Balancing Your Diet

The basic markers for a balanced diet are:

• How regularly you eat?

o Skipping meals plays havoc with one's metabolism. It has a negative impact on a number of important functions, such as concentration which can lead to stress. Recent research has also shown that those who skip meals are more likely to be overweight than those who eat regularly.

o A regular eating pattern is having three meals per day or spreading the same amount of food into six meals per day; and Starting each day with a healthy breakfast.

• Do you eat a variety of foods?

o Eat a mixed diet, choose foods from all food groups at each meal.

• A healthy attitude to food

o Make meals varied and enjoy your food

Some advice on specific aspects of diet that will lead to a healthy balance

Ideas on how to reduce your fat intake

• Try eating more mono (olive oil products} and polyunsaturated (sunflower oil products) fat, avoid saturated (animal origin) fat.
• Try purchasing the leanest meat as possible, such as sirloin or round. Cut off excess fat around the edges of your meat to decrease your fat intake. When ordering chicken or turkey, make sure it is skinless. The skin on turkey and chicken contains a lot of fat. The dark meat of poultry has higher fat content than white meat Avoid processed meats sausages, burgers, pate, salami, meat pies and corn beef
• Eat more fish, chicken or turkey ( remove the skin before cooking)
• Do not cook in fat, rather steam, boil, grill or microwave than fry or roast unless it is dry roasting.
• Try using a non-stick pan.
• Use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, low fat yoghurt
• Fill up on vegetables
• Do not use salad cream, mayonnaise or oil based dressings or at least cut-down. A good tip is at restaurants or in the home have your salad dressing on the side or put your salad dressing in a cup on the side of your plate. Stick your fork into the dressing, then into your salad. You will get the flavor of the dressing, but a LOT less calories!
• Skim the fat off stews and casseroles
• Use low fat cheeses, preferably cottage cheese
• Use low fat sauces e.g. tomato-based sauces, fromage frais
• Cut down on high fat snacks ( crisps, nuts, popcorn, biscuits, cakes)

Ways to avoid sugar and sugary foods.

• Do not use any sugar, only artificial sweeteners to sweeten foods and tea or coffee.
• Drink only diet cold drinks and unsweetened fruit juices
• Buy fruit tinned in natural juice rather than syrup.
• Be aware of snack foods rich in sugar i.e. cakes, biscuits, sweets
• Avoid jam, marmalade, syrup and honey.
• Avoid sweetened breakfast cereals.

Options to reduce your salt intake

• Use less salt in cooking.
• Do not add salt at the table, always taste the food first.
• Try and use alternative flavours such as lemon juice, mustard or herbs and spices
• Sauces often are high in salt
• Pre-prepared meals are often very salty