With summer just around the corner, many people feel a growing desire to look slim and fit. However, concerns about the difficulty of losing excess weight can lead to unhealthy eating habits that compromise health.
Ece Öneş, Nutrition and Diet Specialist at Acıbadem Kadıköy Hospital, emphasizes that improper nutrition frequently leads to blood sugar imbalances and blood pressure problems.
Yet following some simple rules can help you approach the summer season healthily and energetically, while also supporting your weight loss efforts. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Ece Öneş has outlined 8 nutrition recommendations before summer, sharing important information and advice.
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Increase your fluid intake
Water is essential for our bodies. Within the framework of healthy nutrition, 30 ml of water per kilogram of body weight should be consumed daily. (For example, 2100 ml for a 70 kg person) However, this amount becomes insufficient as air temperatures rise and perspiration increases.
Therefore, increasing water consumption on days when temperatures are high is a crucial factor in maintaining your body's water-mineral balance and preventing health problems such as dizziness, nausea, and fainting sensations.
The most important point to remember regarding water consumption is to drink water before you feel thirsty.
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Don't overdo fruit
Colorful fruits, each appetizing; are quite beneficial in terms of vitamin, mineral, fiber and antioxidant intake, but portion control is extremely important.
Excessive fruit consumption without portion control leads to consuming more sugar and calories than necessary.
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Don't starve yourself
Losing weight does not necessarily require going hungry. You can maintain portion control by eating 3 main meals per day and having snacks during periods when you feel hungry. You can stay in shape not by starving, but by making healthy choices in small amounts and frequently.
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Avoid crash diets
When following crash diets or standard diet recipes, you may experience rapid weight loss, but this loss is mostly water and muscle loss rather than fat loss, and your metabolism also slows down during this process.
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Be cautious about sweet cravings
Preferring milk-based desserts, fruit desserts, and ice cream over fried desserts and pastries with high calorie and fat content is one of the golden rules of healthy nutrition.
However, when consuming milk-based desserts, fruit desserts, and ice cream, pay attention to portion sizes as with all meals, and don't overindulge.
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Don't consume carbonated beverages
Make sure to meet your fluid needs with healthy beverages such as ayran, kefir and mineral water, primarily water. Carbonated drinks and sugary beverages with high additive content not only harm health but also lead to weight gain.
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Don't neglect seasonal vegetables
Don't neglect consuming seasonal vegetables, which are both natural healing treasures and diet-friendly. Consuming 4-5 portions of vegetables per day is also important for strengthening the immune system.
Make sure to consume green vegetables in particular, as they are rich in folic acid, potassium and vitamin C. Chewing your food well and eating slowly will also be an important factor in your diet thanks to the feeling of fullness it provides.
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Avoid fatty foods and frying
Your food preparation method is as important as the foods you consume or avoid, both for your health and for contributing to your diet. Pay attention to preparing foods through grilling, steaming or baking rather than frying.
