We all desire to eat healthy. Especially for maintaining physical fitness. Nutrition plays a crucial role in weight loss as it directly impacts our body’s metabolism and energy levels. However, with so much information available on the internet, it can be overwhelming and confusing to determine which foods are best for weight loss.
This nutrition guide aims to provide evidence-based advice and practical tips to help you make informed decisions about your diet and achieve your weight loss goals.
Eat Healthy and Maintain a Calorie Deficit
To achieve sustainable weight loss, it is critical to have a calorie deficit. This means you consume fewer calories than your body burns. Maintaining this balance over time eventually leads to weight loss as the body uses stored energy (such as fat) to compensate for the deficit.
A required first step is to determine your calorie needs using this calorie calculator and then use of the calorie information that accompanies every meal on our menu to guide your selection.
Top Meal Recommendations From Eden’s Menu This Week!
Our Nutritionists curated nutritious meals from our menu that can support you in your weight loss journey. If you’re getting meals from Eden this week, here’s a quick meal recommendation for your meal order – rich in nutrients, high in fibre, and lower in calories and saturated fat.
All recommended meals are less than 1000 kcal.
Plain White Rice with White Fish Peppersoup & Fruit Bowl
Whitefish is an excellent source of protein, and when paired with plain white rice and a fruit bowl, provides a low-calorie and nutritious meal that can keep you full for longer. This dish is high in vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and potassium, which can help support healthy metabolism and reduce bloating.
Thai Basil Fried Rice with Peppered Catfish and Cucumber & Cabbage Side Salad
The combination of Thai basil fried rice, peppered catfish, and a side salad of cucumber and cabbage provides essential nutrients such as vitamins A and C, which support a healthy immune system and boost energy levels. This dish is also high in fiber, making it great for weight loss.
Eden Special Fried Bulgur with Fried Peppered Goat Meat and Cucumber & Cabbage Side Salad
This dish is a great source of protein and fiber, both of which can help keep you feeling full for longer periods. Bulgur wheat is a low-calorie and high-fiber food that can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The addition of fried peppered goat meat provides a good source of iron, which is essential for healthy blood cells.
Plain Spaghetti with Fish Ugu Sauce & Fruit Bowl
This low-fat, low-calorie meal is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a classic dish without sabotaging their weight-loss goals. The fish ugu sauce provides omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein, while the fruit bowl adds essential nutrients that can support healthy digestion and metabolism.
Vegetable Kung Pao Spaghetti with Grilled Coriander Catfish
Get ready for a taste explosion with this tasty vegetable kung pao spaghetti dish! The addition of grilled coriander catfish provides a healthy dose of protein, while the spaghetti and veggies make for a filling and nutritious meal. To eat healthy does not have to mean to eat boring.
Boiled Herb Yam with Fish Ugu Sauce & Fruit Bowl
If you’re in the mood for something hearty and nutritious, this meal is a great option. The boiled herb yam is a low-glycemic index food that can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce hunger, while the fish ugu sauce and fruit bowl provide a variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Plantain Porridge with Beef & Cowleg Peppersoup & Fresh Cucumber
Eat healthy with plantain. This dish is high in potassium, fiber, and protein, all of which can help reduce bloating and promote healthy digestion. Plantains provide essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, while beef and cowleg peppersoup add a good source of iron and protein.
Eba with Okro Soup & Grilled Catfish
Eba is a low-glycemic source of carbohydrates that is high in fiber provides long-lasting energy and supports healthy digestion. Okra soup is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, while grilled catfish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. It is advised to adopt portion control here depending on your calorie requirements
Spicy Grilled Hake Fish Salad with Jollof Rice & Chili Lemon Dressing
This mouthwatering dish is low in calories and high in fiber and protein, making it the perfect meal for weight loss. Spicy grilled hake fish provides essential omega-3 fatty acids, while jollof rice is a great source of fiber and carbohydrates. Top it off with a zesty chili lemon dressing for an extra kick of flavor and antioxidants.
Additional Weight Loss Tips
To further support you in hitting your weight loss goals, these are some tips to help optimize your meal choices even if you are not an Eden subscriber. Subscribe to get an Eden Meal Plan.
- Choose meals that are grilled, baked or steamed instead of fried. These meals are lower in fat, and calories, and higher in nutrients.
- Meals made with vegetables, beans, and whole grains are typically more nutritious, lower in calories, and higher in fibre. They keep you satisfied and fuller for longer periods.
- Try to eat vegetables at every meal. This will help you get the recommended daily amount of vegetables and will also help you feel full, which can help with weight loss.
- Eat more protein-rich foods. It will help increase calories burned during digestion and increase satiety – meaning you are less likely to overeat.
- Prioritize whole foods over processed foods.
Pictures of vegetable-based dishes and/or whole grains go here
You should also:
- Practice portion control. Try smaller meals at intervals than larger servings at once.
- You can divide your meals into 2 portions and even go ahead to add veggies, fruits or nuts as a side to one of the portions.
- Drink water or unsweetened beverages like fresh juices instead of sugary drinks. This can help you save calories and stay hydrated. You can try some of the juices and smoothies on our menu.
- Engage more in physical activity. Start a new activity you enjoy – It will help increase calories burned and keep you fit.
Eat Healthy with These Mindful Eating Tips
Here are some mindful eating tips that will help improve your relationship with food.
- Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues: Eat when you’re hungry and stop eating when you’re full. Listen to your body’s signals and avoid eating for emotional reasons or out of habit.
- Portion control: Use smaller plates and bowls to help you control your portion sizes. When eating out, consider sharing a meal or taking half of it home for later.
It’s also important to remember that weight loss is not just about what you eat, but also how much you eat and how much physical activity you get. To achieve sustainable weight loss, it’s important to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and stress management, in addition to a balanced and varied diet.
At Eden Life, we’re committed to helping you eat and live better. This nutrition guide is meant to help you be more intentional about picking your meals and building a healthy relationship with food. We will be releasing new guides for subsequent menus and we hope you find them useful.
Book a session and help us curate a better experience for your weight loss journey.
Frequently Asked Questions About how to eat healthy
- Do I need to cut out carbs to lose weight? The answer is NO. It would surprise you that you NEED carbs for weight loss because they are your body and brain’s primary source of fuel. Also, carbs do not make you fat. What makes you add weight is consuming your calories in surplus with little to no exercise.
- Which is better, exercise or diet? Both are. If you want to lose or maintain your weight, both exercise and good nutrition (diet) will help you achieve that. Indeed, you cannot ”outrun” your fork but these two work hand in hand. Diet improves your body’s composition while exercise enhances it.
- Do I need to skip my meals to eat healthy? You do NOT need to. This approach is a bit counterproductive as you would likely consume all your calories in one go. Additionally, going on an extended period during the day without eating could make you irritable and unproductive because, of course, you are hungry. It also increases your chances of binge eating.
- Is there any specific diet for weight loss? Unfortunately, there isn’t any. Most of these diets, including intermittent fasting are not quite healthy for you. You might see some changes within a short time but in the long run, they become extremely ineffective and unsustainable. Your focus should be on having and maintaining a good nutrition and lifestyle.
- Do I need to count my calories? Not necessarily. Knowing and understanding the purpose of calories is important. It can be important for weight loss at the start of the journey so you are conversant with it but as time goes on, your focus should not be on calories alone but also how nourishing the food is. A meal can be high in calories and still be healthy and vice versa. Remember, moderation is key.
Speak with a dietician and get some help here!