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Kick start your summer eating plan today!
We hand-picked some cool tips for you to get your summer eating plan in place. We encourage you to make small but significant changes to your shopping, cooking and eating habits. Try one, two or all of these simple tips to help you make healthier food and lifestyle choices.
| Don’t drink your kilojoules | Sugary drinks and fruit juice are energy-dense and high in sugar. Rather choose infused waters and unsweetened ice teas – these will quench your thirst and cool you down without all those extra kilojoules. |
| Include healthy fats | The secret to eating fats lies in choosing healthy fats over unhealthy ones. Avocados, oily fish (like salmon, trout, herring and mackerel), nuts and seeds are all rich sources of unsaturated fat. |
| Avoid refined starches | Grains are usually refined to remove the bran and germ, but this also reduces its nutrient content. Replace processed and refined grains with less-refined, high-fibre, wholegrain options like brown rice, oats, bulgur wheat, quinoa, whole-wheat bread and pasta. |
| Quit sugar | Too much sugar may harm your health. Naturally occurring, simple sugars found in fruit, vegetables and milk can be eaten daily. However, added sugars, such as sucrose and fructose, through excess kilojoules, can contribute towards weight gain and diabetes. Look at the ingredients list on food products to check for added sugar. |
| Exercise | You lose weight when you burn more kilojoules than you eat. Exercise also reduces stress, improves focus, helps you sleep better and improves your confidence and mood. Remember to start slowly and find an activity you enjoy. |
| Eat only when you’re hungry | We often eat because we’re bored, stressed, frustrated, sad, or when socialising. Using food or snacks as a quick fix can become a habit. It’s better to try address issues and emotions by calling a friend, relaxing with a book or taking a walk. |
| Be careful of extreme deprivation | Deprivation may lead you to eat the very foods that you’re trying to avoid. Change your behaviour and develop healthy food habits. Moderation, balance and variety is the key to success. |
| Set up your home to support your healthy diet | Small changes to your environment can make a big difference to your health and eating habits. Focus on adding healthy foods to your diet, rather than taking unhealthy foods away, by stocking up on fruit, vegetables and healthy snacks. |
| Set a goal not related to weight | Shift your mind set from weight loss and focus on a non-related weight loss goal such as taking a walk at lunch time or eating more vegetables. Plan towards a future function or work towards fitting into your favourite outfit again Commit to a goal without it becoming all about the numbers. |
| Get good quality sleep | Sleep helps your body and mind recover from daily life. Too little of it has been linked to weight gain, diabetes and lowered immunity to illness. To improve your sleep, try going to bed and waking at the same time each day; start a relaxing bedtime routine; avoid naps; sleep on comfortable bedding; and avoid caffeine. |
You can also learn more about staying healthy and filling your tummy with good foods by checking out what our Head of Nutrition Strategy, Candice Smith, had to say about kick-starting your summer eating plan on @Expresso with Woolies.
