Many people believe eating healthily is about dieting or eating less. In fact, it’s simply a case of eating more of what your body needs and less of what it doesn’t – what we call a balanced diet. That doesn’t have to mean boring or tasteless food though – and you can still snack on healthier alternatives, such as fruit, raw vegetables, rice cakes and fat-free yogurts.

Lots of food and drink portions have been getting bigger in recent years. Eating bigger portions can lead to increases in waistlines and body weight in children and adults. The extra weight means your body will need to work harder just to carry the weight around – your heart needs to work harder and you’re more likely to be out of breath. An extra 10lbs is like carrying around 10 big blocks of butter as you go about your daily life!

But the good news is that it’s possible to do something about it. Consciously choosing a smaller portion, saying no to a second helping or not asking for an extra side of chips can help stop further weight gain.

The you can set other small goals to eat less and be more active, which will help you lose weight, so you will look and feel better. And it will have a major impact on your health too!

Set yourself realistic and achievable targets for healthier eating and drinking and being more active. Thinking about your portion sizes doesn’t mean you need to eat tiny amounts of everything or measure exactly what’s on your plate.

Simple healthy tips on portion sizes

• Eat regularly – three meals each day, ie. breakfast, lunch and evening meal. Try to avoid nibbling in-between, but if you’ve got the ‘munchies’, go for ready-prepared vegetable sticks or fruit.
• Eat slowly, to give your body a chance to tell you it’s satisfied. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’re full.
• Eat until you’re no longer hungry, not until you feel full.
• Use a smaller plate – this can prevent you overfilling a larger plate and help you lose weight.
• Don’t nibble at leftovers – you can cut down on leftovers by cooking less or using them up in another meal.
• Check food labels – If you’re not sure how much of a food to eat in one serving, have a look at the food label, which appears on packaged food and drink.
• Watch out for supersized portions when you’re eating out. Come up with ways to deal with bigger portions, eg. opt for a starter portion, leave out the chips, don’t force yourself to clear your plate, share a dessert between two or three people.
• Try to be more active every day and remember, if you slip up one day, don’t dwell on it. Just carry on to the next day with your target in mind.

To see if unwanted weight could be putting your health at risk, check your body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement. Lots of food and drink portion sizes have been getting bigger in recent years. Eating bigger portions can lead to serious increases in waistlines and body weight for adults and children.

Choosing healthier foods and drinks can make you look and feel better as well as making a big difference to your health. Being more active is also really important. Together these changes can help protect against obesity. This is important as obesity increases the risk of developing major health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

Remember: Even if you’re eating healthier foods, eating too much will mean you can still put on weight! Click here for more information on Healthy Eating.