Healthy dinner for weight loss: recipes, menu for the week

Weight loss, Nutrition

July 08, 2018

No meal is surrounded by as many myths and stereotypes as dinner. The principles of healthy eating refute them. There is no need to suffer from hunger, prohibiting yourself from eating after 18-00, giving nutritious and tasty dishes to the enemy, or limiting yourself to a glass of “zero” fat kefir. Dinner can and should help with weight loss - it’s just a matter of proper organization.

Skipping meals for a long time (from afternoon snack to morning) disrupts metabolism, harms the gastric mucosa, interferes with the building of muscle tissue and metabolic processes that the body “starts” at night. Without eating dinner, a person has difficulty falling asleep in the evening, and healthy, full sleep is the key to effective weight loss. In the morning you feel a loss of strength, it’s hard to wake up and get up. This does not give carte blanche to overeating in the evening and exceeding the daily calorie intake. PP dinner for weight loss - meals eaten on time, rich in nutrients, which will not cause heaviness and will not interfere with weight loss.

Rules for evening meals for weight loss:

• have dinner three hours before bedtime (plus or minus 15 minutes) so that food is absorbed and you don’t feel hungry before bed. Therefore, the “before six” rule will only work if you go to bed at 21-00;
• dinner accounts for 20-25% of the daily calorie intake - if you lose weight with a diet of 1200-1600 kcal, it will be up to 400 kcal;
• if the daily calorie intake has been met during the day, it is allowed to supplement a light dinner with kefir with herbs or bran, natural yogurt half an hour to an hour before bedtime;
• you should not skip an evening meal - irregular dinners are fraught with gastrointestinal diseases, a “plateau” when losing weight, a person will become irritable and nervous;
• dinner must include foods rich in protein and fiber (about 100 g and 150 g, respectively), with a minimum of carbohydrates and foods with a high glycemic index;
• you need to concentrate on food, chewing food thoroughly and putting away gadgets to avoid the risk of uncontrolled overeating;
• PP dinner should be accompanied by a sufficient amount of liquid - water, pure or with lemon, green or herbal tea (many doctors do not recommend freshly squeezed juices; it is better to eat a whole fruit or vegetable);
• If you overeat (an evening trip to a cafe, a hard day at work), you should not skip breakfast the next day - additional training or jogging will help get rid of the calories received.

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.

Be sure to check out: Diet cabbage salad: the best recipes Safe cleansing: flax seeds for weight loss Kefir on a diet: are alternatives possible Proper castling: how to replace high-calorie treats and allergenic foods on a diet

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:

1. Peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. A deficiency of nutrients, which will lead to uncontrolled overeating and excess weight gain.
3. Restless sleep, irritability due to feeling hungry.

Therefore, dinner should be included in the diet.

banana sun

Dietary pancakes are a good recipe for a light dinner made from simple ingredients. Mash 2 bananas with a fork and pour 250 ml of boiling water. Pour in 150 g of ground oatmeal, 100 g of semolina, 1 tsp. cinnamon and ½ tsp. baking powder. Pour in 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, honey to taste and beat the liquid dough with a mixer. Fry the pancakes in a hot frying pan until golden brown. Top them with maple syrup or honey and a satisfying dinner is guaranteed.

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:

1. 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.
2. Prepare non-hot dishes for your last meal.
3. 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.
4. You need to have dinner 3 hours before bedtime. Therefore, if a person goes to bed at midnight, he can eat after 6 pm.

Sweet colors

A thick fermented milk smoothie will be a tasty and healthy end to the day. Peel and cut into slices an apple, a banana and 3 kiwis. Beat an apple and a banana in a blender with 50 ml of kefir, kiwi, 120 ml of yogurt, ½ bunch of spinach and 1 tsp. honey Carefully pour the mixture into a tall glass. This smoothie will please the eye and recharge the body with vitamins.

Find more light dinner recipes with photos from our readers on the “Eat at Home!” website. We look forward to creating your own delicious and healthy dinner recipes that will help you get in shape quickly. It’s also very easy to prepare a delicious and light dinner with “Eat at Home” frozen vegetable and fruit mixtures. Stews, baked vegetables, soups, vegetable casseroles, as well as light and tasty desserts with berries and fruits: cook deliciously!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Apples - it is better to choose unsweetened fruit varieties. To ensure that the apple is quickly digested, it is recommended to bake it.
9. Mild cheese is a complete source of protein. It can be consumed as an independent product, or added to a variety of dishes.
10. 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.

