Part Seven: Nutrient Allocation, Cooking Techniques, and Dietary Control Methods

76. Ideally, protein should make up 15% to 20% of your daily intake.

Ideally, protein should make up 15% to 20% of your daily diet. Protein is essential for cell regeneration and repair; a deficiency can negatively impact health. The following suggestions can be used as a reference for protein intake:

Eat as much fish, skinless chicken, and turkey as possible. Eat chicken liver or veal liver at least once a week, and limit eggs or shellfish to no more than twice a week (these foods are high in protein, but also relatively high in cholesterol). Limit your intake of lean beef, lamb, and pork as well. Of course, avoid fatty meats such as fatty meats, duck, and goose.

77. Regularly eating fish can provide low calories and high protein.

Fish is an excellent source of protein. In terms of the ratio of protein to calories per 50 grams, fish is the food with the lowest calories and the highest protein. That is to say, a piece of fish has only half the calories of a piece of beef, but the same amount of protein. You might as well try different kinds of fish. They taste good and won't make you fat. For example, yellow croaker, trout, and carp each have their own unique flavor.

78. Daily carbohydrate intake should account for 55% to 65% of total intake.

Carbohydrates should make up 55% to 65% of your daily calorie intake. Fruits and vegetables are the richest and best sources of this, so eat plenty of them.

79. Choose a variety of carbohydrate foods to eat.

When consuming starchy carbohydrates, it's important to vary the types of food you eat. Don't just eat rice; you can also choose bread, noodles, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other options.

80. Additional mineral absorption is essential for the body.

Additional mineral absorption. Minerals play a vital role in health, especially in the process of burning fat. Calcium and vitamin D are particularly important for bones and teeth, and are found in leafy green vegetables, onions, and carrots. Seafood and liver are also good sources. In addition, iron, potassium, zinc, and other minerals are essential for the body.

81. Daily fat intake should not exceed 15% to 20%.

Moderate amounts of fat still have important benefits for health, helping the body absorb vitamins A, D, and E, and also moisturizing the skin and making hair look shiny. However, when choosing fats, plant-based oils are preferred, such as safflower oil and olive oil, which are better than butter and lard, and should not exceed 15% to 20% of your daily nutrient intake.

82. The portion size of meat must be strictly controlled.

You should be especially strict about controlling the amount of meat you eat, because every 50 grams of meat has more calories than other foods. First, decide how much you can eat. For example, if you can eat 200 grams of meat, cut 200 grams of meat and put it on a plate. See how much that is. When you go out for a treat, you should know how much you should eat so that you don't overeat because you are tempted and pretend you don't know.

83. When cooking meat, be sure to cut off the fatty parts first.

When cutting meat, be sure to remove the fatty parts each time. Don't think that a little oil makes it taste better, or that it's okay to stir-fry it first and then pick it out later. Actually, it's not the same. If you stir-fry the fatty parts that haven't been cut off, some of the oil will seep into other dishes and you won't be able to remove it. You'll end up consuming a lot of fat without even realizing it. Also, chicken and its skin often have a layer of fat. Peel off the skin along with this layer of fat.

When making soup, it's best to let the broth cool down first, and use a spoon to skim off the surface oil. If you have time, freezing it into pieces will make it even more thorough and the soup will be more fragrant.

84. Fatty meats are strictly prohibited in a diet plan.

Fatty meat products are strictly prohibited during dieting. Meat, sausages, and other meats with a high proportion of fat rather than protein are a cause of cancer. Additives are a major cause of cancer, and pigments and preservatives are also harmful to health.

85. Try to taste the flavors of several different vegetables.

Learn about a variety of vegetables, and you'll discover that each one has its own unique flavor. Don't limit yourself to just the few you're familiar with. If you get tired of them, you'll crave more meat and ruin your diet. Plus, you can vary how you cook them. The way foreigners eat vegetables raw is a good example; it preserves nutrition and is quite delicious.

86. If you get tired of eating vegetables, you can juice them.

If you're tired of just steamed vegetables, try juicing them. Your body can absorb more water this way, and the nutrients are comparable to fruit juice, but with less sugar. However, don't use a very fine filter. Eating some vegetable fiber is also beneficial for your health.

