- Eat lots of fresh, unprocessed foods, every day.
- Eat lots of colourful foods all the time - I'm talking F&V here not lollies.
- Try to use healthy fats and oils (eg olive, walnut), but don't be silly and give up butter on your wholegrain toast.
- Drink lots of water, all day, everyday - add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice when you can.
- 1-2 coffees a day, no more. Enjoy a few teas too. Green is good as are 'herbal'.
- Start the day with a minium of ... natural yoghurt, fresh fruit (inc frozen berries) muesli + full cream milk is fine (it's only 4% fat).
- Make easy peasy muesli and load it with nuts (eg walnuts & almonds), seeds (sun, flax, sesame) and those hard to get enough of goodies.
- If you have cereal with your muesli make sure it is a low|er sugar variety eg weetbix and cornflakes.
- Seriously limit foods with added sugar - but don't go without.
- Have smaller portions, think french! this especially applies if and when you eat dessert - ideally no more than once a week.
- During the week, just have 1 small glass of wine and not every night.
- Half you main meal plate should be vegetables or salad.
- Try really hard not to snack, or eat on the run or graze.
- When baking or making pancakes, always substitute some of the flour with bran or germ flakes - oats or wheat or other grains and where sugar is added, reduce by at least a quarter or use stevia.
- Cook meat with the fat on for taste but trim before eating. (choose grass fed if you can - eat red meat max 3 times pw)
- Have heaps of variety every day, at least 40 different ingredients.
- Shop weekly, at the beginning so you have plenty of choice for the week and don't cut corners!
- If you eat crackers - look for wholemeal, 'clean' versions which by style are low fat. eg Vitaweet, Ryvita seedy rice crackers.
- Ensure every week you eat fish at least once, preferably twice..
- Only eat organic chicken and eggs - once or twice per week.
- Skip margarine, sweet muesli bars, thick sliced breads, white bread, bought cakes, biscuits, lollies, cordials, soft drinks etc.
- Limit bacon, salami etc as it contains nitrates.
- Go easy on sour cream, cheese, cream as the fat levels are 20-80% and are saturated fats.
- Try hard not eat anything with artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- Keep kids food simple but fresh and wholesome. If they don't eat it, don't substitute because they must not be hungry.
- Limit shop juice to a small glass a day - make sure no added sugar, with pulp where possible , no preservatives.
- Eat pasta, white rice, etc but no more than once a week for each type and not whopping big serves.
- Try to incorporate pulses, quinoa, different 'fillers' into several meals a week.
- If you want to eat chips (& don't have a weight problem) cook them yourself - use a frozen variety that has been pre-fried in healthy fats and then use a clean oil (high smoke) such as coconut or sunflower, and make the portion size small ie 10 chips! Perfect.
- Try to eat dinner early (or not just before bed) and as a family - even if it is only a few nights a week.
Fab You! | what to eat & cook daily
The following is a wrap up of how I shop, cook and eat on a daily basis. Saying that it does not mean that I miss out if I go out or if it's a special time. Everything in moderation including moderation!
However, for February I am going to do a FAST FEB to Get Focused and Feel Fabulous which means I follow my points EXCEPT: NO alcohol, NO wheat, only one coffee per day and NO added sugar foods WHAT-SO-EVER + exercise 4 times a week for 30 mins minimum. Not only will I physically feel the difference, mentally I will feel super for being able to stick to my goal! Good Luck! :)