the new & easy DIET RULES

Just as it’s easier to think straight when your home is in order, you’re more likely to eat healthily when you streamline your goals and get organised. That means tuning out misleading nutrition advice, and simplifying your kitchen. Get ready to start the

The key to a successful and long-term healthy lifestyle is balance – and that includes the food we eat. Getting the right ratio of nutrients at each meal keeps you healthy, happy and energised. But today, we are being hit with more information than ever before, which can mean a tonne of conflicting nutrition advice (“Fat in food is good! No, wait, it’s bad!” “You should cut carbs… but not all carbs!” “Fruit is full of sugar…but fruit is good!”). Cue the confusion that might make you want to give up entirely. But nutrition doesn’t need to be complicated, and you can still enjoy the foods you love. Keep the following guidelines in mind, talk to your doctor before trying a new diet, and of course, if some program promises super-fast or too-miraculous results, give it a pass. Eating healthfully is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix or temporary solution and the guidelines here are designed for lasting success.

1 FOLLOW THIS FORMULA

A healthy blend of proteins, fats and carbs influences chemical messengers that help keep you satisfied until your next meal. Remember this formula: ½ plate vegetables + ¼ plate lean protein + ¼ plate carbohydrates + a sprinkle of healthy fats. That’s how to think about constructing each meal. But what if you end up having pizza at your friend’s birthday dinner?

“It’s okay — the magic is in keeping up this formula week after week,” says dietitian Torey Armul. Simply get back to these ratios at your next meal.

LOAD UP WITH A BASE OF FRUITS AND VEGIES

They take up more space in your belly for fewer kilojoules than other foods, triggering the receptors in your stomach that tell your brain you’re full. Plus, they’re packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients and heart-healthy fibre. Aim for at least two types of vegies. If you’re having a starchy vegetable such as a potato or sweet corn, consider it part of the carb category. If you’re time-poor then always keeping a bag of frozen vegies or a bag of salad in the fridge makes serving up this all-important base a no-brainer.

PICK A PROTEIN

Lean protein lowers levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Go for lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, beans, chickpeas and lentils, and soy-based tofu or tempeh.

FIGURE OUT CARBS

Refined carbs such as white bread cause a drastic spike and crash in blood sugar. Complex carbs such as wholemeal bread, brown rice and legumes have more fibre, which is absorbed slowly, providing steady energy. Make these choices and you’ll find less need for a mid-afternoon energy fix.

FINISH WITH A LITTLE FAT

Stick with a sprinkling of heart-healthy unsaturated fats as much as possible — think olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds.

2 DON’T FEAR KILOJOULES

Almost everyone has a history with kilojoules/calories – counting them, avoiding them, overindulging in them or all three. But obsessing about the number is counterproductive. Kilojoules simply give you fuel – you need a certain number a day. It’s similar to having a budget, where you need to decide which foods are worth ‘spending on.’ Generally speaking, you’ll want to invest the bulk of your kilojoules in food that fills you up with satiating nutrients, but like a budget, you can allocate yourself an occasional discretionary spend (yes, that means a treat every now and then without guilt).

3 WATCH OUT FOR ADDED SUGAR

Most of us understand that added sugar has no nutritional benefits and adds a whack of kilojoules. The problem is that it’s hidden in all kinds of sneaky places – pumped into foods during processing and preparation. Let’s be clear: naturally occurring sugars are fine. Those are ones that occur in fruits and even foods such as milk and plain yoghurt.

What you should cut back on is sugar added by manufacturers in products such as breakfast cereals and packet sauces or meal kits. Play investigator and look at the ingredient list: “Be wary of anything with an added sugar in the top three ingredients,” says dietitian Sally Kuzemchak. “This can be tricky, since there are 60-plus aliases for sweeteners, but two big red flags are ingredients that end in ‘–ose’ and ones that contain the word ‘syrup’ or ‘juice.’ ” (Cue rice malt syrup, ‘natural’ juice).

Too much sugar harms your arteries and organs, lowers your good HDL cholesterol, and can cause you to pack on weight, which in turn increases your risk of heart disease even more. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who got about 25 per cent of their kilojoules from added sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who kept added sugar to less than 10 per cent of their kilojoules—so it’s important to enjoy this indulgence in moderation.

4 ORGANISE YOUR KITCHEN

Now it’s time to declutter the space where all the healthy-eating magic happens. “It’s amazing how simple changes can turn bad eaters into good ones,” explains food psychologist Professor Brian Wansink. Research shows that messy kitchens actually inspire unhealthy food choices. “If you don’t have space to cook or if the knives for chopping vegetables are dirty, you’ll have a tendency to gravitate toward less healthy packaged foods,” says dietitian Maxine Smith. With these organisational tips you’ll notice how much easier it is to stay on track.

MAKE HEALTHY FOOD SIMPLE TO SPOT

Rearrange your pantry, cupboards and fridge. Research shows you’re three times more likely to eat the first food you see than the fifth one.

“If there’s one food that’s your kryptonite, the best thing you can do is make it as unattractive and inconvenient as possible. Even wrapping a tempting food in foil can do that. When you see something wrapped in foil do you say, yum?” says Wansink. So make tempting foods invisible and inconvenient – getting jars of lollies, biscuits and other treats off visible shelving, and put them in non-see-through containers towards the back of cupboards and your fridge.

“Having healthy foods front and centre on the shelves helps you eat better,” says dietitian Robin Plotkin. So make sure when you open your pantry and fridge you see fresh fruit, healthy trail mix or chopped vegie sticks with hummus.

A study carried out by the University of Birmingham found that eating a meal while distracted could increase the amount of food consumed

by up to 50%.

CLEAN UP YOUR KITCHEN COUNTER

If your food prep space is cluttered with things like appliances and other non-essentials, you’re more likely to grab at a biscuit than find room to chop up a bunch of celery. Put all specialty gizmos in a box. “When you use one, bring it out, but after a month, much of what’s left in the box probably won’t be used – so toss it,” says professional organiser Peter Walsh, author of Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight.

CLEAR THE TABLE

When your dining table is blanketed by papers, you wind up eating dinner on the couch in front of the TV – not great for mindful eating. If you’re distracted while you’re eating, (which you are in front of the TV or any kind of screen), studies show you tend to eat more quickly and you’re less likely to feel satisfied afterwards. If your dining table doubles as a work desk, get a rolling filing cabinet and caddy so you can stash all the paperwork and clutter away when you’re not actively working on it.

STREAMLINE MEAL PREP

Decide what’s on the menu for the coming week ahead of time, and make a list of ingredients you can take with you when you go shopping. That way you can ensure you have fruits and vegies ready to eat in your fridge. (See box this page for your meal prep checklist). Or try a company that delivers pre-prepped ingredients, like Hello Fresh (hellofresh.com.au). It will take the hard work out of mealtime as well as give you new ideas.