Practical food tips to improve your mood

Stop Dieting!

Losing too much weight too quickly may result in a weight loss that is initially impressive but, before you know it, progress may start to slow down, stop and be overtaken by weight gain. A lot of any initial weight loss is water and the bodies metabolism responds to a quick weight loss by slowing down in an attempt to adapt to this lower energy intake. It is possible that this slower metabolic rate will be accompanied by mental changes in depression.

Dieting puts a lot of stress on an individual and it demands a lot of self control. This in turn results in disturbances in our emotions and can change how we think and feel about ourselves. Adopting a healthy eating regime is the best way to prevent the pitfalls of stringent dieting and the best way to brighten your outlook for the long term.

Distraction!

When you feel that moment coming on when you just 'have to have something', and that ‘something’ is in the form of a typical naughty but nice craving, try the following:

Fight that urge to binge on the nearest junk foods - grab a piece of fruit or a yoghurt!
Go for a walk - take the children if necessary;
Put some music on;
Drink a glass of water – often thirst and hunger signals become muddled;
Run yourself a bath and take time out;
Inspire yourself – treat yourself to a healthy food magazine;
Curl up with a gripping novel and be whisked away into another world.

General Tips

Don’t forget to eat breakfast and make it substantial. Try our porridge recipe;
Eat slowly - don't bolt down your meals;
Eat regularly - don't leave it so long between meals that you get ravenous. Even those of us with the best willpower will dive for the biscuits if we get to this state;
If mealtimes are a mad rush and you always feel that your time is spent seeing to the children or to your husband, try preparing yourself something the night before read more