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A personal action plan
Follow this 4 week plan and change your lifestyle for good.
Week 1
Build strong foundations and establish a 'food' routine. Being fully aware of the amount and types of foods you currently eat is a step nearer to success.
Develop a meal time routine
Eating at regular times will help your body to function properly. Enjoy a breakfast, lunch and evening meal - stave off hunger pangs between meals with healthy snacks.
Plan your meals
Leave nothing to chance and plan your meals - having healthy food at the ready keeps temptation at bay.
Chart your progress
Commit to healthy eating and complete a food diary - you may be surprised at what you actually consume! Writing down everything you eat, before you eat it, can really help you to stay focused. Complete a food diary for a whole week and then maybe for just three days a week - try choosing different days each week.
Useful links
http://www.bdaweightwise.com/
http://www.teenweightwise.com/
http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/
Week 2
A balanced diet provides all the nutrients that your body needs for optimal health. Now is the time to make sure you food provides you with everything you need.
Include starchy foods (e.g. bread, cereals, yam, pasta, rice and potatoes) with each meal. These foods provide energy and fibre and should make up about a third of your food intake.
Aim for 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Find the fruit and vegetables that you enjoy and try adding an extra portion each day until 5 a day becomes a habit.
Eat smaller amounts of meat, fish and vegetarian alternatives. Protein is important for health but we tend to eat more than we need. Choose lower fat options and remember to trim off any skin and visible fat.
Dairy foods provide calcium - essential for bone health. Swap full fat dairy foods such as milk and cheese, for lower fat versions. Use butter/ spreads sparingly and cut down on sugar in drinks. Limit foods high in fat and sugar such as cakes, biscuits and pastries.
Useful links
http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/
http://www.bda.uk.com/latest-food-facts.php
Week 3
A balanced diet within a daily routine is perfect for health - but remember you can have 'too much of a good thing'!
Food portion sizes have increased in recent years - just think of ‘eat as much as you like’ style restaurants and king size chocolate bars. It is impossible to give ‘one size fits all’ portion sizes as more active people need slightly larger portions to meet their energy requirements. Try gradually reducing your food portion sizes if you’re trying to lose weight. As a general rule of thumb, fill up on foods such as fruit and vegetables/salad as these foods contain relatively few calories. Starchy foods are also useful for curbing hunger but limit added fats such as butter and margarine. Some people find that using a smaller plate can help manage their portion sizes.
Increase you daily fluid intake to at least 2 litres/d. Water is great but you could also try diluted fruit juice or sugar free squash. Up to 4 cups of tea or coffee per day can contribute to your 2 litres/d - if you drink more than 4 cups a day try alternating with caffeine free drinks.
Useful links
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/
Week 4
Congratulations you have made lots of positive changes to your eating pattern - now is the time to fine tune your food. Try as many of these suggestions as you can.
Up your fibre and feel fuller for longer - try opting for wholegrain varieties of bread, pasta and brown rice.
Fruit and vegetables are packed with different combinations of vitamins and minerals. Increase the variety of fruits and vegetables that you eat to ensure that you are getting all that you need.
White fish is a good source of protein and is naturally low in fat while oily fish provides omega-3 fatty acids. Eating both once a week is thought to bring significant health benefits.
Vegetarian alternatives can be just as high in fat as meat and fish products - ‘vegetarian’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘healthier’.
Don’t forget dairy foods. Aim for 2-3 servings per day of dairy foods - one serving might be 1/3 pt semi-skimmed milk (or alternative calcium enriched milk), 3oz of cottage cheese or a small pot of low calorie yogurt.
Opt for monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats and oils rather than saturated fat. Avoiding saturated fat is good for heart health but keep in mind that all fat is high in calories and is best used sparingly.
Useful links
http://www.bda.uk.com/latest-food-facts.php
http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk
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