A lot of diets fail because on the surface, starting a diet often seems like it requires changing just one habit. In reality, it requires changing many habits; the type and amount of food that you eat, when you eat them, what you buy on your grocery shop, how much time you spend preparing food, which restaurants to go to, and so much more. Its no wonder people struggle to stay on a ‘diet’.

A slow and steady approach will be more effective than trying to do everything at once, so I’ve come up with six habits that you can tackle over a period of time:

Habit One: Eat Slowly

Slowing down at meal time is a challenge for most of us. With so many things battling for our attention while we’re trying to eat, it’s no wonder we often eat past the point of fullness. Focusing all your attention on your meal will help you to enjoy your food while allowing you to really tune into your body’s signals and needs. By eating slowly, you’ll notice when you’re full, and you’ll know when it’s time to stop eating. Whilst this might feel like a simple task, implementing it can be tough. Here are some tips to help you eat slower:

· Purposely pause to appreciate the sight, smell, taste and texture of your food.

· Taking smaller bites of your food.

· Putting your fork down at regular intervals throughout the meal.

Habit Two: Eat a Portion of Protein at Every Meal or Snack

Protein is filling, satisfying, and vital to maintaining a healthy body. The human body cannot function properly without adequate protein intake.

To get the necessary protein, aiming for a whole serving (a palm sized piece, or roughly quarter of your plate) with each meal. These tips could help you to meet your protein requirements:

· When planning your meal, first choose a protein source and build the meal around that.

· Choose higher protein versions of food that you currently already eat. For example, you could swap regular yogurt for Greek yogurt or Cottage Cheese).

· Cook protein rich foods in large batches so that they are to hand when you need a snack later in the week.

Habit Three: Eat a Serving of Fruit or Vegetables with Every Meal or Snack…

…or aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables are typically a great source of fibre, which is another important aspect of a healthy diet.

· Chop up fruit and vegetables into snack sized chunks at the start of the week so that they’re to hand when you need them (just remember to seal them in an airtight container or douse them in lemon juice or else they’ll go brown).

· Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season so they’ll have better flavour, higher nutrient levels, and usually better prices.

· Buy frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen produce is often a cheaper alternative to fresh, and usually they’re fresher as they’re frozen hours after being picked!

· Add vegetables with a neutral flavour such as spinach to your smoothies.

Habit Four: Eat a Portion of Healthy Fats with Every Meal

A serving of dietary fat is roughly the size of your thumb, which translates to about a tablespoon. Eating dietary fat with meals and snacks helps to balance out blood sugar and energy levels, as well as hunger.

Habit Five: Eat a Portion of Carbohydrates at Every Meal

When it comes to carbohydrates, most people eat more than they need for their activity level, and they often choose highly processed and refined carbohydrates like baked goods and sweets. However, I recommend choosing more nutritious carbohydrates, including food like fruits, vegetables, potatoes, oats, rice and quinoa, for example. A quarter of your plate should be made up of starchy carbohydrates at meal times.

Habit Six: Stay Hydrated

The general rule of thumb is that if your pee is pale yellow and doesn’t have a strong smell, then you are drinking enough. Although drinks such as coffee and tea do count towards your daily hydration levels, you should aim to drink more clear fluids throughout the day.

by Nicky Marie

‘A Habit Based Approach to Nutrition’