One of the main things people struggle with when trying to lose weight is how to balance their plate. Once you start to focus on the food balance, you won’t feel deprived and hungry all the time as you progress on your journey to fat loss. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to implement all these changes at once. Simply pick one or two to work on every couple of weeks. It really is that simple.

For each meal try to focus on getting protein, fat AND carbs along with vegetables or fruit. So for example, toast and marmite isn’t going to cut it. Don’t get me wrong, I love toast and marmite but when you are looking to lose weight, we aren’t restricting but ADDING the right foods in. So by all means eat your toast with marmite, but what else will you have with it? What protein can you add? Cottage cheese? Egg? Then where’s the veg? Perhaps some spinach and cherry tomatoes? Suddenly you have a more satisfying and balanced breakfast.

Take lunch for example. Do you have a bowl of pasta with tomato sauce? Think about how you can add the protein to it. Some fish or chicken perhaps? Can you add a salad on the side? Or add some peas or spinach? If not then how about making sure to have some fruit and yoghurt for pudding!

If you approach every meal with trying to find balance it makes it so much easier to stay full and it will give you more energy. I keep chickpeas, cooked rices and grains in the fridge to add to my eggs and salads so that it bulks it out and keeps me satisfied for much longer. I also don’t feel like something is missing all the time.

If you are wondering how you can lose weight by making all your portions bigger then a general rule of thumb that can really help you in the beginning (and becomes second nature) is to have:

• A palm size portion of protein
• A thumb size portion of fat
• A cupped handful of carbs
• And a closed fist size of vegetables or fruit
• I don’t like to put a limit on leafy veg but a cupped handful of these

I also recommend including two snacks a day of half these quantities. So in total you are having the above 4 times a day. If you miss a snack or don’t like snacking then simply add your snack portions to two of your meals. It’s so easy to make sure you are eating enough and the right amounts when you can eyeball your portions and when your focus is on balance not quantity!

So if you are trying to stop dieting and restricting, it is important to shift your focus to finding balance again! This is one of the best ways I have found to do it and it’s so simple you can take it anywhere. Eventually you will forget how many calories are in everything you eat and how much everything weighs! In order to stop dieting you do have to start somewhere and balancing your plate is the most effective way to do that!

What meal of the day will you focus on balancing this week?

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