Among trendy diets and conflicting advice, it can be challenging to navigate and find a truly effective solution. Weighing food, on the other hand, is often an underestimated approach but can turn out to be your most valuable ally in the battle against excess weight.
Let’s explore why.
How to Lose Weight Quickly
Weighing food might seem excessive or too labor-intensive for those seeking simple methods to lose weight.
However, this habit can make a significant difference in achieving your health goals.
We often tend to underestimate the amounts of food we consume, especially when it comes to high-calorie foods. Even a slight discrepancy in quantity can lead to a significant increase in the calories consumed throughout the day.
Therefore, using a kitchen scale allows for precise control over portions: you know exactly how much you are eating, which helps manage portions and, consequently, calories.
For example, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil can easily turn into two or three, adding hidden calories to your meal. Weighing food helps avoid these mistakes and maintain a balanced diet.
A Habit That Changes Everything
Incorporating the practice of weighing food into your daily routine may seem challenging at first, but the long-term benefits are remarkable.
Not only does it help you lose weight quickly, but it can also positively affect your relationship with food.
When you start weighing what you eat, you also become more aware of your food choices and appropriate portion sizes. This helps you better understand your habits and make more informed choices.
Being aware of portion sizes and caloric content can indeed prevent calorie overload and promote better nutritional balance. Additionally, this practice can reveal unexpected surprises, such as discovering that some foods considered “healthy” can be very high in calories if consumed in large amounts.
Weighing Food: Expert Recommendations
Nutrition experts emphasize the importance of weighing food to maintain a balanced diet and achieve weight loss goals. To best organize your menu, it is essential to understand how many portions of each food group to consume daily.
Here are some guidelines based on approximately 1,500 calories per day:
Cereals and Tubers
It is recommended to consume a maximum of four portions of cereals and tubers per day. A portion of pasta, rice, or cereals equals 60 grams, with one portion per day recommended, and two only occasionally. For bread, two or three portions of 50 grams each are allowed, equivalent to a small sandwich or a pack of crackers. Potatoes, on the other hand, should be limited to two portions of 200 grams per week.
Vegetables, Salad, and Fruit
Experts advise consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. For fruit, no more than two portions daily. Vegetables should constitute three portions daily: 80 grams for leafy salads and 200 grams for vegetables like peppers, fennel, or zucchini.
Meat and Fish
For meat, a standard portion is 100 grams and should not be consumed more than 2-3 times a weekly diet. Fresh fish has a portion size of 150 grams, while canned tuna is 50 grams drained. Fish should be consumed three times a week.
Legumes
Legumes are among the most recommended foods for those looking to lose weight, with a portion of 150 grams for fresh or canned legumes and 50 grams for dried ones. Experts recommend consuming legumes at least 3-4 times a week.
Dairy Products
For milk and dairy products, a maximum of two portions per day is advised. A portion of milk or yogurt is 125 milliliters or grams. For fresh cheeses, the portion is 100 grams, and for aged cheeses, it is 50 grams, with a maximum of two times a week.
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This article first appeared on Grazia.it
