Spring clean your diet

Spring glorious spring! Now is the time to get your mind and body out of the winter slump and into action. Catherine Saxelby shows you how with these great spring cleaning food tips.
• 5 ways to get you started
• How to plan your food day
• Spring cleaning tips
It’s well known that the winter months see us slip into a more sluggish way of life –staying indoors, doing less exercise, sleeping more, eating more and craving carbohydrates.
But that changes as spring arrives, bringing warmer weather. So heed the call to be more active, start to re-examine your daily diet and enjoy lighter foods to get your body in shape for the summer season.
5 ways to get you started

1. Clean out your cupboard
Be prepared and start by restocking pantry basics. A good spring eating plan needs healthy foods like fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, legumes, wholegrain breads and cereals, lean meat, fish, chicken and low fat dairy foods. Clear out the foods that don’t add good value such as soft drinks, sweet biscuits, salty snack foods, lollies and chocolates, so you’re not tempted.

2. Watch your portion sizes
Food portions are creeping up everywhere so it’s hardly surprising that you are probably eating more at home too. Get your meals under control and fill at least half your plate with veggies or salad. This leaves the other half to share between your meat and carbohydrates (potato, rice, pasta) so that you’re eating dinner in the best proportions for your health.

3. Spring clean your carbohydrates
Forget white, refined grains and sweet carbohydrates. Make the switch to wholegrain and low GI grainy breads and wholegrain breakfast cereals with less added sugar. They give you B vitamins and fibre and fill you up so you’re less likely to snack between meals.

4. Up your fluids – get your 8 glasses
Drink up – you need 8 glasses of fluid a day. This will help ‘flush out’ your system and also fill you up so you cut back on your food intake. Most should come from water but other healthy beverages are weak tea, juice, clear soups or sugar free cordials.

5. Get your 7-a-day
It’s easy to see how we eat less fresh fruit and vegetables when it’s cold outside. But now is the time to ditch this winter habit and top up nutrition reserves. Get snacking on fresh fruit like new season berries, crunchy apples and tangy tangelos and add a big leafy salad to your main meal. Aim to get your 7-a-day (5 serves of veggies and 2 serves of fruit)

How to plan your food day
Start by eating breakfast every day. Make it a habit. You’ll boost your metabolism so you burn more kilojoules (calories) plus improve concentration for your morning tasks. Consider a muesli or wholegrain breakfast cereal with low fat yoghurt or light milk and diced fresh seasonal fruit – think rockmelon or mandarin segments or a banana.

At lunch, go for a big salad with a good serve of lean protein – grilled chicken or a can of tuna usually works well. Go easy on the bread and make it wholegrain or wholemeal.
If you get hungry between meals, avoid the trip to the local café for coffee and banana bread, it only weighs you down – literally. Try small packs of dried fruit and nut mix, low fat fruit yoghurt, wholegrain crackers and low fat cheese or raisin toast.

In the kitchen, switch to lighter cooking styles. Stir-fries and barbecues are perfect! And always accompany your main meal with large serves of vegetables – to make doubly sure you get your 5 daily serves of veggies.

Spring cleaning tips
Here are more tips for spring cleaning your body:
• Be active every day – no spring makeover is complete without exercise. Get out in the middle of the day when it's warm and you’ll enjoy a brisk 30-minute walk or swim. Join a gym and book yourself a few sessions with a personal trainer to establish a new training routine.

• Get in touch with your hunger – are you hungry? Do you really need to eat? Are you perhaps thirsty instead?

• Drink little or no alcohol – this indulgence is the next biggest contributor to kilojoule intake after fat.

• Drink plenty of water. Aim for 6-8 glasses a day for hydration and cleansing. Your urine should be pale in colour, not dark.