- Eat the right amount of calories for how active you are. As a guide: 2,500 kcal for an average man and 2,000 kcal for an average woman.
- Eat a wide range of food for a balanced diet – the food on your plate should be very colourful.
- Base your meals on starchy foods (e.g. potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread), as these foods fill you up and provide you with energy.
- Eat lots of fruit and veg (aim for five portions a day).
- Eat at least two portions of fish a week, make at least one portion oily fish such as trout, salmon, sardines or fresh tuna.
- Cut down on saturated fats (e.g. cakes, biscuits, cheese, cream, butter, pastries and pies).
- Cut down on sugar (e.g. sugary cereals, cakes, biscuits, sweets, alcoholic drinks and fizzy/energy drinks).
- Cut down on salt (shop-bought soups, ready meals or processed meats e.g. ham and bacon). An average adult’s intake should not exceed 6g of salt per day.
- Don’t get thirsty – drink plenty of water throughout the day (an average adult should be drinking up to 2 litres/8 cups per day).
- Eat slowly – don’t rush your meals, give your brain time to catch up with your stomach. This should result in you not over-eating.