Feel full, not fat

Trying to shift a few pounds? Nutritionist Fiona Hunter suggests 10 ways to control your appetite so you only eat as much as you need.

1. Start your meal with a salad or soup

They will help to fill your stomach and take the edge off your appetite, which means you'll be less likely to overeat at the next course. In one study participants were given meals with exactly the same number of calories either as solid food or as soup. When the calories were given in the form of soup, people said they felt fuller for longer. Researchers also found that after soup participants went on to eat less at their next meal.

2. Be snack smart

The hungrier you are when you start to eat, the longer it takes your hunger to subside. So in other words, the hungrier you are, the more you need to eat before you feel full. The best way to avoid getting over-hungry is to eat every 3-4 hours - three small meals with a couple of healthy snacks in between is perfect. Protein-rich snacks (like a yogurt or a boiled egg) or fibre-rich snacks (such as oatcakes or houmous with crudités) are the best choices to make you feel fuller longer.

3. Up the protein

Eat slightly larger portions of lean protein such as lean meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and low-fat dairy products (for example skimmed milk, cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt).

If you're distracted while eating, you're more likely to miss the 'I'm full' signals

4. Turn off the TV

If you're distracted while eating, you're more likely to miss the 'I'm full' signals that your stomach sends your brain when you've had enough to eat. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when people listened to a detective story as they were eating, they ate 13 per cent more calories than they did without any distractions.

5. Fill up on fibre

One of the reasons why the F-plan diet was so popular was that fibre-rich foods are more filling. Choose wholemeal bread, and brown rice and pasta instead of white. And try adding beans and pulses to salads, stews and soups.

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons to sign up:

You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.
You can sign up for our weekly newsletter (sent out on Wednesdays) - it's packed with recipes, special offers and competitions.