Written by Accredited Practising Dietitian Vicki Foord
Over the eight years of practising as a clinical Dietitian, I’ve seen countless clients successfully achieve their health and well-being goals. Here are some of the most common nutrition tips I provide in my private practice:
Ditch the diets: fad diets might bring rapid weight loss, but you can’t stick to this for a long period of time. For long-term sustainable weight loss, focus on making real changes that you can stick to! Aim to eat a healthy balanced diet, including a variety of wholesome foods.
Focus on eating regularly: having small regular meals is great for your metabolism. Stock up the pantry with healthy snacks such as nuts, wholegrain biscuits and fresh fruit. Avoid skipping meals as this can lead to overrating at the next meal.
Control your portions: try to eat from smaller plates and fill most of the plate up with non-starchy salad or vegetables. Don’t be afraid to leave food on your plate when you’re already full.
Moderation is the key: there is no need to deprive yourself of any food. You should be able to eat the food that you love – in moderation of course. Enjoy a variety of foods and limit ‘treat” foods to only sometimes.
Always plan ahead: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It is very important to have a rough idea of what you (or your family) want to eat for the week. Being prepared and planning your weekly meals in advance can help save you time in the long run.
Eat more veggies: try and fill up with more vegetables or salad, as these are low in kilojoules and calories and full of vitamins and minerals. Start by bulking up pasta sauces with grated carrot and zucchini, add more chopped veggies into curries.
Move your body: try and incorporate more movement into your day. Being physically active and limiting your sedentary behaviour every day is essential for your health and well-being. It doesn’t matter what exercises you choose, the more important thing is to get your body moving. Try and aim to do 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity each week.