Recently I have been making a concerted effort to cut meal portions and I’ve seen almost immediate results. Not just in my body weight but also in my general health.

I absolutely hate feeling full, it can really drag you down physically and mentally.

One simple thing you can do straight away is use smaller dinner plates. Don’t be tempted to load your small plate with food, that defeats the purpose!

Other ideas include:

• Don’t buy large packets of food. I know it’s often cheaper to buy bulk but you really don’t need it around your waist!
• Serve meals on individual plates, don’t put all the food on the table as you might be tempted to keep eating.
• Freeze leftovers.
• Be aware. Really think about the portions you are dishing out and make an effort to cut back your usual size.

Small changes like the ones suggested here really can make a big difference!

I have never been a big fan of fish but just recently salmon has been a regular feature on our menu.

Last Friday I prepared a really yummy salmon served with asian greens, ginger and a side of rice. Fresh ingredients really do make a huge difference and just take your meal to a new level.

Salmon provides a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that help to keep your arteries clear. On top of that, fatty acids have been shown to improve your mental health and strengthen your immune system.

Consider adding salmon to your diet, you really can’t go wrong!

Salmon with sesame greens & ginger-soy dressing

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 (125g each) skin-on salmon fillets
• Olive oil spray
• 60ml (1/4 cup) salt-reduced soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• 1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or other asian greens
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Spray both sides of the salmon with olive oil spray. Add salmon to the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crisp. Turn and cook for a further 1-2 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking.

2. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, sugar, ginger and half the sesame oil in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook the gai lan in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds or until bright green and tender crisp. Drain.

3. Divide the gai lan and rice among serving dishes. Drizzle over the remaining sesame oil and sprinkle with half the sesame seeds. Top with the salmon. Drizzle over the soy sauce mixture and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds to serve.

I love tea. If I want to sit back and relax or settle an upset stomach or nerves a nice hot cup of tea is always at the top of my list of quick fixes.

I found this really interesting article detailing 6 different types of tea for different moods. The first one I found of particular interest because I would like to cut back on my coffee and as the article suggest, black tea is a lite caffeine fix. Perfect!

Other teas listed include chai, barley, green and fruit flavored.

Read the full article here.

One of the problems I see with serial dieters is that they can become quite obsessive about their diet.

Often, people eliminate whole food groups in a desperate attempt to shed weight quickly. One really big problem with doing this is you starve yourself of important nutrients required by your body to function properly.
Sticking to a harsh diet can be damaging to your body and wreak havoc on your mind. The more you deprive yourself, the more you crave foods that you should be avoiding like sweets and processed foods.

Rather than eliminating food groups or going on extreme diets, consider instead eating fresh, healthy produce and keeping your food portions in check.

Strict diets can see quick results but maintaining the regime is incredibly hard long term. You are much better off just chilling out about your diet, find, cook and eat healthy fresh food and most of all enjoy every bite!

I love beans. We always have a variety of beans in our pantry from kidney beans through to bean mixes. They are one of those foods that are incredibly versatile, healthy and cheap.

On average, beans contain almost the same amount of protein found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products and nearly twice as much protein in a small bowl of oats or two slices of bread.

They contain two types of fibre that help to control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels and the other helps to keep you regular.

Beans are also sources of zinc, magnesium, certain B vitamins (thiamine, ribo-flavin, and niacin) and iron.

Because beans contain a naturally produced digestive hormone (cholecystokinin), a natural appetite suppressant, you will find it helps with weight loss.

Beans are an incredibly versatile food to have handy and can be added to salads, pastas, chili, rice dishes, tacos, soups and make an excellent healthy dip.

If buying baked beans, be sure to go with salt reduced or no added salt and stay away from those containing ham or other sauces.

All in all beans are an excellent healthy option to have in your pantry.

There are plenty of people out there in the bad habit of snacking after dinner.

One problem with night time snacking is you can quickly lose control of what you are eating. Quite often the food you choose will be convenient, in a package and full of all those things you work hard to avoid during the day.
It is possible that you could consume as much as another one third of your daily kilojoule intake by having after dinner snacks.

Like many health related topics. opinions are all over the place in terms of whether eating after dinner is good or bad for you. Some journals say it contributes to weight gain and others dispute the claim. I should point out that these journals focused more on eating right before you go to bed rather than after dinner snacking.

For me, eating after dinner is all about control. Personally, I feel really good when I’ve overcome the temptation to dive into the fridge and grab the cheese or whatever else is in there!

Here are some ideas you can try to control the late night snacking habit:

• Eat five or six small meals every day

The trick here is to include complex carbohydrates to your meals. Eating regular smaller meals throughout the day helps to slow insulin production. This means your body stores less fat and burns more of it.
An added bonus of including complex carbohydrates to your diet is your appetite will decrease.
Root vegetables, oats, potatoes, brown rice, pasta, lentils and beans are all good sources of complex carbohydrates.

• Forget Chocolate – Eat more nuts, seeds, fish and green, leafy vegetables

  There is quite a high percentage of people who suffer with magnesium deficiency.

  Some chocolate contains this important vitamin so your urge to eat a chocolate bar may be due to a deficiency.
  The bad news is this doesn’t mean you can fill your pantry up with chocolate!
  Instead, consider including nuts, seeds, fish and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

• Change your daily diet

Cravings and the urge to late night snack may indicate insufficient wholegrains, complex carbohydrates and vegetables in your diet. Consider introducing foods to your day like low-fat yoghurt, cheese, fish and chicken.

• Keep tempting foods out of the house

It’s best to just not have those foods that tempt you in the house to begin with. If they are there and you know it, your craving for it may just win out. If it isn’t there, problem solved!

• Eat more fibre

Eating fibre rich foods will take longer to chew and digest meaning your stomach has longer to feel full. Include fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals and legumes, they contain a higher water content and fewer kilojoules.

• Drink water

Sometimes your brain may think it’s hungry but it could actually mean your body is thirsty.
Try drinking water and see if that fills you up. Of course, one down side to this is you may need to use the bathroom during the night!

• Chew gum

Chewing gum sets off the part of your brain that helps regulate appetite, know as the appestat.
We have a ready supply of Wrigley’s sugar free gum in our pantry and will usually finish off dinner with a piece. In-fact, if I am finding that I’m feeling hungry I will often chew gum and it does help.

It can be tempting to opt for fast-food or convenience food during tough economic times. There is a perception out there that buying healthy food costs more.
But if you are smart about what you purchase, like buying food that is in season for instance, you can stretch your budget $$, feed your family and make nutritious meals that everyone will love.