87. Don't seek emotional comfort by eating.

Everyone knows that when you're in a bad mood, it's easy to think about eating to seek comfort, but food is not the solution to a bad mood. You should really consider ways to solve the problem.

For example, while waiting for a call from your lover, instead of grabbing a cookie to eat while pacing back and forth, you might take the initiative to call and resolve the issue, which could even make the relationship progress more perfectly.

88. Put more effort into the color, aroma, and taste of food.

To trick your stomach into eating less, focus on the color, aroma, and flavor. Garnish with a slice of tomato and a sprig of cilantro, or arrange thin slices of radish into a floral pattern. Imagine you're enjoying a "feast," and savor the experience. The principle of dieting is to look more and eat less.

89. Eating more raw vegetable salads can help with a diet plan.

There are actually many kinds of lettuce salads. You don't have to always eat the one you know. Try others and you'll find that dieting can be quite interesting. Even if you eat two pounds of lettuce, it's less than 100 calories, but a glass of cola exceeds that number. This shows that the choice of food can make a big difference and cause a huge change in your weight.

90. To avoid excessive calories, try steaming more often.

The small steaming tray inside the electric rice cooker can be used in many ways. When cooking rice, add a diced carrot to steam together. This makes steamed fish and eggs very light and flavorful without losing any nutrients.

Actually, steaming is just as good as stir-frying for many vegetables. You can enjoy fresh vegetables without using oil and making a mess in the kitchen. Also, meatballs made by mixing chopped chicken, tofu, and water chestnuts can be steamed. They are low in calories and delicious.

91. Steaming or baking can eliminate the extra calories compared to stir-frying.

Steaming or baking without oil can save a lot of extra calories compared to stir-frying. We usually eat fried fish, but why not try grilling it over a fire? It's just as delicious but without the oil and calories.

92. Allocate the planned portion sizes of the dishes in advance.

If you plan out a week's worth of dishes in advance, wrap each portion in a plastic bag and write a few words on a small piece of paper to remind yourself not to grab and eat anything indiscriminately.

When allocating portions, if the food is small and incomplete, don't think that it's too much trouble to clean it up and just add it to tomorrow's portion, or eat it now. These are all wrong approaches.

93. When choosing food, opt for small portions or smaller servings.

When choosing food packaging, don't be too greedy. Choose smaller quantities or smaller portions. For example, sliced ​​cheese is best when it's thinly sliced, so that you don't overeat. Although a 250-gram bag of beans is cheaper per 50 grams than a 150-gram bag, you'll end up eating more and wasting more.

94. Don't assume that all foods contain the same ingredients.

Don't assume that all foods have the same ingredients. For example, some noodles have a lot of lard added, which increases the calories. Similarly, hot dogs can vary greatly depending on the additives. When choosing, prioritize your own diet principles.

95. When buying fruits and vegetables, choose low-calorie options.

When buying fresh fruits and vegetables, you should consider getting the most nutrition with the fewest calories. Compared to other foods, fruits and vegetables are the least likely to cause weight gain and are the most nutritious. They are also easy to prepare. When you are hungry, it is much better to grab some fruit to satisfy your hunger than cookies or snacks.

96. It is strictly forbidden to eat food by pinching it with your fingers.

Avoid having food readily available for eating with your hands, and strictly prohibit yourself from eating with your fingers. When you want to eat, use chopsticks and a spoon properly. While taking and preparing the food, try to think clearly: Am I really going to eat right now? If the answer is no, then don't keep looking for chopsticks or a knife and fork.

97. To truly appreciate the flavor of food, one bite is enough.

Every bite tastes the same, so one bite is enough. Some people say "try it" but then finish the whole thing.

Once you've tasted the flavor, you should feel satisfied and leave the rest for others to enjoy. If necessary, make a cake, cut it into seven pieces, keep one on the table, and freeze the other six. Since they're not so easy to grab and "taste," you'll eat less. You can also label each piece with its date and when it can be thawed and eaten.

98. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can prevent you from eating too much at once.

If you want to satisfy your appetite, eating smaller, more frequent meals is a good approach: try changing your eating habits to six meals a day, eating only half the amount at each meal, and changing the interval between meals from four to eight hours to two to three hours. This method can prevent you from eating too much at once due to being too hungry.

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