Eating Guidelines
Keep fat intake to 20-60grams per day Eating 5-6 well portioned and nutritious meals a day will not only prevent hunger pains and excessive snacking, but will also keep energy levels and brain functionality high. Include a serving of protein with every meal to make it more satisfying. Fibrous foods are also satisfying, but don’t go crazy with them. Be sure to keep well hydrated, drinking at least 1.5litres of water a day If you are eating a meal and feel full half-way through, fight the need to finish everything on the plate and save the rest for later. This over-eating can spell disaster for a weight-loss regimen. Enjoy high-fat snacks and sweet foods (chocolate, donuts, chips, etc) as occasional treats rather than everyday foods. A good idea is to choose a day and meal in the week when you will treat yourself to a high fat and/or sweet meal. (e.g. slice of chocolate cake on Saturday lunch time) If you must eat take-away, select lower-fat varieties. Try not to consume alcohol while eating (or prior to eating), as alcohol disrupts the normal metabolic pathways of food, which results in greater portions of meals being stored as fat than usual.
Preparation, selection and dinning out
When selecting foods: Learn about the foods you eat by reading nutrition labels. Information about the total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates and cholesterol content of foods can be found. Use the information provided on nutrition labels to compare similar products. Choose lean meats, fish and poultry. Enjoy low-fat and reduced-fat dairy food varieties. Choose plenty of fruit and vegetables. Be sure to select foods that contain essential fats, such as:
When preparing foods: Remove the skin from poultry products and cut away any excess fat from meats before cooking and eating. Bake, broil or grill meats on a rack that allows fat to drip from the meat. Avoid frying foods. Minimise added fats and oils in food preparation (e.g. dressings, added butter and margarine, cream, cheese sauces). Try sprinkling lemon juice and herbs/spices on cooked vegetables instead of using cheese, butter or cream-based sauces. Try plain, non-fat or low-fat yogurt and chives on baked potatoes rather than sour cream. If you use butter/margarine on your sandwiches, try only spreading it on one slice or remove it all together.
When dining out: Choose simply-prepared foods such as broiled, roasted or baked fish or chicken. Avoid fried foods, casseroles, and foods with heavy sauces and gravies. Request that your food be cooked without added butter, margarine, gravy or sauces. Request salad with low-fat dressing on the side instead of a side-serving of chips/fries. Select fruit, non-fat frozen yogurt or sorbet for dessert instead of ice cream, cake or pie.
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