Choosing the right lunch for weight loss: what to eat when dieting

Proper nutrition – not only a beautiful and healthy appearance, but also the full functioning of the whole organism. In the modern world, the main problem with nutrition is the acute lack of time.

Due to the rush to work, a person’s diet consists of fast food (fast food, convenience foods, baked goods). The result manifests itself immediately in the form of: excess weight, dysfunction of the digestive system, atherosclerosis.

Hake baked in foil with vegetables

An interesting option for a healthy hake lunch. The meat of this fish contains a lot of protein and vitamins, so it is often recommended by nutritionists, and baked with vegetables, it is doubly healthy. The dish turns out tender and juicy, since the foil does not allow the fish and vegetables to dry out, and Provencal herbs add a refined, unique aroma.

KBJU per 100 g: 52/6/2/3.

Ingredients:

• Hake – 600 g.
• Zucchini – 800 g.
• Carrots – 150 g.
• Bell pepper.
• Tomatoes – 2 pcs.
• A small bunch of parsley.
• Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.
• Salt, Provençal herbs.

Preparation:

1. We clean the hake, wash it, cut it along the ridge, and remove the bones. After this, add salt to the fish fillet on both sides. Sprinkle with some Provençal herbs. Cover with cling film and set aside.
2. Cut the peeled carrots into thin slices. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces, bell peppers into strips. Chop the peeled zucchini quite coarsely. Chop the parsley.
3. We put the saucepan on the fire, pour in half a glass of water, put the carrots in it. Close the lid and simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Next, add zucchini and sweet pepper to the carrots. Keep on the fire until the zucchini is half cooked. If necessary, add a little water. After about 10 minutes, add the tomatoes and keep for a couple more minutes.
4. Once ready, drain off excess liquid. Salt, add parsley, mix.
5. Grease a sheet of foil with vegetable oil. Place half of the vegetables and lightly sprinkle with olive oil and lemon juice. Place the fish on top of the vegetables, skin side up. We fasten the edges of the foil. We do the same with the remaining fish.
6. Place everything on a baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 15 minutes. After this time, open the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

What can you eat for lunch when losing weight: options

We looked at an approximate version of what you can eat for lunch while losing weight. And now we offer several specific menu variations that can be used every day.

• Option 1. Includes 200 ml of vegetable soup without potatoes, immediately or a minced chicken cutlet for the main course (100 grams), a couple of thin slices of rye or cereal bread, a salad with olives and cheese like Greek cheese (100 grams), and a glass citrus fresh juice. The juice should be diluted by half with water. Total volume – 200 ml.
• Option 2 . Another low-calorie lunch for weight loss might include 200 ml of chicken broth, 100 grams of chicken meat, a couple of rye toasts, 100 grams of fresh vegetable salad (you can use cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and vegetable oil with lemon juice as a dressing). You can supplement the menu with green or ginger tea.
• Option 3. Includes 200 ml of vegetable soup without meat, 100 grams of boiled poultry without skin and 100 grams of white cabbage salad. You can also eat up to 30 grams of rye bread and dried fruit compote.
• Option 4 . Another answer to the question of what to eat for lunch to lose weight is a fish first course, for example, 200 ml of fish soup, a piece of boiled fish from the broth, about 100 grams, 30 grams of bran, rye or cereal bread, 100 grams of beet salad and seaweed. You can also drink a glass of slightly salted tomato juice.
• Option 5. This variation allows you to eat a cold entrée for lunch while on a diet (beetroot soup, green borscht, okroshka without sausage and potatoes) in the amount of 200 ml, one chicken cutlet and 30 grams of rye bread or rye crackers. As a side dish, you can use stewed eggplant or zucchini, or fresh cucumber. You can complement the menu with fresh apple compote.
• Option 6. In this option, you need to eat vegetable soup, for example “Bonn” (it is better to use celery and tomatoes) in an amount of 200 ml. Also include 100 grams of boiled beans or pea porridge in the menu. They can be replaced with stewed mushrooms. You can have some rye bread and tea or coffee.
• Option 7 . For the first course - 200 ml of pea soup. On the second course - 100 grams of stuffed river fish. You can eat a couple of slices of rye bread, 100 grams of fresh salad and drink a cup of green tea.

