Preventing Weight Gain: Healthy Eating Tips for Adults

Preventing weight gain can benefit all individuals, including those who are of healthy weight, as well as the overweight and obese. If you are at a healthy weight, you can prevent weight gain by continuing your healthy habits and adopting new healthy eating and activity habits. If you are overweight or obese, making healthy changes in eating, in addition to boosting levels of physical activity, is important for the prevention of further weight gain.

The best approach to preventing weight gain involves combining an active lifestyle with a healthy, balanced diet. Refer to the tips below, which attempt to serve as a useful guide in promoting ways in which to adopt healthier eating patterns.

- Set a realistic and achievable weight loss goal and stick to it. Goals set should be attainable over the short-term as well as the long-term. Weight loss should be gradual rather than rapid; this approach is healthier, the safest and most effective for successful weight maintenance. Remember that even small weight losses have shown to be beneficial.

- Make gradual changes in eating habits that are sustainable over the long-term. Don’t expect to completely change your eating habits overnight. Changing too much too fast can get in the way of success.

- Adopt healthy eating practices in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Australians. These guidelines emphasise the importance of preventing weight gain by eating according to your energy needs. You should be having plenty of cereals, vegetables, legumes and fruits, and moderating fat and sugar intakes.

- Eat a wide variety of foods every day, to satisfy nutritional needs and achieve optimal health and wellbeing. This involves choosing foods from each of the five food groups.

- Cut down on foods high in fat and sugar; these foods are often high in calories or kilojoules (energy) and low in essential nutrients.

- Choose low-calorie or low-fat/reduced-fat varieties of foods, especially those foods that you consume on a regular basis. Keep in mind that it is the total amount of calories consumed that impacts the degree and rate of weight loss.

- Choose foods high in fibre such as wholegrain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, legumes, fruits and vegetables. These foods may make you feel more full on fewer calories.

- Opt for lower fat, healthier cooking options. Baking, boiling and steaming are preferred to frying.

- Limit liquid calories. Try to choose whole fruits rather than juices, and avoid/limit sugary soft drinks and alcohol; these contribute excess calories to the diet and offer minimal nutrients.

- Do not skip meals, and make sure to eat breakfast everyday. Aim to eat smaller meals, but more often.

- Read labels on food packets so you can monitor specifically the fat and sugar content of foods, especially snacks.

- Think moderation, not elimination or deprivation. There is no such thing as a ‘bad’ or ‘forbidden’ food, therefore there is no need to be overly restrictive. All foods can be part of a well balanced diet, however it is the amount and frequency in which these foods are consumed that is important.

- Reward yourself each time you make progress with your weight and the achievement of your goals. Reward yourself with pleasures other than food.

- Allow for an occasional treat, provided you do not over-indulge or treat yourself too often.

- Limit consumption of take-away or ‘fast foods’, as these can contribute significantly to energy and fat intakes. Eat fewer calories by cutting down on portions.

- Enjoy the pleasure of eating. Eat slowly and savour the flavour; you’re much less likely to overeat.

- Try to identify reasons for non-hungry eating. You may be eating because you are bored, stressed, tired, etc. Be sure you are eating because you are experiencing true hunger.

- Be positive! The more you feel good about yourself and the more motivated you are, the easier it is to lose weight.