Some essentials Id recommend – first week and unsure what on earth to buy?

Firstly anything you eat should meet your calorie targets – gold see your app and silver use the tdee calc on the website.

Tinned tuna – add to pasta, salads, jackets or sandwiches but aim to eat fish a couple of times per week, tuna is a quick and easy protein source. Don’t think all tinned produce is bad for you.

Lean meats if your a meat eater id recommend

Chicken breast skinned – great for curry, stir fry or noodle based dishes, chicken lasagna, fajitas, pasta bakes

Turkey Breast – great with potatoes, in curries, bolognese, stuffed peppers, stir fry, pitta breads etc

Chicken mince – meatballs, keema, stir fry, chicken spag bol.

Turkey mince – burgers, meatballs, wraps, tacos – jacket potatoes topping, list is endless

5% steak mince – as above, lasagna, chilli bake, mince and small potatoes.

Any fish – tuna, salmon, mackerel, sea bass, prawns.. have with pasta such as a tuna bake, s or sautéed veg, a

All the veggies

add as much colour to your plate as possible, pad out meals with veggies, perhaps remove some of the heavy carbs (pasta for example) and add sautéed veg, mashed veg, steamed veg, salads but add lots of micronutrients and include healthy complex carbs and plant proteins into your diet through fruit and vegetables.

Diet drinks for fizzy or fruit to add flavour to water, Diet hot chocolates such as options to cut back on calories while having what feels like a treat.

Greek Yogurt you can add to fruit, smoothies or whey protein as a snack but its more satiating than normal yogurt and has more protein and less sugar go for light or standard, the light will feel less creamy and less satiating but you can have more of it. go with which you prefer.

Avoid high sugar foods, limit treats – look to swap a chocolate bar for a protein bar or a pudding for a protein pudding, or share puddings, or reduce portion sizes initially rather than completely cut them out. Avoid highly processed foods like tv dinners as they are high in calories and just won’t fill you up!

Add dairy (unless intolerant)- cheese or milk but check portion sizes, go for a lower fat option such as cottage cheese or a reduced fat cheese,

Aim to increase whole foods

here’s a list id recommend but equally if you buy with no plan it will rot in your fridge, what you cooking? make a plan of meals…

DRIED LENTILS

COLOUR – ALL THE VEG, BROCOLLI, SQUASH, AUBERGINE, CARROTS – SAUTEED VEG, STEAMED VEG, SNACKS ETC

QUINOA = QUICK AND EASY OR ANY OTHER WHOLE GRAIN

Cous Cous – ready in a matter of minutes.

WHOLEMEAL PASTA OR RICE IF YOU LIKE IT (OTHERWISE STAY WITH WHITE) * If having chips limit portion sizes and aim to use oven chis or air fried rather than deep fat fried with lashings of salt and vinegar.

Pad out your plate with some veggies as they are low calorie and high volume and full of vitamins and minerals,

LEAN MEAT – aim for labels saying lean, so lean mince 5% lean pork mince or steaks, bacon medallions rather than streaky, turkey steaks or mince, chicken with the skin off, and limit the amount of saturated meats you consume – steak is great for protein but is high in saturated fat, as is lamb and pork so be more aware of the calorie content and saturated fat content of meat such as belly pork.

ANY FISH and shellfish- aim to eat it twice per week and 1 x per week of oily fish

oily fish – salmon, trout, mackerel, pilchards, herring and trout,

WHEY protein powder – A QUICK EASY GO TO PROTEIN SOURCE, add to milk or water for a filling drink or to greek yogurt, or overnight oats to add flavour and increase satiety.

Squash, fruit flavoured h20, bottled water, tap water, whey isolate (tastes like squash) but drink more h20 and limit caffeine drinks and alcohol.

Tins of Tuna,Peas, chop tomatoes,, Light coconut milk, baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, tinned fruit, light custard – better perhaps than bed and Jerrys!

AIM TO USE SMALLER PLATES 🙂

Greek yogurt – have as a snack, in overnight oats, smoothies or as a cream alternative.

Protein yogurts – again hit your protein guidelines while having a treat.

HALO or own brand alternative, 320 cals usually for a whole tub.

Buy in treats for other family members you DONT like

Seeds, toasted almonds, chia, nuts – make home made protein balls, add to yogurt etc

Frozen fruit – cheaper than fresh

Oats for cereals

white and sweet potatoes,

SWEET SWAPS – A MILKY BAR RATHER THAN A SNICKERS,

Eggs – omelettes, boiled, poached, scrambled, – a complete source of protein.

Avocado – a healthy fat that adds flavour

BREAD – SEEDED OR WHOLEMEAL (WHOLE GRAIN) Limit Over processed carbs such as white bread, crumpets, as they tend to spike blood sugar levels and therefore make you feel hungrier than a higher fibre / protein alternative.

Avoid sugary cereals , if you like cereals avoid ones with added sugar like Frosties etc or chocolate/honey granola, protein weetabix or weetabix with whey milk is a good spot

MIXER TYPE VEG – SPRING ONIONS, RED ONIONS, ONIONS,PEPPER, PAK CHOI,MUSHROOMS, CHILLIS – THINGS TO ADD TO RECIPIES, stir frys, casseroles etc

1 BOTTLE OF WINE RATHER THAN 4 – SLOWLY CUT DOWN THEN STOP IF YOUR USED TO DRINKING 4.

HOPE THIS HELPS XXX