition of the skin, hair and nails, strengthens the immune system and normalizes metabolism. Muesli, contrary to popular belief, can also be consumed by diabetics. However, if you have a disease, preference should be given to special types of muesli that do not contain sugar.

Most of us, trusting advertising, consider muesli a dietary product and are confident that by eating a cereal-fruit mixture, you can easily lose those hated kilograms. In reality, not everything is so simple. The calorie content of many muesli is by no means small (up to 450 per 100 g!), because the mixture often contains nuts, chocolate, sweet additives, etc. Such muesli cannot be used for weight loss.

To get rid of excess weight, you need to choose simple formulations with pieces of healthy fruit and without any syrups, glazes or roasted nuts. Yes, it’s not so sweet, but the fight against kilograms will be more effective. You eat muesli to lose weight, which means you don’t need extra calories!

Despite the large number of manufacturers and the variety of beautiful packaging with breakfast cereals on supermarket shelves, it is very difficult to buy something really worthwhile. Most of the products offered do not comply with the principles of a healthy diet, and therefore their harm to the body can be several times greater than the possible benefit.

As for muesli, the abuse of store-bought mixtures entails many problems. Their harm increases in direct proportion to the increase in the amount of additional ingredients prepared using palm or vegetable oil, harmful additives, taste stabilizers, etc.

• Fried and nutty muesli can aggravate existing liver and stomach diseases;
• The presence of sweeteners and sugar in muesli is dangerous for people with cardiac diseases, obesity and diabetes;
• High salt content is undesirable for hypertensive patients and leads to disruption of water-salt balance even in a healthy person;
• Health problems can also arise in children who consume muesli in large quantities due to the exotic fruits it contains. They can provoke allergic reactions and stomach upset, because in order to increase their shelf life, manufacturers often use sulfur-based preservatives.

You can minimize the harm that muesli can cause by being smart about your diet. There is no need to have breakfast exclusively with a store-bought mixture. Alternate muesli with omelettes, regular cereals and other dishes, because the more varied our diet, the more nutrients and elements our body receives.

The benefits of muesli are certainly great; it’s not for nothing that ready-made breakfasts have a whole army of fans around the world. However, it is better if it is a self-prepared product - with the addition of seasonal fruits or berries, natural dried fruits and a sweetener in the form of honey.

prozvi.ru

We have known for a long time such a product as muesli for weight loss. However, whether they help achieve such a goal or not - we’ll figure it out a little later, but first let’s turn to what kind of product it is.

Muesli: benefits

The question of whether muesli is healthy cannot be answered unambiguously, since there are currently very, very many types of muesli. In general, muesli is cereal flakes that are either treated with infrared rays (which is preferable) or fried (which immediately increases the calorie content of the product). Their main advantage is that they do not require cooking, which makes them excellent for breakfast.

The main thing that distinguishes healthy muesli from unhealthy ones is preservatives, dyes and other “chemicals”. If you don’t find anything like this in the list of ingredients, then the product is healthy!

So, what are the benefits of muesli? The benefit of this product, like any cereal, is the presence of fiber, which is necessary for normal digestion and proper intestinal function. In addition, each type of muesli, depending on what grains they were made from, will have its own set of useful microelements and vitamins, which will definitely affect your health in a positive way.

Nowadays it is already difficult to find muesli in its pure form. They are often sold immediately with nuts, chocolate, and dried fruits. Of course, all this is not the best option for losing weight, and to tidy up your figure, you should pay attention to the simplest packaging with a minimum amount of additional ingredients.

Calorie content of muesli

Each variation of muesli has its own calorie content, but in general this figure is around 300 calories per 100 grams. This is quite a lot, and you can easily find a cake with a similar calorie content. However, unlike a cake, which has no fiber, but a lot of sugar and simple carbohydrates that are ready to ruin any figure, muesli is a product of complex carbohydrates that release energy slowly and do not contribute to weight gain.

The most dietary muesli may have a calorie content lower than stated, but not too low, since cereals themselves are quite high in calories. That is why it is recommended to eat them for breakfast, so that during an active day all the calories are spent on vital activity and do not have the opportunity to settle on the waist.

What do you eat muesli with?

If you don’t know how to prepare muesli to get a delicious breakfast, use these simple tips:

• muesli with milk and pear . Finely chop half a pear, add muesli and pour milk. Let stand for 5-10 minutes;
• muesli with yogurt and strawberries
  . Add a handful of berries and muesli to white yogurt without sugar or additives and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Eat muesli for breakfast, and it will be much easier to lose weight: after all, this product is digested slowly and keeps you feeling full for a long time. Thanks to this, you will not overeat for lunch and will do without unnecessary snacks. And if you organize a light dinner for yourself, the weight will melt before your eyes.

