YOUR MEAL PLANNER

ck from the breakfast, lunches and dinners below, allowing for two daily snacks and applying the portion rules for men and women orridge, made with any e of milk and topped with a dful of mixed berries and 1 tbsp of pped nuts and seeds Salad of hardboiled egg slices (2 eggs for men, 1 for women) asparagus, steamed new potatoes and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing Wholemeal pitta filled with houmous and half a sliced red pepper, 1 small Greek yoghurt pot Smoked mackerel salad with baby spinach leaves, a handful of cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Followed by 1 small banana Sweet jacket potato topped with 1 small can of tuna in water, mixed with 1 tbsp of sweetcorn. Greek yoghurt, plus 1 apple Avocado and bacon salad, with 1 grilled rasher of bacon (2 for men), half a sliced avocado, mixed green leaves, lemon juice and black pepper, plus 1 pear

Prawns cooked with mango slices, coconut milk, grated ginger and three chopped spring onions, served with brown basmati rice

Chicken and mixed veg stir-fry with any veg of your choice, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 tbsp soy sauce, wholemeal noodles

Cod fillet, baked with a matchbox sized piece of mozzarella in foil with chopped basil, served with oven roasted Mediterranean veg (sliced peppers, courgettes, tomatoes and red onion) drizzled with 1 tbsp olive oil

Lean steak, grilled and served with grilled mushrooms, red pepper and steamed broccoli

Salmon fillet baked in foil with lemon juice, with tomato and cucumber salad, plus half a sliced avocado Put simply, this means buying recognisable ingredients to prepare at home and avoiding processed and packaged foods. Choose fresh, nutritious items such as vegetables, fruits, wholegrain bread, brown rice, fish, nuts, lean meat and dairy products. Start to think of meals as eating food, not calories.

Remember it’s still possible to overeat – even with healthy foods. Common temptations are peanut butter and whole avocados, which are very nutritious but also high in fat so shouldn’t be eaten in huge amounts every day. Stick to our foolproof portion control method below and follow the detailed meal planner to help you get it right.

Focusing on calories while ignoring the quality of the food and how hungry you feel can muddle the natural hunger cues we’re all born with. Whether you’re eating just because you “have calories left” or you’re not eating when hungry because you’ve “gone over” your calorie limit for the day – either way you’re not listening to your body. Trust your body, it knows what it needs better than some calorie counter.

Another way to guard against overeating is to slow down at the table. It takes a minimum of 20 minutes for the brain to register when your stomach is full – signals you’ll likely miss if you’re eating too quickly. Try putting your knife and fork down between mouthfuls to help you pace yourself.

Recent research found that when people did a short mindfulness exercise called a “body scan meditation” — in which you sit quietly for a few minutes and take stock of how you feel inside – they were better able to pick up on internal cues that signal hunger or fullness. People who are more mindful have also been shown to experience fewer weight fluctuations in the long term. Any single piece of fruit Full-fat yoghurt with no additives Sliced apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter Carrot sticks with 1 tbsp houmous Small handful of any unsalted nuts (not dry roasted) 1⁄2 sliced avocado with one slice of ham Handful of cherry tomatoes with a matchbox-sized piece of any cheese