How we should eat to lose weight healthy during confinement

We can leave home. We move right and we struggle between two temptations: that of extreme snacking and that of the miracle diet . Neither one, obviously, is good at any time, but this time, less than ever.

Beatriz Crespo Ruiz and Javier García Pereda, founder and nutritionist of Freedom and Flow Company (@FreedomflowESP), respectively explain to us how we should feed ourselves in this extraordinary situation so as not to gain weight and, most importantly, be healthy .

"In this type of very special scenario, we cannot forget that our health is at stake , so food plays a very important role. First of all, clarify that there IS NO food or supplement that can directly combat the virus . What we can to do is to provide the necessary nutrients to our immune system so that it is always in the best conditions, "they explain.

To start, now more than ever, plant products must be the basis of food . "Vegetables, vegetables, fruits, etc ... constitute an important source of micronutrients and antioxidants that will help us in these times of stress."

Ruiz Crespo and García Pereda give us an easy advice to follow. "The more colors I put in my vegetables, the better, since each color means an antioxidant substance . For example, the red of lycopene in tomatoes, the orange of beta-carotene in carrots, the purple of anthocyanins in beets."

Secondly, they remember that we must pay close attention to the consumption of good sources of protein , a key piece to maintain our muscle mass and provide us with satiety. "It does not matter if the food source I choose is of animal or vegetable origin (this is something very personal), the fact is that they are healthy raw materials," they clarify.

In the case of foods of animal origin , "I can choose lean cuts of pork, veal, lamb, or poultry such as chicken or turkey, eggs, dairy products (eye, if I like them and they look good on me) and fish. It is important that they are unprocessed meats , that is, we will avoid sausages, sausages, etc. "

If I choose vegetable sources , "we have legumes, nuts, and certain products derived from legumes such as seitan, tempeh, tofu, etc".

We must provide at least "a couple of servings of protein in our intakes." For example, "lunch and dinner, if possible a small portion for breakfast or mid-morning."

To season these foods , of course, "include healthy sources of fat like a good extra virgin olive oil."

Finally, Crespo Ruiz and García Pereda recommend "controlling and even reducing the intake of foods rich in carbohydrates , such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes."

By? This is his argument: "Yes, we already know that these foods have always been part of our Mediterranean gastronomic culture, but now there is NO need to have bread in every meal. The reason is quite simple, these foods carry a large amount of carbohydrates carbon, a type of nutrient that mainly serves as fuel, and considering that our physical activity is less, I don't need a lot of this nutrient . "

In summary: "I cannot eat carbohydrates as if I were preparing a marathon, if I spend many hours in the chair"

What should not be missing at our table? "This question is not easy to answer because there are thousands of different tables, as many as there are people in this country , therefore, there is no essential food. This is the essence of healthy eating, which each one makes it adapted to your taste. , economy, desire to cook, etc. Perhaps, a key advice is that we try to eat as little processed food as possible , in this way we will ensure a wide variety of nutrients. "

WHAT SHOULD WE AVOID?

Although it is very difficult to achieve this, we should avoid "most of the highly processed products offered by the food industry. In other words, all those products made up mainly of refined flours and oils, with sugars or sweeteners that hardly provide nutrients and are full of calories."

Be careful, because they warn us that not all the accused are the same . "For example, a can of cooked chickpeas or a bag of frozen peas are processed products, but they cannot be compared to a can of chocolate custard or a bag of frozen chicken nuggets. In the first case, we are talking about healthy products because we maintain the structure of the food, in the second case they are mixtures of ingredients of little nutritional quality ".

Why do we feel like crawling over sweets and junk food ? "Unfortunately, this is a fairly common fact in periods of stress, boredom or sadness, since the combination of sugar +. Fat + salt that these products have trigger our signals of pleasure, and of course, between choosing to do some push-ups or gobble a couple of chocolates to be more relaxed, the second is more appealing to many people. The problem is that in the long run, the push-ups are more beneficial than the chocolates, but of course, when I want to realize ... it is a little late".

To control this impulse, they advise something very simple: " Do not buy these products . Because one thing is very clear, if I have them I eat them. If it is not today, it will be tomorrow. This is so. We are a species that has survived The basis of looking for life in matters of food and, if I have a chocolate bar as hidden as it is, there will always be an inner voice that makes me look for it . It is pure survival. There is nothing wrong with it, the wrong is when later I want to put on my jeans from a few months ago. "

Should we reduce calories by moving less? "Exactly, if I spend less, I should eat less, it's that simple. But to avoid having to count calories, the ideal is to follow the recommendation of eating more vegetables and protein foods that will satiate me and reduce carbohydrates ."

And how can we get out of the miracle / binge diet spiral? "It is the eternal fight of wanting to eat everything I want for a while, and then having to reduce the excess pounds that I have on the basis of overexertion. As I said earlier, we can never beat a body that wants to eat. that, in the end, that miracle diet goes into the background and the body is able to eat what it did not even imagine. It is pure survival . "

This process, "many people call the 'rebound effect' and it is simply a logical response to a period of food restriction . We can compare it to when someone forcibly dips your head in the pool , when you are almost drowning, Suddenly, they allow you to breathe . What you will do is try to get as much air as possible in the shortest possible time . Well, the same thing happens when you have been lettuce and breast for two weeks. Suddenly, four cupcakes stand in front of you ... "

Moral : "Eat more plant products of different colors; put quality proteins in your main meals and reduce the amount of carbohydrates! Now more than ever, health begins with what we eat."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project