Diet with muesli

You can find out experimentally whether muesli helps you lose weight by following a simple and easy diet for two weeks. The rules are simple:

• muesli is your must-have breakfast;
• Sugar and all sweets are prohibited, except fruits and homemade jelly;
• you cannot eat fried, smoked or simply fatty foods;
• All flour products are prohibited, except grain bread;
• the main emphasis is on vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, fruits and lean meats, poultry and fish;
• dinner no later than 21.00;
• You can only drink unsweetened tea, coffee and water.

Muesli for weight loss will be very effective if you stay on this diet for 2 weeks. You can lose 2-4 kg of excess weight. However, you can eat in the same way all the time - in this case, you will not only lose weight, but also maintain the weight.

womanadvice.ru

How to store homemade muesli

Muesli bars, the recipe of which is based on natural products, are best stored in a dark, dry place away from heat sources. Under such conditions, the shelf life can reach several months. For long-term storage, it is better to place the muesli in a tightly sealed bag or an airtight transparent container.

Important: if the mixture contains nuts, then the high concentration of fat in them can lead to rancidity of the muesli. The nuts will stay fresh for several weeks at room temperature, up to four months in the refrigerator, and eight months in the freezer.

How to store homemade muesli

The refrigerator is not suitable for storing muesli, firstly, the flakes can quickly absorb moisture and soften, and secondly, they can absorb extraneous odors from food. You can freeze the mixture and granola bars by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or freezer bags.

Unroasted mixtures may lose their crunchiness over time, which means they have become saturated with moisture. To return the muesli to its original quality, dry it in the oven at high temperature for several minutes. Signs of a spoiled product include moldy or rancid odors, fungal growth, discoloration, and loss of consistency of the mixture.

In this case, it is better to get rid of the granola.

For those for whom a healthy diet has become the norm, muesli bars will become a source of energy, high nutritional value and will provide the body with building substances for a long time. The variety of recipes is ideal for fasting days, allowing you to optimize your weight without violating the principles of a balanced diet.

Reviews

Women in their reviews talk about the effectiveness of muesli for weight loss in different ways. Despite numerous assurances from doctors about the benefits of cereals in the fight against excess weight, in most cases, following such a diet, girls manage to lose no more than 3 kilograms.

And this is despite the fact that with such a diet there is a calorie deficit. Those women who simply included grains in their diet and began consuming them for breakfast claim that this did not affect their figure in any way.

Review

Kinds

• Raw

They are processed only by mechanical methods, in particular by infrared radiation. The composition includes seeds, dried fruits, nuts and cereals, compressed into flakes. For weight loss, it is better to buy them, as they retain maximum nutrients without being exposed to high temperatures. Plus they have less sugar.

• Baked (crunch/granola)

Cereals are mixed with honey, juices, vegetable oils, and then baked at low temperatures. They have a rich and sweet taste, for which they are so loved. But they are not suitable for weight loss, as they are high in calories, contain a lot of sweeteners and are not nearly as healthy as raw ones.

• Muesli bars

Good for snacking during the working day and training, as you can take them with you. However, they have a significant disadvantage: they contain a lot of sweeteners (molasses, gluten, honey) to maintain the shape of the bar. Therefore, you need to be careful with them during the diet.

Brands

Leovit

Slim muesli with a fat-burning complex from the “Lose Weight in a Week” series. The calorie content of 1 serving is 198 kcal. The composition is very diverse: oat and rye flakes, sugar, a lot of fruits and berries, starch, flaxseeds, beets, dextrose, oats, citric acid, L-carnitine, celery, spices, corn silk, vitamin complex. One big plus is that the product is designed specifically for weight loss and allows you to achieve good results when following a diet. Cons: does not have excellent taste, too many ingredients that are not typical for this dish.

You can read about Leovit’s products and its functional (so-called “smart”) nutrition programs in a separate article.

Matti

They promise Finnish quality and 100% natural composition. The basis is oatmeal, to which various ingredients are added: banana + chocolate, blackberries + raspberries, nuts + apples, fruits, white + dark chocolate, etc. There are several undeniable advantages: variety of assortment, only 140 kcal per 100 g of product (+/- depends on the ingredients), excellent taste. However, there is a fly in the ointment here: the composition contains flavorings, sweeteners and vegetable oil.

Wow!

Muesli baked with apple. One definite plus is that they are incredibly tasty. However, there are many more disadvantages. Judging by the name, we can conclude that they are not suitable for weight loss, since they were subjected to heat treatment. When studying the composition, this decision is only confirmed: molasses and flavorings are present. In addition, the calorie content is as much as 450 kcal, which does not fit in with dietary nutrition.

Expert opinion

Muesli is a product that is advertised as a healthy food. In fact, this is completely wrong. Manufacturers often add palm oil to them, which can cause the development of cardiovascular diseases. Synthetic emulsifiers cause allergic reactions. Most additives: chocolate, glaze, nuts, sugar - make the product more nutritious, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of diets. Therefore, it will be much healthier to prepare your own oatmeal. And to lose weight, go in for sports, consult a nutritionist who will help you create a balanced diet. After all, only painstaking work on yourself will help you achieve results.