These weight loss lunches can be alternated to keep the menu varied. They are designed for 350-400 kcal. Don't forget about healthy snacks too, they are important.

We recommend you find out: what to eat for dinner to lose weight?

Chicken cutlets with broccoli, boiled lentils and salad

A healthy, appetizing option for lunch at work, in the office or at home. The cutlets turn out juicy, and this is perhaps the most delicious recipe for PP cutlets. And lentils are high in protein, making them an excellent lunch for your health.

KBJU per 100 g: 145/14/4/14.

Ingredients:

• Chicken fillet – 400 g.
• Broccoli – 200 g.
• Canned corn – 120 g.
• Asparagus – 200 g.
• A glass of lentils.
• Egg.
• Bulb.
• Oatmeal – 1 tbsp. l.
• Fiber – 2 tbsp. l.
• Salt, spices.

Preparation:

1. Wash the lentils, then cook in salted water until tender. Also boil the asparagus for 4-6 minutes after boiling, then drain the water and let cool.
2. Let's prepare the minced meat. Chop onion, chicken fillet, broccoli. We pass everything through a meat grinder. Add fiber, oatmeal, egg, salt, spices to taste to the minced meat and mix thoroughly.
3. Forming cutlets. Grease the frying pan with olive oil. Fry the cutlets over low heat, covered, for 5 minutes on both sides.
4. Let's prepare the simplest PP salad. Add canned corn to the boiled asparagus and add salt to taste. Stir and the salad is ready.
5. We transfer everything into plastic food containers. In the first container - salad, in the second - lentils with cutlets.

Examples of healthy lunches

At least 2-3 hours should pass between second breakfast and lunch. For working people, this type of meal is considered problematic because there is always not enough time for it.

Options for proper lunch at work:

• Muesli with milk. Before purchasing the first ready-made ingredient, it is recommended to study the composition in detail. It is important that the product does not contain sugars, preservatives, flavor enhancers, or additives.
• Vegetable salad (selected according to season).
• Fermented milk drinks.
• Boiled potatoes in their jackets.
• Boiled poultry flesh in pita bread with herbs.

A mandatory lunch dish is soup, meat or steamed fish.

In your free time from work, you can prepare dishes such as:

• chicken broth soup with buckwheat, pearl barley, rice;
• borscht with lean pork (beef), mushroom, bean soup;
• pilaf with pieces of white poultry pulp (chicken, turkey);
• mashed potatoes;
• stewed potatoes with meat;
• fish baked in foil;
• casseroles;
• boiled pasta;
• poultry flesh without skin, grilled;
• beans with fresh tomatoes baked in the oven.

As a dessert you are allowed to use:

• natural honey;
• marmalade;
• dark dark chocolate.

Baked chicken breast, salad and buckwheat

A very simple, quick, incredibly tasty healthy lunch option. By the way, it is balanced and very satisfying.

KBJU per 100 g: 100/11/1/12.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast – 450 g.
• Grated ginger – 1 tsp.
• Garlic – 2 cloves.
• Bay leaf – 3 pcs.
• Liquid honey – 1 tsp.
• Soy sauce – 4 tbsp. l.
• Spices - to taste.

Garnish:

• A glass of buckwheat.
• A can of canned corn.
• Green beans – 400 g.
• Salt.

Preparation:

1. First of all, coarsely chop the chicken fillet. Three ginger on a fine grater.
2. Grease a baking dish with olive oil and lay out pieces of meat. Instead of chicken fillet, you can use beef or turkey fillet. Add grated ginger, garlic through a press, bay leaf, soy sauce, honey.
3. Generously rub the fillet with spices and cover with cling film. Place in the refrigerator for an hour and a half so that the meat is thoroughly marinated. Then place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 40–45 minutes.
4. We wash the buckwheat, then boil it in salted water until tender. We also boil green beans.
5. Let's prepare the salad. In a bowl, combine green beans and canned corn. Add a little salt and mix well.

