18 October 2023 , 08:04
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It's not easy to maintain a healthy diet when you're always on the go. Lifestyle, stress, and time constraints can see our good intentions go out the window in favour of convenience. But there are some simple changes you can make, specifically designed to make eating and living healthily that much easier.
Dr Michael Mosley has shared his top tips for improving your diet. And top of the list is protein. According to the health expert, we should be aiming to eat at least 20 grams of protein at every meal. He recommends starting your day with a savoury breakfast, including items like eggs, omelettes or tofu. The diet expert has previously revealed that he aims to eat around 100g of protein a day, equally divided between meals
"I think the national recommendations for protein consumption – 45 and 60 grams for women and men respectively – are too low, particularly for women who have gone through the menopause, when they do not absorb or process protein as effectively as they did before. There is now quite a lot of evidence that one of the drivers of weight gain after menopause is a lack of protein in the diet, because most women continue eating as they did before," he told Vogue UK.
In keeping with his seven-a-day rule, Dr Mosley also says we should be drinking a large glass of water with every meal to help cut out cravings and keep you feeling hydrated. And he recommends that we try to fill at least a third of our plates with vegetables - specifically non-starchy green veggies such as broccoli, spinach, lettuce, watercress, sugar snap peas, asparagus, cabbage and celery.
Another top tip is to familiarise yourself with some healthy recipes to help keep you on track. And ditch the biscuits; clearing your cupboards of sweet treats will help keep temptation at bay. Finally, according to the expert, we should all try to follow a Mediterranean diet. "There was a huge 5,000-person randomised control trial done a few years ago in Spain, and participants either went on a Mediterranean or low-fat diet – they had to stop the trial early because those on the Mediterranean diet were doing so much better. They were 30 per cent less likely to have a heart attack and half as likely to develop type two diabetes, plus they also had a much lower risk of cognitive decline," Dr Mosley says.
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The basic components of the diet include oily fish, which contains fatty acids that are good for your brain and heart; olive oil, which contains oleic acid, which is anti-inflammatory; and oily nuts, such as almonds and pecans, which are full of fibre and good fats. "They're a great snack, but also really good for the heart," says Dr Mosley. "Then obviously there's fruit and vegetables, but the combination of nuts and olive oil is particularly beneficial."