Every Monday, we find the nutrition chronicle of Dr. Binetou Cheikh Seck, dietician-nutritionist at the Cabinet dietetic nutridéal in Dakar, Senegal. Today, some tips for healthy weight loss.
In a previous column, we talked about all the bad methods to lose weight: restrictive diet, elimination of starchy foods and fat, skipping meals, etc. Today, make way for the right method to lose weight healthily.
According to reliable scientific studies, to lose weight in a healthy way, it is necessary eat healthy (all families of essential foods in adequate quantity and quality on a regular basis) and play sports. 80% of weight loss is attributable to diet quality.
How to eat balanced?
The best way to present food balance is to describe the composition of classic meals:
♦ Breakfast/morning meal
- Optional hot drink (coffee, tea, herbal tea) + 1 sugar maximum
- Starch: bread, cereal porridge (millet), beans (cowpeas), attiéké
- Protein: cheese, fish, chicken, lean meat or egg
- Fruit (including forest fruits)
- Lean dairy (optional)
♦ Lunch/mid-day meal and dinner/evening meal:
- 1/2 vegetables
- 1/4 protein
- 1/4 starch
- 1 fruit
(Ex: Meat in sauce + Tô + Carrots – Okra sauce + Fish + rice)
Should we limit fat and added fats?
Absolutely. For the preparation of meals, it is necessary to avoid fried foods and to count one tablespoon of oil per serving.
It is also necessary to limit or, if possible, eliminate non-essential foods that are too rich in sugar and/or fat such as pastries, donuts, candies, ice cream, sugary drinks, etc.
Can we eat between meals when trying to lose weight?
Absolutely ! As long as you are hungry, you can eat a fruit, a handful of peanuts or cashew nuts, a piece of bread with cheese, degue or tiakry, etc.
And what about water?
It is the main drink. You should drink an average of 1.5 to 2L of water throughout the day.