Pie with chicken and champignons

The base of the pie is made from whole wheat flour, and instead of butter we will use coconut or olive oil. The pie can be served either hot or cold. The dish is tasty, filling and very aromatic. Perfect for a holiday table, or you can take it with you to work.

KBJU per 100 g: 230/13/16/9.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• Whole grain flour – 260 g.
• Boiled egg.
• Water – 25 g.
• Salt – a pinch.
• Vegetable oil – 90 g.

Filling:

• Mushrooms – 300 g.
• Two eggs.
• Chicken fillet – 300 g.
• Sour cream – 200 g.
• Hard cheese – 150 g.
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp. l.
• Spices.

Preparation:

1. Boil the chicken fillet in salted water until tender, then cool to room temperature.
2. Let's prepare the dough. In a deep bowl, combine all the necessary ingredients. Knead the dough thoroughly, it should turn out soft and elastic. Cover with film and place in the refrigerator for an hour and a half.
3. Wash the mushrooms and chop them large. Place in a frying pan and fry in olive or coconut oil, stirring occasionally until done. We will fry over medium heat under the lid so that the champignons are thoroughly stewed.
4. Cut the cooled chicken breast into small cubes. Three hard cheeses on a coarse grater.
5. Let's start filling. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat well with a fork. Add sour cream, grated cheese, and salt to taste. Mix well.
6. Lightly grease the mold with vegetable oil. We put parchment on the bottom, this will make the cake easier to get out. The diameter of my mold is 26 cm.
7. Roll out the dough into a thin layer. Carefully place the rolled out dough into the mold and form the sides. Add the filling: first the chicken, then the mushrooms. Using a spoon, spread the filling evenly over the filling.
8. Place the pie in the oven for 30–40 minutes at 180 degrees until golden brown. Let the cake cool, then carefully remove the mold.

Basic Rules

Before you sit down at the table, you should learn some rules that will help you prepare a delicious lunch for proper nutrition. It must meet the following requirements:

• contain all the ingredients for the harmonious functioning of the body;
• give a feeling of satiety, preventing decreased ability to work, turbulence in the stomach, weakness and dizziness;
• distract from work, giving rest;
• bring pleasure from delicious dishes;
• make up 35% of the total calorie content of the daily diet;
• have a BJU ratio (25/50/25);
• include a hot first course, second course (fish or meat with a side dish of vegetables).

Important ! During the meal, you should not be distracted by conversation or rush. Large pieces that enter the stomach are poorly digested, causing discomfort to the digestive organs, and in this case, the feeling of fullness comes more slowly. Therefore, there is a risk of eating more than necessary.

A proper lunch for weight loss does not involve eating fast carbohydrates or too hot dishes. If the break at work does not last long, and there are no places to prepare dietary food nearby, it is best to bring food from home. You can’t wash down your food right away; it’s better to wait an hour and a half. After a meal, it is very useful to take a walk for 15-20 minutes or do a light workout.

Brown rice and canned tuna salad

The next lunch option requires a minimum of time and ingredients to prepare. Boiled brown rice will serve as a side dish. We’ll also make a budget-friendly, low-calorie salad with just three ingredients.

KBJU per 100 g: 117/8/3/15.

Ingredients:

• A glass of brown rice.
• A can of tuna in its own juice.
• A head of young cabbage.
• Cucumber – 1 pc.
• Eggs – 2 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Boil the rice in salted water in a 1:1 ratio until cooked.
2. Boil the egg, cut into quarters. Cut the cucumber into half rings. Shred the cabbage into thin strips.
3. Combine vegetables and eggs in a deep bowl. Add tuna, after draining the liquid. Mix the salad well.
4. Place brown rice on a plate, then add salad.

PP chicken pizza and brown rice

Be sure to try making this diet pizza without flour - it is very tasty. Overall, a hearty, healthy and balanced option for a PP lunch.

