Nutrition Plan

Breakfast

Probably the most appealing benefit is that breakfast jump starts your metabolism and, thus, helps you burn more calories throughout the day.High-fiber foods, like oatmeal for breakfast can help suppress your appetite for the day. This is because oatmeal increases an appetite-regulating hormone called cholecystokinin. You can also have one serving of fresh fruit later as a mid-morning snack.

Drink your Vegetables

If you don’t like eating raw vegetables, a green health drink could be the perfect alternative. There’s no real way to mask the taste of raw vegetables because there’s nothing to cover the flavour. But you can add a fruit to your green health drink to enhance the flavour. The addition of fruit does come with more calories, but at least they aren’t empty calories since fruit contains nutrients that are essential for your health

Snacks

Being prepared is the real secret to having healthy snacks whenever you need them. (which is often! believe me) While there are lots of recipes you can prepare in advance, sometimes it’s more practical to keep it simple. If you’re really busy, these are some great on-the-go snacks that require minimal preparation:

• Greek yoghurt
• Nuts
• Seasonal fruits
• Canned tuna. It’s great as a toast topper, or on its own if you’re really short on time.
• Vegetables (to cut into vegetable sticks)
• Eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are a great snack any time of day!
• Chickpeas — try a small serve of chickpeas with dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano and salt and pepper for a quick and tasty snack!

You can always make small portions of leftovers to have as a snack the next day, or to freeze for future use when you’re really busy.

Protein Smoothies

Our bodies need protein for healthy skin, hair, bones, and heart. Plus, a protein-packed breakfast can prevent overeating.The secret to creating something delicious is striking the right balance between protein sources (such as Greek yogurt, protein powder, and peanut butter) and sweet and/or savory add-ins. This is my personal favorite.

Recipe: Peanut butter oatmeal smoothie

Protein source: Peanut butter/soy milk/Whey Protein

All the fixings of a healthy breakfast — peanut butter/Whey Protein/Soy Milk,banana, and rolled oats.

The best part: This smoothie takes only five minutes to make.

Portion Control

A rough guide for each meal:

• Vegetables or salad: Half a plate
• High-quality protein: Quarter of a plate — this includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu, beans and pulses
• Complex carbs: Quarter of a plate — such as whole grains and starchy vegetables
• High-fat foods: Half a tablespoon (7 grams) — including cheese, oils and butter

Here are few tips to measure and control portion sizes — both at home and on the go.

• Use Smaller Dinnerware
• Use Your Plate as a Portion Guide
• Use Your Hands as a Serving Guide
• Ask for a Half Portion When Eating Out
• Start All Meals With a Glass of Water

Remember that this is a rough guide, as people have different dietary needs. For example, those who are more physically active often require more food.

Chew your food

The quickest way to a flatter stomach, then, without changing your diet or what you actually consume for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is to start paying attention to the food that’s in your mouth. Chewing slowly means it will take you longer to finish your meal, but it also means you will need smaller portions. Chewing properly gives your brain a chance to register when you are full, allowing you to stop eating instead of racing through a large meal only to realise you’re full after you have overeaten.

Here are five reasons why you should eat slowly:

1. Your stomach does not have teeth. If you don’t chew your food properly, your digestive system won’t be able to break it down.
2. Undigested food takes more space in your stomach than digested food and creates bloating, thus slowing down the entire digestive process.
3. Chewing slowly also helps increase the alkalinity of the food, which is extremely important. Many people suffer from acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion, and while some foods – even if chewed well – trigger these problems, it is important to note that the longer you chew, the less acid is formed.
4. Eating fast leads to a lot of air being swallowed, causing unnecessary bloating, regardless of what you are eating, whether a fruit salad or chocolate bar.
5. Gobbling your meal quickly under stressful circumstances – such as during a meeting at work – means diverting energy away from your digestive system, thus leading to fewer calories burnt, slower metabolism and a bigger waistline.