Eat more vegetables
Working towards smaller portions? Plate looking a bit empty as a result?
Pack you plate full of colourful vegies – raw, roast, baked, blanched, boiled, steamed, or stir-fried… the options are endless!
Fill up on salad and vegetables without adding unnecessary kilojoules and get the added benefit of fibre to help keep your hunger at bay.
Be sure to include variety – at least 3 different colours on your plate at any meal to provide your body with a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
Snack on fibre and protein
Feeling peckish before its time for your next meal?
Treat yourself to a snack containing both fibre and protein. Each of these components help keep you satisfied for longer, so you are less likely to reach for something less nutritious or serve yourself more than you need for dinner.
Dietary fibre can also keep you regular and has boundless benefits for your gut health. While protein can help your body repair and build lean tissue, aiding recovery from those all-important workouts.
Eat real food
Think less plastic, less processing, greater nutrition!
Sure, there are some healthy packaged food options available, but generally the less processed, the better.
Ditch the plastic wherever possible. If you do go for a packaged option, choose products that have ingredients you can pronounce! A smaller ingredients list, with names you can understand is better than a product with 20+ ingredients of a seemingly illegible language.
Avoid fads & gimmicks
It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new promise made by the latest fad diet. While these can often bring about desirable results quickly, the longer-term promise is not so enticing.
Opt for lifestyle changes to bring in steady health improvements that will be sustainable well into the future.
The last thing you want to do is put a great effort in only to confuse your body with rapid results, then fall off the wagon because it’s all too much, and go right back to where you started.
Treat yourself
Feeling the need to indulge a little?
There is nothing wrong with the odd treat. In fact, enjoyment is a valuable element as to why we eat. Food is not only fuel for the body, but it can form part of a cultural, social, or nurturing experience, among others.
Allow yourself a small treat from time to time; you will be less likely to succumb to your cravings, and more likely to stick to your dietary changes long-term.
Just be sure to practice the willpower to stop before you over-indulge, and don’t let yourself feel guilty!
Stop multitasking!
The art of multitasking takes skill and can be very useful. But leave it to tasks other than eating.
Eating in front of the TV, while driving, or while you work can cause you to eat more than you need to.
Be mindful when you eat. Eliminate distractions and focus on the elements of the food – taste, texture, smell. Be present with your food and enjoy every mouthful, so you are satisfied with what you have eaten, and focus on stopping before you feel full.
Keep a Food journal
Make yourself accountable – keep a simple food journal.
You don’t necessarily need to track kilojoules. Simply noting down what you INTEND to eat BEFORE you eat it can help keep you on track.
If you do not want to admit to eating those 3 chocolate biscuits, you may be less likely to eat them!
If you want to track every detail, try an online app that you can use on the go – these can help you keep your kilojoules and macros in check.
Drink more water and avoid sugary drinks
Why waste your daily kilojoules on liquid sugar?
Save the kJ for some extra food on your plate – always opt for water or sparkling water first or reach for a nutritious drink like reduced-fat milk.
If your taste buds really crave that flavoured drink, add some mint leaves, freshly squeezed citrus, or other fruit to your water, or try a low-sugar fermented beverage like Kombucha.
Go for a walk
Sitting at your desk trying to be productive, only to find your mind wandering back into the kitchen?
Get up and go for a walk.
It could be a few laps around your home or office, or it could be lacing up the shoes and getting out for some fresh air.
Not only will you benefit from the extra movement, you will be distracted, and your mind will wander away from food, making you less inclined to reach for an extra snack.
Brush your teeth
Simple, right?
Brush your teeth after a meal and consider this the “kitchen closed”.
It may only be a mental trick, but you will find yourself less likely to reach for that extra snack after you have brushed your teeth.
An added benefit is that you will keep your breath fresh and your pearly whites sparkly!
Tanya Andrews is an Accredited Dietitian with 15 years experience. Tanya has a great deal of experience with weight control, type 2 diabetes, family nutrition, natural health, general nutrition and wellness. She is passionate about helping her clients reach their goals, promoting wellbeing and working with individuals to find practical solutions.