Have you ever wondered what are the best types of food you need to eat at different periods of the day? Ever thought of the quantity of food you need to consume at different intervals? Are you thinking about weight loss?
Weight loss is a tricky subject. There are many ways you can find on the internet or some books that can help you lose weight. Some are even conflicting with each other. Many people would say dieting can help you curb weight gain and eventually you will lose weight. But, I strongly recommend it. Studies have shown that there is no association between dieting and weight loss. However, topics like intermittent fasting are recommended by many health experts.
How to promote weight loss?
As a medical student, I have learned one thing: It does not matter if you eat your meal 3 times a day or 6 times a day. What matters is what type of food you eat and your calorie deficit (either fewer calories consumed or more calories burned). Studies have consistently shown that these two things have a major impact on body mass index and cardiovascular physiology. Results on researches based on meal frequency are mixed and hence it is futile to think about it as the above two topics have proven weight loss. However, it is important to note that your meal timing should be the same every day to show consistent results.
calculation:
Foods are a mixture of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. All these nutrients when entering into the body are converted into calories which are the source of our energy.
1 gm of Carbohydrates = 4 kcal
1 gm of protein = 4 kcal
1 gm of fat = 9 kcal
A balanced diet containing 2100 kcal consisting of 58% carbohydrate, 12% protein, and 30% fat is recommended for a healthy person. If you do the above calculation, this diet would contain about 305 gm of carbohydrate, 63 gm of protein, and 70 gm of fat.
So, here is the list of some of the best foods to eat at a particular period of the day that can help you lose your weight:
1. morning
The best time to eat breakfast is between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. It is recommended to eat your breakfast within the first 2 hours of you waking up. People who regularly skip their breakfast have higher chances of elevated cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels leading to type 2 diabetes. Therefore, studies have shown that there is a relation between skipping breakfast regularly and obesity.
Best foods to eat in the morning:
Oatmeal
Oats are highly nutritious. Oatmeal contains high fibers that keep your gut clean and give you a sense of feeling full. Also, they are rich in antioxidants that help in detoxification of the body.
Eggs
Breakfast containing a high amount of protein is highly advantageous. Eggs are rich in proteins that are building blocks of the body. They raise HDL cholesterol in the blood hence decrease the amount of bad cholesterol. Do not boil eggs for a long time or else you will lose nutrients.
Nuts
Nuts are rich in natural antioxidants like Vitamin E and flavonoids. They contain a high amount of fibers, polyunsaturated fats, and magnesium which help in reducing cholesterol and improve heart condition.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is made by excessive straining of a regular yogurt so that the liquid consistency is removed and you get more delicious protein-rich content.
Coffee
Coffee can help you boost your metabolism. It also helps you burn fat. If you want to improve your performance for the whole day and become more active, take coffee or any other caffeinated product and do some form of physical activity. Caffeine reduces fatigue and boosts performance.
Use combination of these products for higher efficiency and improving chances of weight loss.
2. afternoon
The best time to eat lunch is between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Make sure to eat lunch after approximately 3-4 hours after your breakfast to give your stomach time to get empty again so that you don’t overeat. These foods should contain complex carbs as it contains more nutrients and fibers that will help you stay full along with healthy fats and proteins.
Best foods to eat in afternoon:
Vegetables
Spinach and other leafy greens, broccoli, green peas, carrots, mushrooms, etc. Vegetables contain a sufficient amount of nutrients and are rich in fibers that help in satiety. These are also versatile to use in various recipes.
Whole grains
Whole grains are good sources of fibers and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, sodium, and potassium. However, raw grains contain more nutrients than refined grains.
Chicken
If you are a non-vegetarian, lunch containing chicken, shrimp, or fish like tuna, etc. seems delicious and mouth-watering. Also, it contains a high amount of proteins and omega fats which reduce blood cholesterol.
Chickpea
Chickpeas are rich in protein and fiber. Research has shown that adding chickpea to your daily ingredient can help in weight loss and promote health.
Pasta
Pasta especially Whole Wheat Pasta has fewer carbs and contains fibers that can make you full faster. It also has a low glycemic index is around 40 to 50 which is considered low and hence its calorie intake is less. Mix pasta with several veggies and add less sauce to it and food will become delicious as well as nutritious.
3. evening
An evening snack should be taken between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. An average person’s physical activity decreases in the evening compared to the rest of the day. Hence, your focus should be on a low-calorie diet in the evening to avoid hunger and still stay active.
Best foods to eat in evening:
Pistachios
Pistachios contain a high amount of proteins and monounsaturated fatty acids that help in controlling cholesterol levels. They also contain fibers and have a low-calorie index.
Peanuts
Peanuts contain antioxidants that help in detoxification of the body. They contain healthy fats, proteins, and fibers as well as many minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Sprouts
Sprouts are rich in fibers that will help you keep full and yet you will consume fewer calories. They are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Sprouts are considered to be one of the best items for promoting weight loss. You can spend your evening while soaking some sprouts along with some veggies, chickpeas in water and season it with pepper or salt to have a wonderful evening snack.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in unsaturated fats including omega-3 fats that can reduce your blood cholesterol effectively and can also reduce your blood pressure. They also contain nutrients like magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. and are a good source of antioxidants. You can have them as roasted or even boiled.
Almonds
Almonds are known to contain a high amount of fibers and unsaturated fats that help you reduce your craving for food and can improve your lipid profile. In addition, they also contain proteins and can increase your metabolism. Use moderate almonds and other nuts along with salads or fruits in the evening.
4. night
Have your dinner between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. To have a good sleep at night, it is necessary that you eat some amount of food instead of starving yourself to prevent late-night awakenings and early morning overeating. However, it is important to note that there should be a minimum of 2-3 hours of gap between dinner and sleep so that your stomach can get enough time to empty itself and you will not wake up with stomach pain, heartburn, acid reflux, or aspiration. Also, try to eat low-calorie food as your physical activity would be minimal at night so your body won’t require any extra calories.
Best foods to eat at night:
Bananas
Bananas are rich sources of fibers and contain a high amount of nutrients especially tryptophan. Tryptophan is essential in the production of a hormone called melatonin which helps in the regulation of circadian rhythm and improves REM sleep.
Tart cherry
A cup of tart cherry juice contains about 2-3 amounts of fibers that help you keep full. They contain vitamin E and vitamin C, serotonin, tryptophan, etc. which promote good sleep and weight loss. Their calorie index is also low which would prove that it is a good ingredient to be used in your dinner.
Lettuce
Lettuce is one of the best vegetable items to be used at night. It contains fibers that keep you full. Lettuce especially romaine lettuce contains two components called lactucin and lactucopicrin that induce sleep duration and reduce sleep latency.
Fish
Fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc. are highly nutritious to eat at your supper. They contain essential vitamins like vitamin B6, B12, and C which promotes good sleep. Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids are also present which decrease bad LDL cholesterol and increase good HDL cholesterol.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese contains an abundant amount of protein especially Casein. At night, your body goes through a long time without food hence it undergoes protein breakdown. Casein is a slow-digesting protein that replaces these proteins and can boost muscle growth and eventually promote weight loss. It also keeps you full due to its slow digestion.
In these times of COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even harder to control weight and maintain your health. I recommend you to read this article so that we can stay healthy at home: https://wishmehealth.com/how-to-stay-healthy-at-home-during-a-lockdown/
