Preparation is everything: Check your pantry

Welcome!

You’ve already taken the first step.

We’re happy you’re interested in having a balanced diet and have decided to do this programme. That was the first step. In this programme, you’ll learn to plan balanced, varied meals and lead a healthier life in the long run.

Small steps can help you reach your goal easily and secure lasting results.

Programme structure

What you can expect…

In the first week, you’ll prepare and learn the basics of a balanced diet. The second phase is all about planning meals. Each week, you’ll learn how to optimise different meals. In the final phase, you’ll learn how to maintain your new eating patterns without falling back into old habits.

Have fun on the road to better health!

Day 1

Everyday foods I

A balanced diet starts with choosing the right foods

There are no forbidden foods. In a balanced diet, it’s how you combine ingredients that’s important. To make balanced meals you should have plenty of salad, vegetables and fruit on hand, preferably in season. Starchy foods are also important. Choose wholegrain varieties, as they fill you up for longer and stop you from snacking. Sources of protein that are low in fat like dairy products (quark, yogurt and cheese), meat, fish and chicken breast should also be part of your diet. Each day you should be having 3 portions of dairy and 1 portion of meat, poultry, fish, eggs or plant-based products like tofu, Quorn, seitan or, alternatively, a fourth portion of dairy. Drink tap or sparkling water and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea.

Discover the variety of a balanced diet.

Unprocessed foods

Vegetables, salad, fruit, eggs, milk, meat, fish, nuts

Natural foods like fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, milk and eggs often have a higher nutritional value than processed ready-made products. Natural foods provide the nutrients your body needs.

Fruit and veg

Fresh or frozen

Fruit and veg are packed with nutrients. They have lots of vitamins and minerals and also contain water and fibre. This bulks out your plate and helps you feel full for longer. It’s worth filling up on fruit and veg. Go for a range of colours and aim for 5 portions a day – 3 of veg and 2 of fruit. 1 portion is 120 g.

Everyday foods II

Starchy foods

Grains, potatoes & pulses

Starchy foods are also part of a balanced diet and you should have 3 portions a day. Choose foods like wholewheat bread, brown rice and wholewheat flakes. Wholegrain products contain lots of fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant matter. They fill you up, regulate your digestion and improve your health in different ways. As the term wholewheat suggests, the husk is ground in together with the grain, which makes for a darker flour. 

Experiment! Starchy foods have very different tastes and are an essential part of a balanced diet.

Sources of protein – what for?

Dairy products, meat, fish, eggs & tofu

All of these foods have one thing in common – they all contain a lot of protein. Protein is an important nutrient for the body, in particular for the muscles and immune system. Each of these foods also include important nutrients like calcium (milk and dairy products), iron (meat and eggs), vitamin B12 (various animal sources of protein) and omega 3 oil (fish). Proteins also make us feel full for longer.

Sources of protein – which ones and how much?

Fish, tofu, soy milk, eggs

Have 3 portions of milk or dairy products per day and another portion of high-protein foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, Quorn, seitan, cheese, quark). Alternate between these different sources of protein. Eat meat in moderation- 2-3 portions of 100-120 g meat (including poultry) per week is enough. Replace meat with other high-protein foods (dairy products, eggs, tofu, seitan, pulses). Be sure to source your fish responsibly. If you don’t like meat or fish, go for other sources of protein and make sure to have a varied diet.

Occasional foods I

These foods aren’t part of a balanced diet and shouldn’t be consumed daily

Foods that are high in fat and sugar like sweets, soft drinks and salty snacks should be eaten in moderation and not every day. They’re high in energy and low in nutrients. Wholegrain products keep you full for longer than white flour and can prevent snacking. Highly processed foods shouldn’t take up much room in your fridge, since the temptation will be too high to eat them all the time. You should always look at the ingredients on the packet. The shorter the list, the better!

The shorter the list of ingredients, the better!

Sugary foods

Jam, sweets, ketchup, soft drinks, honey

Foods that contain a lot of sugar should only be eaten occasionally. Enjoy them in moderation. Sugar means empty calories. It gives you energy, but has no other important nutrients. Sugary foods also don’t keep you feeling full for long. They can even cause the body to overreact and produce too much insulin, which makes you really hungry again shortly after eating. Sugar is also bad for your teeth and can cause tooth decay.

Too much sugar leads to tooth decay and binge eating.

Foods high in fat

Sausages, cold cuts, cheese, avocado, olives

These foods contain a lot of fat. Fat is the nutrient with the highest energy content and delivers twice as much calories than carbohydrates and protein. Fats and foods that are high in fat should be had in moderation. You shouldn’t completely cut out fat from your diet though, since it also delivers essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin C. Go for vegetable oils like rapeseed oil for your salad dressing. Try to reduce hidden sources of fat such as sausages, ready meals, types of cheese and particular ways of preparing food. Check for hidden fat in the list of ingredients and nutrition table.

