Tips For Maintaining Healthy Weight

Good Lifestyle Habits are the Key

For many of us, maintaining a healthy weight might seem really daunting. But it doesn’t need to be if we just try to swap over to healthier eating and physical activity habits everyday.

Whether at home, work or on the run, some simple, small and easy changes for life can make all the difference.

The Best Ways to Maintain a Healthy Weight

There are heaps of things we can do to get to a healthy weight and, just as importantly, stay there. How about starting off with these simple ideas:x

Tips for Breakfast

  • Aim to have breakfast everyday as it’s proven to help keep us at a healthier weight
  • get up 15 minutes earlier to make time for a healthy breakfast, or prepare some of it the night before
  • a healthy, filling breakfast will help prevent hunger pangs before lunch.

Try one of these tasty breakfast options:

  • Porridge with low-fat milk and top with kiwi fruit
  • Wholegrain toast with a poached egg and grilled tomato
  • Fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk, banana and yoghurt.

Tips for Lunch

  • have a balanced lunch to keep you going during the day
  • include one to two serves of vegetables at lunch time
  • pack lunch at home for a healthier alternative to buying your lunch. It will save you money too!

Try one of these delicious lunch ideas:

  • wholegrain sandwich with low-fat cheese and lots of salad
  • wholegrain wrap with grilled vegies and lean chicken
  • salad with three-bean mix and corn kernels.

Tips for Dinner

  • go for vegetables galore and aim for three to four serves of vegies at dinner
  • divide your dinner plate as follows:
    • vegetables or salad should fill up at least half your plate at dinnertime, so pile them on!
    • then fill one quarter of your plate from the protein choice such as lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds
    • the remaining quarter is for carbohydrates such as bread, brown rice, pasta or noodles
  • check that serve sizes of protein and carbohydrates are within the recommended daily guidelines
  • try baking, steaming or grilling your meat or vegetables instead of frying
  • cook meals at home more often and limit takeaways to once a week – it will help your budget as well
  • try whipping up one of the following for dinner:
    • tuna and vegie pasta bake with low-fat cheese
    • chicken and vegetable stir fry with noodles or rice
    • barbecue marinated lean meat kebabs and serve with a colourful salad.

Tips for Snacks

For a quick, easy and healthy snack try one of these options:

  • fruit is natures snack! Pack a piece of in-season fruit in your bag to have during the day
  • a small handful of nuts makes a fantastic snack and contains healthy fats. Make sure they are unsalted, and even add a small amount of dried fruit for extra flavour
  • low-fat yoghurt is a healthy and filling option. Buying 1 kg tubs and dividing into five, 200g portions is cheaper than buying yoghurt in portion packs.

Tips for Being Active

Tips for being active for 30 minutes a day

  • take the dog for a walk
  • meet a friend for a walk or a bike ride
  • park the car and walk the rest of the way
  • take the stairs instead of a lift or escalator
  • get off the bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way
  • join a local sport, recreation or fitness club
  • when at work go for a walk at lunchtime.