I know that a lot of you have trouble sticking to a healthy diet and knowing what to eat to be healthy. And I get it! Eating healthy can be tricky when you’re not sure where to start!
So, I’m going to show you what’s the best way to start eating healthy and how to STICK to a healthy diet.
A good way to start eating healthy is to try clean eating! Clean eating is typically eating food in its most natural state and avoiding eating overly processed foods. I try to eat as clean as I can, but I also eat
These clean eating guidelines should provide you with the information you need to start eating a healthy diet (without being too extreme) and give you a few meal ideas.
BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING
WHAT FOOD SHOULD I BE EATING?
You know, the old food pyramid used to be the go-to guide for how we should be eating. A big base of grains and cereals at the bottom, then moving on up through fruits, veggies, dairy, meats, and fats right at the top. It was all about loading up on those carbs and keeping fats limited.
But, let me tell you, things have changed. With more research coming out, we’re seeing that maybe the old pyramid wasn’t quite hitting the mark. Turns out, eating more fat can actually be good for losing fat, and we don’t need to load up on as many carbs as we thought!
So, while the old pyramid was a good start, we’re learning new things all the time. It’s all about staying open to new ideas and finding what works best for you and your body.
Here are my recommendations for daily servings (Modified Food Pyramid) :)
| FOOD TYPE | SERVES PER DAY |
|---|---|
| Whole grains (Whole Meal Bread, Pasta, Rice, and Oats) | 3-4 |
| Vegetables | Unlimited |
| Fruit | 2 |
| Fish, Poultry, Eggs | 2-3 |
| Plant oil (Olive, Canola, Soy, Corn, Peanut) and Avocado | 2-3 |
| Nuts and Legumes | 1-3 |
| Dairy | 1-2 |
| Red Meat | Once or twice per week |
| Sweets and Butter | Once or twice per week |
| White Carbs (Rice, Bread, Pasta) and White Potato | As little as you can |
Check out my post on what I eat in a day, I make sure to still eat healthy even though I’m busy :)
HEALTHY MEAL IDEAS
BREAKFAST
Omelette with vegetables such as spinach, mushroomsand tomato;Whole meal toast with poached eggs and avocado;Bacon, scrambled eggs and avocado;- Oats with low-fat milk and honey;
- Overnight oats (soak oats overnight in milk and in the morning add berries and
yoghurt ); - Smoothie made with fruit, low fat or
dairy free milk (almond milk is myfavourite ), greens and protein powder.
LUNCH
- Chicken and brown rice salad;
- Tuna / salmon and lentil salad;
- Whole meal wrap with chicken or turkey, avocado and salad;
- Toasted sandwich made with whole meal bread, chicken or turkey, avocado and salad;
- Brown rice sushi; and
- Egg sandwich made with whole meal bread.
This colorful one-pan chicken fajita rice bowl recipe from @cookingclassy is a must-try!
DINNER
- Chicken or beef stir fry with quinoa or brown rice;
- Roast (chicken, beef, lamb, etc) with roast vegetables (go easy on the white potato);
- Salmon with salad or vegetables;
- Homemade curries and soups (pumpkin and curried cauliflower are my favourites);
- Zucchini pasta with homemade turkey meat balls and pesto;
- Cauliflower crust pizza
- Chicken crumbed in LSA (linseed, sunflower seeds, almond meal) and roast vegetables.
Dinners don’t need to be complicated so I suggest you try this yummy and easy Beef Stir-Fry recipe!
SNACKS
- Carrot sticks and healthy dip such as hummus, spinach, avocado;
- Whole fruit (not dried);
- Yoghurt;
- Raw, unsalted nuts;
- Omelette or boiled eggs;
- Protein Bar
- Popcorn; and
- Protein shakes.
Protein Bar is an excellent snack which I like very much!
Now I have given you a lot of healthy food options you can try but if you’re still not sure where to start, I have a FREE 7-Day Meal Plan that you can try out. :)
You can sign up below! You’ll get a pdf nutrition plan with meals. This meal plan is designed to help you slim down and to teach you what a healthy diet looks like.
FAQ ON HEALTHY EATING
WHAT’S YOUR BEST TIP ON STICKING TO A HEALTHY DIET?
If you really want to start eat healthy and actually stick to it, I would advise you to choose 10-15 healthy foods you like and make your weekly eating schedule according to that list.
If you know in advance what are you going to eat that week, it will be so much easier to make your own healthy meals and stick to your meal plan.
I love having variety in my diet and I don’t eat the same thing every day, but there are certain healthy foods that I do actually eat on most days.
Eating similar foods and sticking to a similar eating schedule helps me stay on track and it will help you too.
I also suggest you learn how to balance your plate, it’s essential for ensuring you get all the nutrients your body needs :)
Here are the 10 foods that I usually eat
10 Foods I Eat Every Day
- Banana
- Strawberries, blueberries or other berries (but mostly strawberries)
- Almond milk
- Chia seeds
- Protein powder
- Raw nuts
- Broccoli
- Sweet potato
- Eggs
- Chicken
WHAT FOODS SHOULD I LIMIT?
I don’t think you should cut out any food groups completely. But there are definitely some foods you shouldn’t consume every single day.
Here are some of those foods:
- Junk food such as chocolate, biscuits, cakes, ice cream, chips, lollies and all the regular ones;
- Other processed foods such as sugary cereals, muesli bars, bottled sauces and pretty much anything that comes in a packet;
- Deep fried food, hot chips, pizza, sausage rolls;
- Take away foods such as McDonalds;
- Fatty meat such as chorizo and sausages;
- Soft drink, energy drinks, flavoured milk, refined fruit juice; and
- Alcohol
CAN I HAVE CHEAT DAYS?
Back when I first started eating healthy, I thought that cheat days sounded like a really great idea. Eat healthy all week and then eat bad foods on a Saturday or Sunday without feeling guilty!
However, when you start thinking of certain foods as forbidden, you tend to crave them more. That’s why I said you don’t have to cut out certain types of food completely.
If you are sticking to a balanced diet, no foods are off-limits. Instead, I recommend allowing yourself to eat treats 2-3 times per week. If you really feel like having pasta for dinner, eat it and don’t feel bad about it! You shouldn’t restrict yourself too
I like to stick to the 80:20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time and then allow yourself treats 20% of the time. It has honestly been a much better approach for me, and I actually stick to healthy eating better this way, rather than having designated cheat meals.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I EAT?
Lots of people say that you should eat 5-6 small meals per day, and eat every 2-3 hours. But it actually doesn’t really matter. As long as you are eating the right type of foods and the right amount of calories, you are on track. However, I like to eat smaller regular meals as eating regularly prevents me from getting hungry and over eating. If I don’t eat for longer than this, I get so hungry that when I do eat, I often over eat.
CAN I EAT HEALTHY WHEN DINING OUT?
Just because you eat healthy, doesn’t mean you can’t go out for a meal with friends. At most cafes and restaurants, there are usually healthy options. Here are some ideas for eating out:
- Breakfast: healthy porridge, poached eggs and avocado on toast, tea or fresh juice;
- Lunch: chicken/turkey salad or wrap (limit the creamy sauce and cheese);
- Dinner: stir-fry, healthy curries (no white rice), small steak (200g), salmon or chicken with roast vegetables.
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK?
Your organs and tissues are made up of 70-90% water, and even your bones are 20% water. Your body NEEDS water to function correctly! Make sure you’re drinking at least 2L of water per day (can be in the form of other drinks such as tea). Plus this may also prevent you from drinking unnecessary calories from things like soft drink.
My daily diet plan can be found here and here x
If you really want to eat healthy and change your lifestyle, it is best to have a proper plan to follow. You will be much more likely to stick to it and be consistent if you are able to follow a guide.
Love,
Rachael xx
It’s FREE
25 Responses
Are low carb low sugar protein bars ok to eat
Hi lovely,
Yes, hun. Protein bars are great for weight loss and maintaining a healthy diet. :) Feel free to try Rachael’s recipe for healthy protein bars. You can check it out using this link. :)
Love,
Len
Hi, I understand that drinking a lot of water can help maintain a healthy weight as well as be healthy overall, but about a year ago I didn’t drink much water and my body started retaining water. So, when I try to drink a lot of water, my weight goes up really fast. What should I do? Please help.
Hey lovely,
There are possible causes for water retention, these include your diet, lifestyle, hormones, water intake, or any health issues that you might have. Rachael wrote a detailed blog post about this and she included some great tips on how to reduce water retention. Feel free to give this blog post a read if you can. :)
If you have more questions, you can email us at info@rachaelattard.com
Love,
Len
When you say 1-2 servings, what is a serving? For example with the fruit, is one piece of fruit equivalent to 1 serving? :)
Hi lovely,
A serving size or portion size is the amount of a food that you eat in one sitting. A serving is a measured amount of food or drink, such as one slice of bread or 1 cup of milk, a plateful of rice or a handful of raisins, etc. One piece of fruit would be equivalent to one serving! :)
Love,
Diana xx
its so inspiring…
Thank you! :) x
This is so helpful thank you so much!