
Meal planning and weight control
A little planning and organisation can make a big difference to the quality of your diet. It's just like many other aspects of life such as your finances or career, where the more planning and preparation you do, the more likely you are to succeed.
Being organised makes it much easier to stick to a balanced eating plan.
Having healthy foods close at hand for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks will reduce the chances of impulse purchases, or grabbing junk food on the run.
In fact, meal planning may even reduce some of the stress associated with cooking, especially when you are making initial changes to your diet.
You can create meal plans that target specific aspects of your diet which need improving. This could include reducing portion sizes, eating breakfast every day, getting more protein in your diet, or eating 5 servings of vegetables a day.
Plan your meals to manage your weight
A study reported in Appetite examined how meal planning influenced portion size and energy intake.
The study involved 764 participants, who were questioned about different aspects of their diet. The researchers discovered that pre-meal planning is a key determinant of meal size and kilojoule intake. They also discovered that meal-planning was more important than satiation in determining food intake (satiation is the level of fullness you feel during a meal).
These study results stress the importance of planning healthy, moderately portioned meals for weight control. Pre-meal intentions can have even more impact on the total amount of food and kilojoules you eat than the fullness you experience during a meal.
Practical tips on how to plan your meals
Preparation is a forgotten friend when it comes to weight loss. Use these tips to help plan your meals effectively.