Drastically restricting the amount and range of foods ‘allowed’
will leave you hungry and ‘craving’ your favourite foods. This
leaves you open to temptation and more likely to overeat. The diet
that will work best for you is one based on foods you enjoy.
Eat a greater proportion of foods that are high in carbohydrate
and low in fat, such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fruit and
vegetables. Carbohydrate-containing foods make you feel fuller and
more satisfied, helping to prevent overeating. They also contain
less than half the calories of fat (carbohydrate has only 4kcal per
gram while fat has 9kcal per gram). Do not cut out food types,
instead limit the amount of certain foods, such as those high in
fat, and replace them with carbohydrate-rich, low-fat alternatives.
Eat regularly and do not skip meals.
Healthy eating does not mean eating plain, tasteless foods! You
can continue to eat your favourite lunch and supper time meals.
Simply adapt how they are prepared and served so that the
carbohydrate content is higher and the fat content lower. Try the
following suggestions for popular meals:
-
Bangers and Mash: More mashed potato, less
sausage, plenty of beans
-
Spaghetti Bolognese: More spaghetti, less
bolognese sauce, plenty of salad
-
Traditional Lunch: More potatoes, less
meat, plenty of vegetables
-
Curry: More rice, less curry
-
Sandwiches: Thicker bread, less meat, cheese or
other filling, plenty of salad or pickle
Try a fruity dessert or a moderate portion of a low-fat pudding
(see Which foods
are high in carbohydrates?)
It is important that you eat a wide range of foods to ensure
that you get all the nutrients you need and do not feel deprived.
To really succeed in changing your habitual diet you need to enjoy
your food. Try different types of fruit and vegetables, experiment
with high carbohydrate foods and lower fat recipes.
Don’t take a diet to extremes - there is no need to ban high fat
or favourite foods. Instead, try to reduce the portion size or have
them less often. Having a small portion of chips with your dinner
once in a while will not undo all your hard work. Including
favourite foods can actually help you to stick to the diet. This
way you can incorporate them into the overall healthy balance of
your diet. It’s the total number of calories over a few days that
counts, not just the amount in one meal or snack.
Alcohol is high in calories, so you may need to reduce your
intake if you have more than a couple of alcoholic drinks a
day.
