We all know we should avoid crash diets, but what should we consider when making a healthy eating plan?
Set yourself up to succeed
A plan for a healthy diet should involve small steps rather than big changes. These could include eating raw one day, or adding salad to a meal. Be realistic and it will work – set your sights too high, however, and you set yourself up to fail.
Simplify your approach
Forget counting calories or measuring portions. Simply approach your diet in terms of increasing colour, variety and freshness.
Remember water and exercise
Water and exercise are crucial aspects of a healthy diet. Swap a cup of coffee for a drink of water. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Walk to get the paper rather than drive. It all helps!
Don’t ban foods
Blanket bans of foods merely lead to binge eating. Try not to think of certain foods as ‘off-limits’. If you crave sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, simply reduce your portion size initially and have them less often. Gradually substitute sweet fruits for sweets and breadsticks for crisps. Soon your cravings will diminish and you’ll be able to allow yourself occasional indulgences.
Think about how you eat
We often focus on what we eat but miss the fact that food habits are learned socially. Eating with others can reduce the comfort over-eating that typifies a TV meal.
Try to savour your food by chewing slowly, rather than wolfing down your meal in seconds. Avoid excessive hunger, which leads to binge eating, by having regular snacks throughout the day – dried or fresh fruit, nuts, crackers, or carrot sticks with hummus, for example.
Listen to your body by giving it time to digest your meal before you decide you’re still hungry. Have a glass of water after food. Kick-start your day and then work down – a large, healthy breakfast followed by smaller portions of food throughout the day will provide your body with the nutrients it needs at the start of the day, rather than stockpile them at the end of the day.
Take it gradually
As you start eating more healthily, continue to stimulate your interest by finding new recipes using fresh, healthy ingredients. Look into the importance of grains and gradually introduce them to your diet. Try to reduce the proportion of processed foods you eat, as these are often high in sugar and salt. Replace these with food you have prepared yourself and frozen in batches.
Make it work
A healthy eating plan will work if it is gradual. It’s not all or nothing – treat yourself now and again with things you love but are cutting down on. You can be healthy and still partake in occasional cheese hampers from your favourite range of Forman & Field hampers, or sample the occasional teacake with your cup of tea. Eat yourself healthy by treating yourself fairly!