Use vegetable oil and reduce foods that contain hidden fat.

Occasional foods II

Highly processed foods

Crisps, ready meals, Nutella, sweets, pizza

Flavour enhancers and flavour carriers like fats and sugar make industrially processed foods particularly tasty. Their lists of ingredients and nutritional values show you exactly what you’re eating. Highly processed foods are generally low in nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, but high in energy. They should only be eaten occasionally.

White flour products

Rolls, toast, biscuits, pasta

Our body can easily break down carbohydrates from white flour products and use them for a quick source of energy. But they don’t keep you full for long. They increase the risk of cravings because after pushing the blood sugar up, it falls just as quickly. White flour also contains less vitamins and minerals than wholegrain foods

Go for the wholegrain varieties!

High-calorie drinks

Soft drinks, alcohol, fruit juice

Drinks shouldn’t really contain calories. It’s their job to deliver fluids not energy. Quench your thirst with tap or sparkling water, fruit or herbal tea. Fruit juice contains lots of sugar and should be had in moderation or be watered down. Alcoholic drinks should be consumed as an exception as they have a lot of calories as well as other health risks. Did you know that alcohol delivers as many calories as fat?

You should only have high-calorie drinks occasionally.

Day 2

Healthy eating basics I

Eat regularly and enjoy your food!

That’s the most important rule of all for anyone who wants to have a healthy, balanced diet. There isn’t a rhythm that suits everyone. You shouldn’t have less than 3 main meals a day, though, and at most 2 snacks. That way you regularly supply your body with energy and nutrients. You should always eat until you’re full. What you’re eating is more important than the amount. Have as much salad and veg as you like. Every main meal should also feature starchy foods and a source of protein (meat, fish, dairy, eggs or tofu). Protein and fibre (in fruit, veg and wholegrain products) will keep you feeling full for longer. You can have fruit, veg, dairy or a combination of these as a snack: apples, bananas, yogurt, an egg etc.

Fill up on the right foods.

You’re not always hungry when you think you are

Listen to your body and you’ll learn to recognise the difference.

You’re not always hungry when you think you are. There’s always something to eat around – vending machines full of snacks, tempting foods in the supermarket and smells wafting from food stalls. Food is always readily available. If we’re in a rush, worried or distracted, we’re more susceptible and suddenly crave a particular meal. Often this isn’t because we’re actually hungry. We often resort to foods to distract ourselves from negative emotions. This is called emotional eating.

Emotions lead us to make food choices too.

Avoiding emotional eating

If emotional eating is something you want to work on, ask yourself the following questions: What kind of situations or feelings make you want to eat? What else would make you feel good? In the moment itself distractions can work; have a big glass of water, chat with a friend or have a cup of coffee or tea. Maybe you have time for a quick workout. Chewing gum can also help. The peppermint taste relieves the craving for something sweet. You could also brush your teeth. Chocolate and toothpaste just don’t go together.

Prevention is the best strategy

Caution is always better than indulgence

There are ways to prevent cravings from taking over. The fibre in wholewheat products, vegetables and fruit keep you feeling full for longer. Cravings are less likely to strike if you’re full. Regular meals also help. It’s also good to do your food shopping when you’re full. Otherwise temptation may lead you to impulse purchases.

Do your grocery shopping when you’re full and avoid impulse purchases!

Day 3

Healthy eating basics II

Indulge in moderation

Allow yourself treats in moderation

Even in a balanced diet you can indulge in certain foods sometimes. It’s important to allow yourself treats if you want to stick to your diet. Enjoy processed foods that are high in calories, fat or sugar like sweets, ready meals, soft drinks, chips and alcohol in moderation.

Consciously indulging can help reduce how much you eat.

Managing treats

You don’t need to give anything up

In a balanced diet everything is allowed. Just make sure that when you do eat sweets or salty snacks that it’s in proportion with the rest. A portion is a row of chocolate, 20 g of chocolate spread, 3 biscuits, one scoop of ice cream, a small handful of salty snacks or a glass of soft drink. If you decide to enjoy a treat, make sure you’re not too hungry because otherwise you’ll find it hard to stick to small portions.

Quality over quantity

Take time to enjoy your treats

Eat slowly and concentrate, that way you’ll have more time to enjoy them. Try to describe the taste, smell and texture in your head. Once you’ve swallowed the last bite none of the taste will remain.

Portion your treats wisely and put the packet away in case you’re tempted to go back for more.

Day 4

Water keeps you fit

Keep hydrated

Have about 1.5 l of unsweetened fluids throughout the day – with meals and in between.

Water is the elixir of life. It makes up 70% of our bodies. It’s important to stay hydrated to keep our concentration and performance up and to avoid headaches and fatigue. So make sure to drink about 1.5 l a day.

Feel fuller fast

You’ll feel fuller if you have a large glass of water 15 minutes before every meal. The volume in your stomach will make you feel full 15 to 20 minutes after starting your meal. Have unsweetened drinks like water, fruit or herbal tea, or coffee in moderation.

Because of its high calorie count, milk doesn’t count as a fluid.

Hungry or thirsty?

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell which is which!

Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Feeling hungry? Then try to drink a glass of water, sometimes that’s enough. If you feel less hungry afterwards you know that your body was craving fluids more than food.

Day 5

Fruit and veg

5 a day

Brighten up meals with 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables daily.

Brighten up meals with 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables daily.

Healthy and filling

Fruit and vegetables contain important sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that are essential for a healthy diet.

They bring volume to our meal without upping the calorie count.

 Not only do fruits and veg stimulate digestion, they also keep us full for longer.

The seasonal variety of produce available year round makes it hard to get bored and adds life and colour to our plates!

To get the most of the nutrients in fruits and veg, have them raw or steamed.

Day 6

What our food consists of

Main nutrients: proteins

There are 3 main nutrients in our foods: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They’re all important for our health and should be part of our daily diet. Proteins contain amino acids which are used to make our muscles, hormones, cells, DNA and enzymes. They’re found in fish and meat, dairy products and eggs, as well as in grains and pulses.

Our muscles are made from protein.

Sources of protein

Which foods have high levels of protein?

Digesting protein takes time which is why you feel full for longer. You should add protein to every meal. 3 portions of dairy products cover a large amount of your daily protein intake. Grains, potatoes and pulses also help. But that doesn’t cover your entire protein intake. Each day you should add an extra portion of high-protein food like meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, tofu, Quorn or seitan – or for vegetarians a fourth portion of dairy like cheese, quark or cotDaye cheese. Since every source of protein has other important nutrients too, make sure to alternate over the week. You don’t need to eat meat every day, because soy and dairy products, eggs and particularly pulses like lentils and beans, also contain a lot of protein. So it’s perfect if you eat meat and fish once or twice a week. On other days stick to vegetarian meals.

High-protein supplements

Unnecessary!

You can get enough protein from your diet. You don’t need any special supplements or shakes for extra protein. Vegetarians can also cover their protein intake with dairy products, eggs, pulses and soy products like tofu. Build these foods into your daily diet.

Having more protein than necessary doesn’t build more muscle.

Day 7

Fat: Keep an eye on the quantity

Observe daily fat intake

Certain fats are very important, for instance, plant-based ones like rapeseed oil, but also the oils in fatty fish and nuts. They have lots of positive effects on our cardiovascular system. However, fat ultimately is fat and very high in calories. To put things in perspective – to work off 1 kg of body fat we need to save around 7.000 kcals. That’s a lot. Here are some tips to regulate your fat intake.

Reducing fat makes sense because fat has double the amount of energy as carbs and proteins.

Quality over quantity

How much fat is good for you?

Use vegetable oils, about 2-3 tablespoons a day, at least half should be rapeseed oil. Also have a daily portion of unsalted nuts or seeds. Small amounts of butter, margarine and cream are also ok, about a tablespoon or 10 g per day. You don’t need much fat, if any, to fry things. Use non-stick pans instead. Replace butter or margarine with cream cheese. This will help you avoid having more fat than necessary.

Recognise hidden fats

Not all foods are obviously high in fat!

In addition to obvious fat, nuts, seeds, olives and avocados have a high fat content even if it’s not immediately obvious. Have foods that are high in fat in moderation. You shouldn’t cut fat out of your diet completely, though, because it provides important fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, for example vitamin E.

Light products

Two sides of the same coin

Light products are low-calorie foods that have had their sugar or fat content reduced. This includes light or zero drinks that use artificial sweeteners like saccharine or aspartame instead of sugar, as well as light yogurt, ice cream, sausages and chips with a lower fat content. However, light sausage often contains more fat than ham or air-dried meat. Light products make you less full than the original thing. They often don’t taste as good either. That can lead to us eating more of it without actually enjoying the food. Dairy products and cold cuts are often available in light versions. Make sure that the fat isn’t just replaced by sugar by refering to the nutritional table. Low-fat products should contain fewer calories than the original. Another effective tip to reduce fat is to cut out obvious fat from your life. Simple yet effective.

Light products are only really an alternative if you like the taste.