Smart eating tips for weight management:
Tune in to your hunger. Eat mindfully – really notice the taste, texture, and smell of your food, and minimise distractions while you’re eating. That way, you become more aware of your food, and may even notice that you’re feeling satisfied so don’t need to eat everything on your plate. Be aware of eating when you are bored or eating out of habit, rather than when you are hungry. It might help to keep a food diary to find out when this may be happening and what might be influencing your eating habits
Some foods should be eaten occasionally rather than every day. These include many takeaway foods (especially those that are deep fried), pies, chocolate, sweets, pastries, biscuits, cakes and chips. It is okay to enjoy these foods on occasion, but they are high in energy, with little other nutritional value, so keep them for special occasions, not every day
Aim for at least an hour or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week for weight loss
Choose a variety of foods. Aim for at least 20 different food items or ingredients daily. Eating a variety of foods will ensure you get an array of vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients
Keeping a food diary record of the foods you eat can also help with weight management.
Meal ideas
The following are a variety of healthy meal suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner:
Breakfast
- A bowl of high fibre, wholegrain cereal or oats with milk and fresh or frozen fruit OR
- Wholegrain muffin topped ricotta cheese and sliced banana OR
- Fruit smoothie made from fresh or frozen fruit, milk and yoghurt OR
- Eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado, tomato and spinach.
Lunch
- Wholegrain salad sandwich, roll or wrap with lean meat, eggs or canned fish plus a tub of yoghurt OR
- Creamed corn, tuna and asparagus wrapped in mountain bread served with salad OR
- Sushi rolls (salmon, tuna, avocado or salad fillings) plus a piece of fruit OR
- Baked potato topped with cottage cheese, fresh herbs and salad plus a piece of fruit.
Dinner
- Stir-fry made with lean beef, skinless chicken breast or eggs and lots of vegetables, served with rice or noodles OR
- Barbecued lean meat, such as steak, chicken, or fish, served with a big salad and roasted veggies
- Lasagne sheets layered with spinach, ricotta cheese, lentils, canned tomatoes and vegetables, top with tomato pasta sauce and low-fat mozzarella cheese OR
- Vegetable Frittata with bean salad and crusty bread.
For more great ideas visit the Australia’s Healthy Weight Week website or check out the Smart Eating for You Recipe section for some meal time inspiration!
