3 Protein up
As a nutrient, protein
requires more kilojoules to
digest than carbohydrate
and protein. This means
meals that are high in
protein will naturally give
you a fat-burning boost.
Aiming for 20-30g of
good-quality protein at
each meal is ideal, or the
equivalent of 2 eggs,
a small chicken breast,
a can of tinned fish or 1 / 2 cup
legumes, with a couple of
tablespoons of cottage
cheese or a tub of Greek
yoghurt. Any snacks should
also contain a minimum
of 5-10g of protein. Good
options include cheese
on wholegrain crackers,
Greek yoghurt with fruit
or a small nut or
protein ball.1
Size matters
You can eat too much
healthy food, and many of
us serve up large portions
of lean meat and lashings
of rice and pasta while we
skimp on the vegetables.
Generally, the later you
have dinner, the smaller
the portion should be.
When it comes to meat
and chicken, stick to a
palm-sized serve and less
than a cup of cooked rice,
pasta or grains. Loading
a plate with 2-3 cups of
salad or veg will keep
other foods under control.
Another option is to swap
your main meal to lunch
and keep dinner a simple
affair of soup or salad.There's no one magic pill for losing
weight, but a series of small steps
can bring rewards that will all add up
WORDS^ SUSIE^BURRELL^ PHOTOGRAPHYGETTYIMAGESIt’s all
about timing
If you enjoy your first
meal too late in the
day, you will have missed the
benefits that come with giving your
metabolism a kickstart first thing in
the morning. Then, if you eat your
dinner too late, you are more likely
to store body fat. Keeping food
consumption within a 12-hour time
window is better for metabolism.
This means breakfast by 8am,
lunch by noon or 1pm and
dinner by 7pm at the latest.2