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Could you eat like a dietitian?

Tara Diversi

Rule No. 1 ... Have a side of non-starchy vegetables with every meal.
Rule No. 1 ... Have a side of non-starchy vegetables with every meal.George Fetting

Like many people, I juggle busy work and home lives, and when time is scarce, it's easy to let healthy eating fall by the wayside.

To help keep my health in check, I let five simple rules guide my eating. You might find them useful too as they'll allow you to live your lifestyle but reach other health goals at the same time.

Choose a rule you'd like to follow and master this before you incorporate the next.

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Rule No. 1: Always include non-starchy vegetables with main meals

Ever travelled a lot for work and noticed how many takeaway and grab-and-go foods are consumed? As I rack up the frequent flyer points commuting between two cities, I try to eat a serve of non-starchy vegetables with every meal. If you need to eat out a lot this approach will help restore a bit of balance to your diet among the meals you can't control. When eating out, ask for a serve of steamed vegetables (hold the butter or oil) or a side salad (ensure it contains lots of vegetables and keep the cheese, bacon or dressing to a minimum). This will help fill you up, the end result being you'll replace some of the non-vegetable portion of the meal with low-calorie, non-starchy vegetables. The same rule also applies if you're ordering take away at home. If you, or your family want pizza, replace half your meal with vegetables. I find frozen vegetables fabulous for this purpose, or have salad ready to go.

Rule No. 2: Eat planned treats away from home or work

If food is within eyesight or easy reach it is more likely to be consumed. How many times has a family block of chocolate that was meant to last the week magically disappeared in a day? Having planned treats away from home means there is less temptation in the house when you're feeling bored, or, if you're an emotional eater, when you're upset. This approach is particularly good if you want your children to develop good habits around everyday foods and occasional treats. Eating proactively is empowering and will allow you to choose what you want to eat and when you want to eat it.

Rule No. 3: Don't put fat on fat

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Sometimes all the additions to a meal add up to another meal's worth of kilojoules. This simple rule aims to keep the added kilojoules to a minimum. Do you want bacon OR cheese OR mayonnaise? If you're adding dressings, sauces or spreads, even if you're using healthy fats such as avocado, each condiment can add about 500 kilojoules, and up to 1000. The foods you should choose one include: creamy sauces (mayonnaise, hollandaise, cream), cheese, avocado, butter, margarine, fatty meats such as bacon and fried foods. This rule also applies to adding sugar (honey, jam, dessert sauces) to fat. When you strip your food back, you'll be surprised how flavourful it is without a multitude of add-ons.

Rule No. 4: Eat protein in the morning

Australians tend to eat the majority of their protein in one hit at dinnertime. But if you eat protein in the morning too, you're more likely to feel full and sustain your energy until the afternoon. I aim for 15-20 grams of protein each morning. Eggs are one of my favourites and are simple to cook. I add frozen spinach and mushrooms to scrambled eggs for a tasty and nutritious breakfast. If you're exercising in the morning and find the day a struggle afterwards, check that you're eating enough protein after your session. Protein helps your muscles to recover. If you don't like cooked meals, try crushing extra nuts onto your cereal, eating high protein yoghurts or having toast with cottage cheese, lean meats, beans or smoked salmon.

Rule No. 5: Match your food to your activity

Sport is one of my true loves. I enjoy pushing myself to the limit and taking on new challenges, and depending on my goals, my energy requirements change. I have a core eating style that I stick to and then add extra meals, snacks or sports foods to match my training. If you are trying to keep your weight down, eat differently on the days you exercise. If you're trying to gain weight, ensure the energy you use in training is replaced as quickly as possible. If you want more energy to perform in your sport, job and play time, eat carbohydrates around your training by wrapping your sessions with pre and post snacks or meals that contain carbohydrate.

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Planning ahead

When we're busy, life administration can take a back seat. If you decide what to eat for the week and have a specific shopping list, you'll be less stressed about what's for dinner and more able to prepare healthy meals. Set up some processes like ordering online or schedule a regular grocery shopping day. Be careful not to go overboard with your shopping if you are an all or nothing person. Being prepared allows you to buy (and therefore eat) what you need for the week without having too many extras in the house that can lead to overeating.

What food rules do you follow and why? Jump on the comments and share your healthy eating tip.

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