Eat well as you lose weight with these nutrition-packed
meals for a new taste of mouth-watering goodness

 MORE THAN 50 HEALTHY IDEAS FOR DINNER AND LUNCH PLUS BREAKFAST TIPS

THIS super Healthy Choices eating guide from Thinking Slimmer is designed to make sure you are eating the great healthy food which will keep you feeling energised throughout the day. It's ideal for anyone who wants to lose weight and has been compiled with the help of our friend Amanda Ursell, the UK's leading nutritionist. The meal guide doesn't include calories or fat information because it's about enjoying your food and being confident about the fact that you are eating much more healthily! As a Slimpod listener, your appetite needs to be your guide - only you know if you've eaten too much or too little. So pick a meal you fancy when you fancy it. If you're not using a Slimpod and you feel the portion sizes are too small, that's fine, just add more of the protein part of your meal; that's chicken, meat and fish. If you ever feel peckish between meals stay in control, eat some fruit, a few nuts or a yoghurt to help you feel satisfied while staying healthy.   Without the aid of a Slimpod it can sometimes be really difficult to start a new routine, and especially a healthy eating one, when you have pressure from a family who like the types of food they already eat.

Our advice is be prepared for different kinds of reactions from different people, not everyone will be so keen on pursuing a healthier eating programme and lifestyle, even if it is better for you and them. Don't feel disheartened by negative responses from others. Remember that what you are doing is for the best, because it is going to change your life for the better, as you will be healthier as well as thinner. Eventually, the family will want to fall into line and accept the new you.

Read the eating guide then click on a mealtime for recipes and meal ideas

We're often told that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day', however, what we often say is 'I simply don't have time for breakfast', in fact, perhaps that's the saying we're most likely to hear our friends say as well as ourselves. The fact is, if you don't eat a healthy breakfast you may get the munchies mid-morning. Sometimes people often say that if they have breakfast they get hungry anyway; if this is the case then you're probably eating sugary cereals or spreads at breakfast, rather than healthy foods which slowly release energy. If you eat things that are sweet then it will set off further sugar cravings later in the day.

Eating a good, healthy lunch is really important, because you need to make it through the rest of your day and because if you eat certain foods at lunchtime, you will reduce how much you want to eat during the evening. The key is to eat plenty of protein - this has been shown to reduce mid-afternoon hunger, therefore helping you avoid the snacks, protein at lunch also helps in reducing your evening potions. The key to keeping a healthy routine going at lunchtimes is to plan ahead, because very often we're not at home. If you work, and know you're going to be at the mercy of food outlets which may not offer healthy options, make your own lunch the night before to take with you.

As with breakfast and lunch, with dinner you need to plan what it is you fancy eating and you should always sit down and enjoy it; because this will make you feel even better about the healthy choices you're making. Sitting down and having a leisurely meal will also help stop you snacking in front of the telly during the evening, as you will feel much more satisfied. Research shows that people who eat while watching the TV can consume far more than those who don't have the set on as they go into a trance-like state and just keeping pushing food into their mouths which they neither want nor need. We've all been there and done that, haven't we!

Remember you can also try more than 60 recipes in the Thinking Slimmer Recipe Club >>