KBJU per 100 g: 170/14/4/20.

Ingredients:

• Minced chicken – 400 g.
• Champignons – 50 g.
• A small onion.
• Tomato.
• Canned corn – 60 g.
• Ketchup – 2 tbsp. l.
• Mozzarella – 100 g.
• A glass of brown rice.
• Salt, spices to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash the mushrooms and tomatoes and cut them into slices.
2. Add spices to the minced chicken and mix thoroughly.
3. Cover the baking sheet with parchment. We lay out the minced meat, distribute it with a spoon, and form a round pizza base with small sides.
4. Lubricate the meat base thoroughly with ketchup. Then evenly spread the champignons, tomatoes, and canned corn. At the end we add mozzarella cheese - it is light, dietary and looks beautiful after baking. Place the pizza in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 35–40 minutes.
5. Prepare brown rice: pour it into a saucepan and add a pinch of salt. Cook until done.
6. Once cooled, transfer the pizza slices to a container. Place the cooked brown rice in the second container.

What foods are best not to eat?

With proper nutrition, there are not many prohibitions; those losing weight can even consume salt, however, it is advisable to reduce its amount or replace it with ground seaweed. The main thing is to observe moderation, because if consumed in excess, even the most healthy product will cause harm.

Nutritionists advise avoiding or limiting the amount of these foods:

1. Potatoes contain a lot of starch, so you need to eat them in minimal quantities.
2. Legumes can cause flatulence. Monitor your reaction during consumption.
3. Fatty meat (pork, lamb, white duck, goose, etc.).
4. Fried foods should be excluded from the menu.
5. Butter, yeast baked goods, confectionery with cream and a large amount of chemicals (cakes, ice cream, candies, etc.) are prohibited.
6. Diet lunch may contain animal fats, but in minimal quantities.
7. It is better to exclude cream, milk, and fermented milk products with high fat content from the diet.
8. Store-bought sauces are prohibited when losing weight.

In addition, a dietary lunch should not contain smoked products, sausages, snacks, semi-finished products, or alcohol.

Thai rice with chicken hearts

The dish has a very rich taste due to the presence of ginger and unagi sauce. Thai rice is good not only for lunch, but also for a festive table or a romantic dinner.

KBJU per 100 g: 176/12/8/15.

Ingredients:

• A glass of basmati rice.
• Chicken hearts – 500 g.
• Pickled ginger – 35 g.
• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Soy sauce – 45 g.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.
• Sesame – 1 tbsp. l.
• Carrot.
• Unagi sauce.
• Spices.

Preparation:

1. Pour the rice into a pan with water and cook in a 1:2 ratio. We do not add salt, since we will use soy sauce. Once ready, cover with a lid and let it brew for a while.
2. Wash the chicken hearts, remove the fat, and cut into rings. Cut the carrots into thin cubes, finely chop the garlic.
3. Pour a little olive oil into the pan, add carrots and garlic. Fry over medium heat until golden. Next, add the chopped hearts and, stirring occasionally, fry for another 15 minutes.
4. Break the eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt. Beat with a whisk. Take a second frying pan, grease it with vegetable oil and pour in the beaten eggs. Stirring constantly, fry them until cooked.
5. Add rice and soy sauce to the chicken hearts and mix. Then add eggs, finely chopped ginger, sesame seeds. Mix everything again. Turn off the heat and let the dish sit under the lid for about 10 minutes. Be sure to serve hot, season each serving with unagi sauce.

How to plan healthy meals for the day

What to consider when creating your daily menu:

• Correctly distribute the energy value of dishes. The highest caloric content should come at lunch (50%). For breakfast and dinner you need to eat dishes with lower energy value (25% each). Do not forget that you cannot consume carbohydrate foods after six in the evening.
• Protein (protein) foods should make up 20% of the total daily diet. This includes fermented milk, nuts, meat and fish, and legumes. The share of fats is no more than 30%. Carbohydrate foods take up 50%. This includes flour products, fruits and vegetables.
• To prepare dishes, you can use boiling, stewing and baking.
• Avoid mayonnaise and other industrial sauces and seasonings. Use unrefined, cold-pressed olive and sunflower oil.
• Consume only dairy products with the lowest energy value.
• If there are baked goods and confectionery, then only from 12:00 to 14:00. Scientists have found that the rest of the time they are poorly absorbed.
• If you want to lose extra pounds after six in the evening, refuse not only carbohydrates, but also any food. It’s better to limit yourself to just a glass of water.
• Eat at strictly prescribed times. Thanks to this, the body will get used to the regime and will no longer require constant snacking.

If you adhere to the listed rules when creating a menu, you will be able to normalize the functioning of the digestive system, lose weight and keep fit in the future.

Ratatouille with mozzarella – eggplant casserole

A very tasty French dish of baked vegetables with mozzarella. Ratatouille is perfect as a light lunch or dinner, and will also delight you with its bright summer taste.

KBJU per 100 g: 55/3/3/5.

Ingredients:

• A small zucchini.
• Bell pepper – 3 pcs.
• Eggplants – 2 pcs.
• Onion.
• Tomatoes – 2 pcs.
• Mozzarella cheese – 150 g.
• Salt, spices to taste.

Preparation:

1. Remove seeds from bell peppers and chop into small pieces. Cut the onion into large cubes.
2. Grease a frying pan with sunflower oil, add onion and fry for a couple of minutes. Add sweet pepper and spices to taste. Stirring occasionally, fry until golden brown. Then put everything in a bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
3. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into rings about a centimeter thick. Sprinkle the eggplants with salt, mix, and set aside. Cut the mozzarella into 5 mm thick slices, and the tomatoes into slices.
4. Spread the eggplant mass evenly onto the bottom of the baking dish. Then, in a chaotic manner, vertically lay out the prepared vegetables. We distribute the cheese slices between the pieces of vegetables.
5. Place the mold in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 45–50 minutes.

Spicy eggplant with turkey

Delicious, spicy and very filling stewed eggplant with chicken. The dish can be served both hot and cold. This recipe will surely become your favorite, I recommend trying it.

KBJU per 100 g: 56/7/1/6.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants – 2 pcs.
• Turkey fillet – 200 g.
• One tomato.
• Filtered water – 100 ml.
• Soy sauce – 30 ml.
• Ginger – 30 g.
• Salt pepper.

Preparation:

1. Cut the eggplants in half and then cut into thin strips. Grate the ginger on a medium grater. Cut the turkey fillet into cubes, tomatoes into slices.
2. Grease a non-stick frying pan with vegetable oil, add pieces of meat. Fry until half cooked, then remove from the pan.
3. Next, add eggplant, grated ginger, and warm water to the same frying pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 8–10 minutes. Then remove the lid, add tomatoes, salt, and ground black pepper to taste. Mix everything well and simmer covered for another 5 minutes.
4. Add turkey fillet, soy sauce, and hot spices, such as red pepper, to the vegetables. Stirring occasionally with a spatula, fry for another 5-7 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds.

General recommendations for proper nutrition

The main task of a balanced diet is to saturate the body with useful substances in the right quantities. Proper nutrition is beneficial for the whole body as a whole, and can also contribute to weight loss.

The minimum daily requirement is:

• fats – 30 g;
• proteins – 90 g;
• carbohydrates – 50 g.

How to eat properly to ensure that the lack of required substances in the body is compensated?

Let's look at the general rules:

• Before breakfast, drink 200 ml of clean water to start metabolic processes in the body and for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Meals should be small and frequent. Portion size is small. If you eat small amounts every 3 hours, then fat will not accumulate (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner).
• Chew thoroughly, take your time.
• Replace plain black tea with herbal tea. The latter type of drink contains many nutrients and vitamins that normalize the functioning of the stomach and have a choleretic and diuretic effect.
• A person's daily need for water is 2 liters. Pure liquid removes toxic compounds from the body.
• Control the caloric content of the food you eat , do not overeat.
• Exclude from your diet foods that are not beneficial , canned foods, sausages, sweets, cubed sugar, snacks, etc.
• Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.
• Carbohydrate foods should not be eaten after 18:00. By nightfall, the body will not have time to digest it, therefore, it will be deposited in the form of fat reserves.
• Include fish and lean meats in your diet. 1-2 times a week will be enough.
• Fresh greens and aromatic herbs must be present in the diet. They are rich in vitamins, microelements, and some of them prevent the development of parasites.
• Replace rock table salt with sea salt , as it contains much less sodium and more vitamins and minerals.

