Healthy Diet Plan: how to lose excess weight
Want to lose weight in a healthy way while still eating delicious food? Discover how our Healthy Diet Plans can help you achieve your goal.
Maintaining a healthy weight is key for good health; it improves sleep and energy levels and helps us feel our best. However, if you're looking to lose a few pounds, it can be hard to know where to start.
Our Healthy Diet Plan is a great way to make sure you’re getting optimum nutrition while losing excess weight in a healthy, sustainable way. We've designed our Weight Loss Diet to give you between 1,200-1,500 calories per day – this should be slightly less than what you usually consume and will lead to steady, controlled weight loss.
If weight loss isn't what you're after, you might prefer our Healthy Eating Plan which is designed to help you eat the recommended number of calories per day – around 1,400-2,000. This includes healthy snacks and treats, as well as balanced meals.
Check with your GP if you're not sure what a healthy weight range is for you. They can also check for any underlying medical conditions that may be causing excess weight gain.
You'll find lots more bonus content from our experts to help you stay on track. Find out how to get more active, how to cut back on sugar and how to support your immunity.
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Five tips for healthy weight loss
1. Eat a healthy breakfast
Start the day well – studies suggest that people who start the day with a protein-rich, satisfying breakfast are less likely to make poor food choices later on and may potentially reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Breakfast is also a great opportunity to get in some key nutrients and really start your day off well. A good choice would be porridge with milk and fresh fruit - it gives you fibre, protein, calcium and vitamins, all of which are important for supporting health and weight loss.
Sign up to our free Healthy Diet Plan to discover some filling ways to start your day, like our black forest breakfast bowl.
2. Eat mindfully
Get in touch with your hunger levels and think carefully about what your body is telling you. If you're craving something sweet, are you really hungry or are you actually bored, stressed, tired or emotional? Trying to address these other needs can help you to feel better without eating when you're not really hungry. Depending on what your body needs, you might try distracting yourself with a fun or relaxing activity, having a quick nap, enjoying a relaxing bath, or calling a friend for a chat. If you really are hungry, eating a healthy snack should tide you over until your next meal.
Take a look at our balanced snack and sweet treat suggestions.
3. Curb nighttime cravings
If you’re prone to overeating in the evening, you’re not alone. Many people eat a large proportion of their daily calorie intake once they've settled down on the sofa, and if you're aiming to lose excess weight, this can hinder your efforts. Be prepared and plan to eat a satisfying, balanced dinner that you know you will enjoy. Choosing a meal full of strong flavours, such as spices, combined with beans, pulses and vegetables, which may help satisfy carb cravings.
If you know you’ll definitely want a little something sweet after dinner, portion yourself a small amount to have soon after your meal, then set yourself a cut-off time to stop eating. This is a good way to stop mindless snacking continuing throughout the evening, which can lead to excess calories being consumed. Give it a go with our cinnamon-scented rice with pomegranate.
4. Eat plenty of protein
When you eat protein, it takes the body longer to turn food into glucose than if it was simple carbohydrates. Therefore, having protein with every meal contributes to steadier blood sugar control, greater satiety and reduced sugar cravings. It may also mean you’ll eat less throughout the day and lose weight. Our flavoursome puy lentils with seared salmon is a great choice.
5. Opt for wholefoods
While ready-meals and pre-packaged foods may save you time, they're often processed, which means they're probably high in calories, salt and sugar but low in fibre and nutrients. Foods like these are likely to cause you to eat more throughout the day. Many of the dishes in our Healthy Diet Plan are designed to be eaten over multiple days, meaning you only need to prepare them once and you'll have a number of nourishing meals to enjoy. Serve up our butterbean curry for dinner and later again for lunch in the form of curry wraps.
Find out more about our latest Healthy Diet Plan.
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All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. Any Healthy Diet Plan featured by BBC Good Food is provided as a suggestion of a general balanced diet and should not be relied upon to meet specific dietary requirements. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider. See our terms and conditions for more information.
