Diet Food

Eating healthily and preparing meals can sometimes seem like a chore, especially for busy mums looking to lose baby weight. And being pushed for time and not eating a balance diet can have a major effect on their efforts towards post baby weight loss.

Some mums like to make a list of all the meals they are planning for the next few days and then buy accordingly. This way you are more likely to use up all the shopping you've bought rather than see it go to waste. And, if you know what is planned and have the food in the house, it's less likely you'll lapse into going to the chip shop because you don't know what to make for tea.

Always make sure to have a couple of fall back 10-minute recipes available. You can easily find loads of delicious, quick and healthy recipes online. If baby has a very unsettled day or you come home exhausted from an outing, you will still be able to eat healthily without too much hassle.

It's also worth keeping a good range of frozen vegetables in your freezer in case you are too tired or pre-occupied to prepare them for meals. (Frozen vegetables retain their nutrients well so they are a much healthier option than tinned vegetables and don't usually have the same added sugar or colourings.)

Top Tips for a Healthy Diet:

1. Use your frying pan as little as possible. Boil, bake or grill your food instead

2. Try and serve at least two types of vegetables with main meals and cut down on meat

3. Don't skip breakfast! That well-worn expression is quite right " it IS the most important meal of the day' and you'll be less likely to snack before lunch

4. Try eating a small salad before your main meal " that way you'll eat less

5. Instead of snacking on tortillas and bread sticks with dip, slice your favourite vegetables into sticks for dipping. Cucumber, carrot and pepper all work well

6. Use skimmed milk for your cereal and tea or coffee and try to reduce the sugar you add to hot drinks " if you get through 10 cups of tea in a day, that's a lot of calories easily saved

7. You won't be drinking alcohol if you are breast-feeding, but once you stop, try to keep your alcohol consumption down. Many alcoholic drinks are very high in calories

8. Stay away from branded soft drinks since most contain a lot of sugar. Look for flavoured waters or have fruit juice diluted with water. Fruit juice is great towards your Five a Day " but remember that fruit contains a lot of natural sugar so don't over-do it

9. If you fancy a dessert or need to satisfy your sweet tooth, have a bowl of fruit salad. If you need something a little naughtier then go for low fat ice-cream or frozen yoghurt.

10. Finally, remember that it can take at least 20 minutes for your brain to register that you've had enough to eat so don't wolf it down. Take it slowly.

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