How to eat more and still lose weight

08:37 25 June 2007

Follow our guide to shedding the pounds without ever going hungry....

1. Eat bacon sarnies

While a cappuccino and blueberry muffin may seem like a healthy option, muffins are crammed with sugar and this continental combo weighs in at least 550 calories!

You'd actually be better off having a good old bacon butty and a cup of tea from the local greasy spoon, which totals just 300 calories and is a much more filling and satisfying and filling treat.

Plus, if you ask for your bacon to be grilled and stick to wholemeal bread, you'll make an even bigger saving. What a bargain!

2. Have a three-course lunch

Save up to 276 calories by swapping your lunchtime jacket potato with butter, cheese and baked beans for chunky vegetable soup, followed by tuna salad and a slice of melon.

The potato and fillings can total a whopping 639 calories, whereas the three-course option contains around 383 calories and is packed with healthy fruit and veg.

Tuna is also rich in omega-3 acids, which protect your heart and can help to reduce the risk of cancer. So eat up!

3. Slurp a smoothie

We all need the odd sweet fix, but don't be tempted by a McDonald's chocolate milkshake. It contains a staggering 403 calories and has very little nutritional benefit.

Instead, make yourself a healthy smoothie packed with strawberries, blackcurrants, bananas and raspberries for only 52 calories! If you're still peckish, grab a handful of Brazil nuts - around 184 calories - and boost your iron and zinc intake, too!

4. Enjoy a hearty dinner

Eating in the evening doesn't have to mean piling on the pounds. If you trade that McDonald's Quarter Pounder With Cheese, which has an almighty 516 calories, for a 387-calorie feast of grilled salmon, a medium-sized baked potato plus a tasty watercress side salad, you're on to a winner.

While the burger contains three-quarters of your daily fat intake, the salmon meal - is full of healthy nutrients and will satisfy your hunger without the calorie or fat overload.

5. Tuck into a pasta dish

When it comes to comfort food, what you choose can make or break your diet.
Believe or not, a single serving of chips can total a hefty 412 calories!

Chips will also send your blood-sugar level soaring and then crashing, leaving you feeling lethargic.

Instead, tuck into a bowl of wholemeal pasta with tomato and basil sauce, served with a green side salad, for just 289 calories. Hearty but low in fat, and nutritious.

6. Have a dessert

Just because you're dieting doesn't mean you can't have a pudding - you just need to choose carefully. While calorific cheesecake and chocolate brownies are unlikely to do your figure any favours, a tasty treat such as a bowl of frozen yoghurt, contains a modest 130 calories.

Otherwise, try a sugar-free jelly for around 35 calories per serving, which will allow you to end your meal on a sweet note - without the guilt!

7. Wake up to a big breakfast

Make your first meal of the day a healthy and filling one by opting for a helping of porridge. A bowl of oats a day can reduce cholesterol by up to 23%, and when made with skimmed milk, only contains around 265 calories.

Porridge also helps you feel fuller for longer, which should curb the urge to hit the chocolate or overeat at lunchtime. To make yours extra delicious, sprinkle a few blueberries on top. Mmm!

8. Treat yourself

You'll never stick to a diet if you don't allow yourself the odd snack here and there. By snacking sensibly instead of starving yourself between meals, you'll lesson the likelihood of breaking your resolve and bingeing on all the wrong things.

But instead of tucking into milk chocolate digestives, which pack a surprising 87 calories per biscuit, reach for the Jaffa Cakes, which contain just 45 calories each.

Just because they're half the calories doesn't mean you can have twice as many, though!

9. Eat negative calories

Certain foods are said to contain "negative calories" - you burn off more calories eating and digesting them than they actually contain!

Top of the negative calories list is celery, which mainly consists of water. Other negative calorie foods include Brussels sprouts, leeks, watercress, broccoli and kiwi fruit. So get munching!

10. Try salad wraps

Make yourself a wrap - but swap the bread for lettuce and you can allow yourself even more filling!

White bread has little nutritional value and contains refined sugar, so ditch it and pack a lettuce leaf full of mixed beans, tuna and red peppers, which contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals.