To eat healthily, without gaining weight or going hungry, it is important to prioritize the consumption of simple meals, such as roasts, grilled meats and stews. It is also important to include at least one portion of vegetables at lunch and dinner, and at least 3 portions of fruit, distributed throughout the day.
Furthermore, it is also advisable to avoid sauces, such as white or rosé sauce, and fried foods, such as French fries and breaded foods, because these foods contain a lot of fat, which increases the calories in the diet and can make you gain weight.
See nutritionist Tatiana Zanin for other tips to avoid gaining weight:
1. How to choose main meals
Main meals should contain the following food groups:
- Low-fat proteins, such as fish, chicken, eggs, tofu and turkey;
- Whole grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa or corn;
- Legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas or soybeans;
- Vegetables, such as lettuce, arugula, chard, chicory and watercress;
- Healthy fats, in moderation, such as olive oil, pumpkin seeds, sesame or chia;
- Legumes, such as tomato, onion, pumpkin, cucumber, jilo and okra.
It is also important to avoid using sauces with a high calorie content, such as mayonnaise, rosé sauce, and industrialized ready-made sauces. In addition, you should also avoid fried foods, such as breaded foods, French fries, nuggets and chips, as they contain fats that increase calories in the diet and can cause weight gain.
2. Healthier sauces
The best choices for healthy sauces are natural ones, such as homemade tomato sauce, vinaigrette and pepper sauce, as they are rich in antioxidant vitamins and add few calories to meals.
It is recommended to avoid sauces made with cream, mayonnaise, ketchup and cheese.
3. What is the best drink
The best drink is water, as it will help fill your stomach and satisfy your desire to drink other higher-calorie drinks, such as soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. Other healthy options are juices and unsweetened iced teas.
You should also prefer natural and homemade versions of juices and teas, as industrialized products, in boxes or bottles, generally contain sugar or sweeteners that can make you fat.
4. Healthy dessert
The healthiest dessert is fruit, preferably fresh. In addition to having a sweet taste, fruits hydrate and provide vitamins and minerals that help with digestion and contribute to the proper functioning of the body.
However, if the desire for sweets is very strong, a good tip is to share the sweet dessert with someone.
5. How to prepare breakfast and snacks
When putting together snacks, it is recommended to prefer natural fruit or fruit salads and natural yogurt with seeds, such as chia and flaxseed. If you’re still hungry, wholemeal bread with white cheese is a great choice to complete the meal. See other options for healthy breakfast and snacks.
6. Don’t overdo it when eating out
Some tips for not overindulging when eating out are:
- Avoid eating foods you don’t like. If you don’t like sausage, for example, don’t put that food on your plate just because it looks good or because someone said that the sausage in that place is wonderful;
- Avoid stuffed pizza edges, because extra toppings increase the calories in the pizza;
- Avoid fried options, such as French fries, Hot Philadelphia, nuggets and other breaded items;
- Avoid high-calorie drinks, such as soft drinks, wine, beer and sparkling wines.
It is also important to avoid ready-made and industrialized meals, such as lasagna, breaded dishes, ready-made sauces, ready-made seasonings, as they are rich in calories that promote weight gain.
Here are some suggestions to avoid gaining weight while traveling:
