For many people, keeping track of your health can seem difficult and complicated, especially if you don’t know where to start. This can be because it isn’t something that you’ve paid attention to in the past, or you’ve had a phase where your nutrition and health have fallen below your normal standard. Whether you are health-conscious because you want to lose weight or you just want to ensure your wellbeing is maintained later in life, having a holiday or big event can throw you off track.

This can make it difficult to know how to get back on course, but there are simple changes that you can make to your diet that will have an impact on your health and nutrition. If you are trying to lose weight, it should also help you shed those extra pounds and kick-start a healthier diet.

To rejuvenate your diet — don’t get hungry

For many commuters, by the time you get home you are ravenous and willing to eat anything. This means that you devour whatever you can lay your hands on, which is usually unhealthy or may even involve calling the local takeaway. This is bad if you are trying to improve your health or lose weight as you are more likely to reach for high fat or sugar foods.

To stop yourself from getting to this point of hunger you need to plan ahead. Cooking your meals in big batches at the weekend will help you not grab the first thing you see when you get home. It will also help with your portion sizes as many people will finish what is on their plate, even if they aren’t hungry any more. By cooking ahead of time you can plan out sensible portion sizes. It’s also a good idea to pack a healthy snack for your commute home. Snacking on a banana or granola bar will help boost your energy until your evening meal and reduce the chance of you overeating.

Drink more water

Drinking more water is the first thing that many nutritional coaches will say if you want to lose weight, become healthier or generally just improve your wellbeing. It is recommended that each person drinks at least two litres a day as this will help your body run properly. Drinking your daily recommended water intake will kickstart your metabolism, help you lose weight, reduce headaches and keep you more alert at work.

Pay attention to your colours

When you look at your dinner plate there should be lots of bright colours, which usually come from fruit and vegetables. This is just a guidance, but if your meals are consisting of mainly beige and dark-coloured foods, it’s an indication that you’re not eating as well as you should be.

When you plan your meals make sure you have a good mix of fruit, veg, carbohydrates and protein. This should ensure you have a mix of colours on your plate and have a healthy diet.

Change white for wholewheat

Many people eat white pasta, bread and rice because that is what they are used to. However, you body finds it easier to digest wholewheat versions of these foods. Switching white carbs for wholewheat ones will make it easier for your body to digest your meals, and should decrease the fat that your body holds onto.

Eat before 6pm

For commuters this may be an unrealistic target, but eating as early as possible when you get in during the evenings will help ensure that your body has enough time to burn off the food you have eaten before you go to sleep.