Waltz of vegetables

Vegetable puree soup - why not a recipe for a delicious light dinner? Divide 300 g of broccoli into florets and chop a bunch of cilantro. Dice a head of onion, a sweet pepper, 4 juicy tomatoes and 5 stalks of celery. Cook the vegetables in 300 ml of water, add salt and pepper to taste at the end. Beat them with a blender into a homogeneous mass, pour in warm milk to the desired thickness and simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. This soup will allow you to forget about hunger and provide a peaceful, sound sleep.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Smoked meats contain a lot of salt and fat, causing swelling, dry mouth and excess weight gain.
4. Rice is a grain rich in starch and fast carbohydrates, so a dietary dinner for both men and women should not include rice.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Horseradish, mustard, all kinds of spices put a heavy load on the gastrointestinal tract, which functions slowly at the end of the day.
8. 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:

Enchanting peppers

A great option for dinner on a diet is stuffed peppers. Boil 80 g of brown rice and mix with finely chopped tomato, carrots, parsley and 7 pitted olives. Fill 4 sweet peppers with minced meat, place them in a deep baking dish and fill with water to the middle. Cook the peppers in the oven for 45 minutes at 200°C, covered with foil. This dinner will definitely satisfy your hunger until the morning!

Top 7 options for quick quick recipes

There are a wide variety of protein recipes that can be prepared quickly.

Omelette "Pular"

This omelet recipe is quite simple, and you can use any filling instead of cheese. The omelet turns out fluffy, and the taste is very delicate, one might even say milky. As a dinner option - quite unusual.

KBJU per serving: 372/32/17/5.

Ingredients:

• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Milk – 40 ml.
• Cheese – 50 g.
• Tomato – 1 pc.
• Dill – 1 branch.
• Salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. We start by separating the yolks from the whites.
2. Add chopped dill and salt to taste to the bowl with the yolks. Add milk there and mix everything well.
3. Beat the whites until stable peaks form.
4. Grease the pan with olive oil and pour in the yolk mixture. Cover with a lid and fry for two minutes.
5. Next, carefully place the whipped whites into the pan. Using a spoon, carefully distribute them over the entire surface. Cover the pan again with a lid for another two minutes.
6. Our Pulyar omelet is ready. Cut it in half, put cheese on one part, and cover with the other half on top.

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:

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.

PP lunch for 300 kcal. 1300 calorie meal

The minimum daily calorie intake for adults is 1200 calories. However, when doing physical labor or sports, this figure increases sharply and amounts to 1500 calories or more. Thus, a balanced menu of 1300 calories will be the golden mean.

The main condition is to find the right balance with kbju. It is the clear distribution of the main groups of elements that is the key to the success of any balanced diet.

Kbju is a generally accepted formulation of the main elements (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates) when compiling a pp menu.

Norm and formula

Balancing kbju is strictly individual and is developed directly for a specific person.

Factors influencing the calculation:

• Sex differences;
• Age category;
• Lifestyle at the time of counting;
• The goal, that is, what you are trying to achieve - losing weight, gaining weight or maintaining it;
• Human metabolism.

Next, the calculation formula is used. There is no strictly defined formula, so nutritionists use the most effective ones, based on the above characteristics.

We will use a formula that is generally accepted by many nutritionists from different countries.

Calculation formula for women:

9.99 x exact weight in kg + 6.25 x exact height in cm –4.92 x full age in years – 161

Calculation formula for men:

9.99 x exact weight in kg + 6.25 x exact height in cm – 4.92 x full height in years + 5

We get a strictly defined figure, these are the calories that you spend every day, even if you just lie on the couch and sometimes move your arm or leg.

Next, you should multiply the resulting amount by KA (activity coefficient).

The coefficient directly depends on lifestyle:

• Absolutely passive image or permanently sedentary work, no sports, KA is 1.2;
• Light physical activity twice a week, KA is 1.4;
• If you are on the move or visit the gym 3-5 times, then KA is 1.46;
• Full-time classes in the gym 5 times a week – 1.55;
• Daily sports activities – 1.63;
• Exercising twice a day, throughout the week – 1.72;
• Work associated with constant physical activity, or playing sports with full effort twice a day – 1.9.

For example, let’s take my indicator and calculate the norm together:

1337 x 1.4 = 1872 kilocalories (kcal).

This is exactly the amount of food my body needs to constantly maintain weight.

To gradually lose weight, you need to subtract ten percent, and to gain weight, add it accordingly.

1872 – 10% = 1685 kcal. For weight loss.

You can increase the percentage for faster results. However, in this case, the body will be subject to severe stress, and this can lead to undesirable consequences.

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.

Main conclusions

1. 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.
2. The last meal should include foods rich in proteins, complex carbohydrates, macro- and microelements, vitamins, and fiber.
3. You need to eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.
4. Prohibited foods include baked goods, sweets, fried foods, smoked foods and other foods that are difficult to digest.
5. Dinner can consist of healthy and tasty dishes that contain a minimum of calories and satisfy your hunger.