How to make healthier your meals When your next meal rolls around…

1: DRINK TWO GLASSES OF WATER BEFOREHAND.

Thanks to the effect of water on how full you feel, you will consume about 370 fewer kilojoules in the meal, as a result. That can add up to losing 2.2 kilograms in 12 weeks.

2: DIVIDE YOUR PLATE INTO FOUR.

“Fill two ‘quarters’ with vegies or salad, one quarter with a wholegrain carbohydrate, and the last quarter with a lean serve of protein,” says dietitian, Clare Collins. When people with type 2 did that for six months, they were three times more likely to shed 5 per cent of their body weight.

3: MOVE FOR 15 MINUTES WHEN YOU’RE DONE.

It’s an easy way to add 45 minutes of activity into your day, but it also significantly reduces blood sugar spikes. “It doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise either,” says Collins. “Just going for a walk or doing some housework will do the trick.”