Diet, Don’t Diet!
Written in 2017, updated in 2024.
If you’re anything like me, you may think to yourself: I don’t want to go on a diet but I do want to eat well.
‘Going on a diet’ doesn’t really mean much to me at all, other than a period of time where you’re probably miserable and possibly making bad food choices.
Instead I prefer to eat well, eat regularly and above all eat healthily all of the time.
Here are a few of my own tips for a healthier daily diet, without actually going on a diet.
Fruit and veg
It sounds obvious. But do you eat some fresh fruit and veg daily?
Nuts and seeds
Just one handful of unflavoured, unsalted nuts a day will give you a valuable source of protein, good fats, vitamins and loads of essential minerals. Seeds are nutrient dense too and can be sprinkled onto breakfast, salads or just enjoyed as a snack.
Meals
Can you aim for protein rich, nutrient dense meals?
For example, breakfast may be eggs, bacon, avocado and tomato. Or for a quick breakfast – a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit or two. It’s a good idea to eat breakfast when you’re hungry, and if that’s not first thing then so be it.
Lunch could be a salad with cheese, eggs, nuts or smoked salmon. It could be a tuna wrap with salad - instead of a tuna sandwich you could choose a tuna and sweet corn with mayo wrap, and ask for salad in it too.
Dinner – the list is endless and it all depends how long you want to spend cooking. I often roast a chicken in the oven, and then eat it with veg or salad and maybe some roasted sweet potato or butternut squash, those vegetables being more nutrient dense than a normal potato. Usually I’ll have enough leftover chicken for lunch the next day and to cook a meal the following night.
I have many meal and snack ideas on my Instagram page if you’re looking for more inspiration.
Garlic
It deserves its own paragraph, it’s that good for you. Add it to your food and eat it as often as you can. It’s that simple.
Snacks
As my meals are nutrient dense I don’t really snack that much any more but if you’re feeling hungry between meals, choose something nutritious instead of crisps, chocolates or biscuits.
I often snack on Greek yogurt with berries or pear and a handful of nuts.
You could also choose carrot and celery sticks with some olives and cheese, or apple topped with almond butter.
Sugar
I haven’t eaten sugar in a very long time, but prior to that it was a constant in my life. Whether in the form of biscuits, cake, chocolate, honey in my tea, sweets, apple juice, chocolate spread… I’d indulge whenever I could because I was totally addicted.
I’m not suggesting anyone eliminates sugar from their life to the extent that I have (although if you did reduce your sugar intake it wouldn’t be a bad thing), but being mindful of how much you eat and when can really help you cut down.
So here are just a few of my main tips to lower your sugar intake:
Don’t drink your sugar allowance. Whether added to tea/coffee as sugar or honey, or in the form of fizzy drinks and fruit juice, it’s all the same thing. It’s all best avoided.
Snacks – if you’re hungry between meals the best type of snack is something nutrient rich. I would often snack on a chocolate bar and a packet of crisps… hardly worth it!
Cake – portions of cake in cafes and restaurants are massive! If you’re out for a coffee and have someone to share with then why not do so? You’ll eat half the amount that you would have done but still have a bit… or better still, stick to coffee!
Sauces, pickles and marinades - many contain as much as 30% sugar or more, so have a little look at food labels before you buy.
I hope you’ll find my food ideas helpful… just remember – you don’t need to diet but do consider your diet!