Italian chicken breast in tomato sauce

A simple recipe for chicken fillet in tomato sauce. The meat is tender, juicy and very soft. Serve for lunch with durum wheat cereals or pasta.

KBJU per 100 g: 80/12/2/2.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast – 400 g.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.
• Tomatoes in their own juice – 400 g.
• Italian herbs.
• Salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut the breast into thin pieces, sprinkle with salt and a mixture of Italian herbs.
2. Pour some oil into the frying pan. Fry the breast on both sides until half cooked, then remove it to a plate.
3. Now finely chop the garlic and fry it in the same frying pan. We also add tomatoes in their own juice or finely chopped tomatoes. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add Italian herbs and return chicken breast. Simmer under the lid until fully cooked.
5. Decorate the finished dish with parsley. Serve with any side dish; spaghetti made from durum wheat is good.

Simple PP salad with eggplant and tomatoes

Incredibly simple, tasty, very easy to prepare salad. You can serve it any day for lunch or to guests at the holiday table.

KBJU per 100 g: 75/4/5/4.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants – 2 pcs.
• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Cherry tomatoes – 3 pcs.
• A bunch of green onions.
• Salt pepper.

Preparation:

1. Cut the eggplants into rings and then into small cubes. Place in a heated frying pan greased with olive oil. Stirring constantly, fry until done.
2. Cut hard-boiled eggs into large cubes. Then finely chop the onion and cherry tomatoes into large pieces.
3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, salt to taste. We do not add oil, because the eggplants were already fried in oil, and enough juice will be released from the cherry tomatoes.

Basic errors in the power system

The most common mistakes people make during lunch are:

• exceed the daily calorie content (maximum 2000 kcal);
• eat fatty foods (at 50%, instead of 30%, excess weight appears);
• they drink soda, and some even drink alcohol (these are high-calorie drinks);
• eat 3 times a day (long breaks provoke stagnation of bile);
• eat a lot of sweets and starchy foods;
• cooked incorrectly, that is, fried, etc.;
• trying to eat lunch quickly without chewing the food well.

It is also important to consider that in old age, food should be less caloric, because... it breaks down more slowly.

Turkey casserole - recipe in slow cooker and oven

A recipe for a beautiful, tender and very juicy turkey casserole for losing weight. An easy, tasty, and most importantly healthy lunch dish for the whole family.

KBJU per 100 g: 84/11/3/2.

Ingredients:

• Champignons – 200 g.
• Turkey fillet – 400 g.
• Hard cheese – 60 g.
• Tomatoes – 2 pcs.
• Onion.
• Egg.
• Sour cream 10% – 2 tbsp. l.
• Ground coriander – 1 tsp.
• Salt pepper.

Preparation:

1. Finely chop the onion and champignons into slices. Cut the turkey fillet into small cubes, tomatoes into slices. Grate the cheese on a coarse grater.
2. Add chopped onion, salt, pepper, ground coriander to the meat. Mix everything well with your hands. Then combine the meat with mushrooms and mix again. Our casserole base is ready.
3. Let's prepare the filling. In a deep container, combine grated cheese, egg, sour cream. Mix everything well.
4. Take a multicooker bowl, pour a little vegetable oil and add the meat base. Distribute, compact with a spoon, and then lay out the tomatoes cut into slices. At the end, pour the cheese mixture into the casserole and distribute well.
5. Set the multicooker to “baking” mode for 40 minutes. The casserole can also be cooked in the oven at 120 degrees for 40 minutes.