Eat well
Diet plan: how to stick to a healthy diet
Struggling to get your diet back on track after a break or a busy week? BHF Senior Dietitian Dell Stanford shares 10 achievable nutrition tips to help you keep to a healthy diet and a healthy weight.
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Eating a healthy. balanced diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is the best way to lose excess weight and maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI).
This is especially the case if you want to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart attack and stroke.
But sticking to good food choices can be a challenge, particularly if you are on holiday or have a busy week ahead.
The good news is, eating in a healthier way does not need to be a complete overhaul.
The best approach is to make small, sustainable changes to how and what you eat, rather than going on a restrictive diet plan. This way, you’re more likely to stick to your new eating patterns for good.
If you need motivation to make a change, here are 10 tips to help you get back on track with healthy eating – or even start a healthy new habit.
1. Start your diet plan today – do not put it off
You do not have to wait for tomorrow, next Monday or next month to put your plan into action. Start with the next meal you eat, no matter what you had to eat earlier.
If you’re going away, have something in the fridge or freezer that you can cook easily when you return or, if you shop online, book a delivery of healthy foods for when you get home.
- Try one of these 12 easy recipes to make with tinned food.
2. Plan your meals
Planning your meals for the week ahead might seem like a hassle, but taking 15 minutes to make a list will set your intention, as well as allowing you to make healthy choices even when you’re busy.
It could also save you money by reducing the chance that you’ll buy takeaways or other convenience foods because you do not have anything at home to eat.
Write a shopping list of the meals and snacks you’re going to have. Only buy what’s on it and do not shop when you’re hungry.
Make sure you include enough fruit and veg to give you at least 5 portions a day.
- Follow our sample menus to plan 7 days of healthy meals on a budget.
3. Use measuring cups and spoons
Weighing out every ingredient can be off-putting. But using measuring cups or spoons is a quick and simple way to manage portions, especially if the amount you eat creeps up over time.
For rice, pasta and breakfast cereals, plate up what you usually eat, then find a cup or scoop that fits this amount so you can stick to it each time.
For oils and spreads, it’s particularly important to measure your portions.
One tablespoon of oil contains about 100kcals, so pouring it straight from a bottle can quickly increase the calorie content of your food. If you use a non-stick pan, less than a 1 teaspoon will often be enough for frying.
If you would like more tips on reducing portion sizes to help you lose weight, our guide to healthy weight loss can help you identify how much of each food group you need.
- Find out what 100 calories looks like.
4. Fill half your plate with veg
A simple way to lower the calories on your plate is to increase the amount of veg and salad on it.
Put these foods on your plate first, making sure the vegetables cover half of it. The remaining half should be split between lean protein and wholegrains.
You will still get a variety of foods and food groups, but fewer calories overall. Using a smaller plate is another simple change to help manage your portion sizes.
5. Listen to your hunger
It’s easy to eat even when you’re not hungry, whether that’s out of habit, because you’re bored or if you’re out of routine, such as on holiday or at Christmas.
Aim for 3 balanced, filling meals that are regularly spaced throughout the day. This will help you manage your hunger and be less likely to ‘graze’ between meals.
6. Snack on fruit
However, if you genuinely need a snack between meals, the healthiest option is not snack bars or ultra-processed options that claim to be low in fat or sugar. All you need to do is reach for the fruit bowl or vegetable drawer.
These are low in calories, provide plenty of nutrients and help you towards your 5-a-day. Even better, pair them with protein, to keep you fuller for longer and help your blood sugars stay stable.
Good combinations are apple slices with peanut butter, berries with plain yogurt, banana and nuts, or veg sticks with hummus.
- Can you eat too much fruit? Get our expert’s view.
7. Choose sugar-free drinks
You can consume lots of calories from sugary drinks without noticing. Whether it’s a fizzy drink, smoothie, fruit juice, squash, sugary tea or a coffee shop flavoured latte, they all add up.
Try to go sugar-free with your drinks, choosing water, lower-fat milk, hot drinks without sugar, 'diet' options or a sugar-free squash instead.
- Find out how to spot sugar on an ingredients list.
8. Take lunch to work
When you are juggling a busy day at work, it’s all too easy to grab a convenient, readymade sandwich or pre-prepared meal, which is higher in calories, fat and salt than you would like.
Taking a little time to make a packed lunch the night before or in the morning will pay dividends by midday because you’ll have a nutritious dish waiting in the fridge, ready to eat.
It should also save you money over time, plus you will not need to waste valuable minutes scrutinising the label.
- This tuna and cherry tomato pasta salad recipe is perfect for packed lunches.
9. Stay focused on weekends
Although weekends or days off might normally be when we relax the rules a little, aim to stick with your diet plan as much as you can.
Remember, healthy eating is for life. Build in the occasional treat, including non-food treats. Avoid eating in front of the TV as it can become a habit.
Mindful eating - eating slowly and being aware of what you're eating, and how hungry or full you are - can help maintain your healthy eating habits.
Avoid indulgent meals out or a takeaway. Instead, find healthy versions of your usual weekend treats and try to stay active.
- Why not try one of our recipes for a heart-healthy curry?
10. Cut down on alcohol
Alcohol delivers a triple whammy of being high in calories, increasing appetite (even in small amounts) and lowering inhibitions, which means you’re less likely to stick to your healthy eating and activity plans if you’ve had a few drinks.
If you drink alcohol, try having alcohol-free days during the week or swapping to low-alcohol options.
- Take our quiz to learn about the calories in alcoholic drinks.
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