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The key to slimming? You need to have a plan: Healthy shopping lists, taking fruit to work and even thinking up excuses to turn down treats will help pounds drop off

  • Studies show planning meals means people fill up on healthy foods
  • Scientists asked 200 people how much fruit and vegetables they ate daily
  • Sticking to shopping lists can help people lose weight

By
Jenny Hope Medical Correspondent


PUBLISHED:

19:29 EST, 17 December 2013

|
UPDATED:

19:29 EST, 17 December 2013

If you’re hoping to lose weight, forget about relying on sheer willpower – scientists say what you really need is a little forward planning.

Make healthy shopping lists, take fruit to work, and even spend some time thinking up excuses to turn down colleagues’ offers of sweet treats, and the pounds will drop off, they say. 

The study focused on how people can boost their daily intake of fruit and vegetables.

Prepared: People who said they would plan in advance how to get their five-a-day or more were much more likely to succeed in eating healthily

Studies show that this leads to
weight loss because you fill up on healthy foods and feel less tempted
to eat fatty snacks. Psychologist Cristina Albuquerque Godinho, from the
Lisbon University Institute in Portugal, said the key to success was
planning ahead and motivation.

She
added: ‘Buying food ad hoc in the supermarket is not a helpful
approach. Write a list and make a deliberate intention to change
behaviour or lose weight, because this is a strategy that works.’

The researchers, from Portuguese, German and Polish universities, studied more than 200 people aged 18 to 50.

Healthy: Those who understood the health benefits of eating well also found it easier to change their habits

They were asked how much fruit and vegetables they had eaten on a typical day in the previous week.

The
team also asked whether participants wanted to increase their intake of
these foods, how they would do so, what barriers they thought they
might face and what health benefits it could have.

People
who said they would plan in advance how to get their five-a-day or more
were much more likely to succeed in eating healthily. 

Those
who understood the health benefits of eating well also found it easier
to change their habits, according to the research to be published in the
British Journal of Health Psychology.

Planning
was particularly helpful in unexpected situations, such as when offered
cakes at work to celebrate a colleague’s birthday. Knowing what to say
in advance made avoiding temptation much easier.

Miss Godinho said: ‘We found that having strategies in place to deal with a range of eating situations that could undermine good intentions is very important, and helps people to regulate their daily dietary choices.

‘Planning menus or taking fruit to the workplace are examples of strategies some people use.

‘Planning is a psychological process that helps people to make the right choices for them.’ 

She added that eating more fruit and vegetables had been proven to keep weight down partly because it replaced less healthy food.

She said: ‘You may be too full to eat the doughnut that would otherwise be a snack.’

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Comments (45)

what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

Andrew_59,

Richmond VA, United States,

31 minutes ago

duhhhh…..

Annie,

City Island NYC,

6 hours ago

Hmmm…okay. So the “secret” to slimming according the DM and various “studies” is to actually stick to a diet and make changes in your eating habits rather than just saying you’re on a diet and still making poor choices. Did we really need a study to tell us that?

JonathansAxe,

London, United Kingdom,

9 hours ago

There is NO SUCH THING as healthy or unhealthy food. There is NO SUCH THING as junk food. Stop assuming everyone gets fat.

glen1946,

Texas,

4 hours ago

I agree, in moderation all food is good for you . I knew of a guy in Surrey who died of carotene poisoning from eating too many carrots. ‘Junk’ food is a ‘smear’ classification by those who detest the success of American Fast Food industry, an industry that was created for those on the go; like Fish n chips, pie n mash and deep fried Mars Bars, Fast food is not meant to be a thrice daily meal. But then there’s no accounting for the lazies. I’m a big fan of protein fibrous vegetables eating with minimal carbohydrates and sugars. I don’t avoid fats nor do I over indulge in them. Moderation is the key and I’ve lost over 30 lbs.

Cookie,

Brisbane,

9 hours ago

My forward planning is to keep a small container in my handbag with almonds in it. If I’m out and get hungry, I eat these rather than looking for junk food.

glen1946,

Texas,

4 hours ago

What food is junk?

Anna,

Zurich, Switzerland,

9 hours ago

The true, effective key is eat less and move more. For many this simple concept might not work as at times it might require strong will which not everybody is capable of. I don’t believe in deprivation (the occasional treat lifts the spirit and we are all entitled to it) but it’s our duty to try our best and be healthy, no matter how lazy one might feel.

Roy – Cheshire,

cheshire, United Kingdom,

10 hours ago

GET YOUR HUSBAND TO PUT A PADLOCK ON THE FRIDGE……SIMPLE.

DB1,

Nottingham ENGLAND, United Kingdom,

10 hours ago

The key secret to slimming is exercise and not gorging oneself surely?

weyfox30,

surrey, United Kingdom,

10 hours ago

Every time you get the urge to reach for that cake or piece of chocolate repeat after me – Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. If only it were that easy.Although I’m a size 8 and eat a healthy diet its hard work. I am constantly having to turn down offers of yummy naughty food. if I were to give in every time I wanted to eat something naughty I would be the size of a house. Its all about moderation and mainly willpower and lots of it. Oh and exercise of course. Roll on Christmas when all that goes out the window and we all get to eat what we want, when we want and how much we want. Merry Christmas everyone.

Emma,

Leeds,

10 hours ago

I agree. I’m the same size as you and it’s so hard to resist the naughty stuff. We are constantly being brought in treats at work, treats because it’s Monday to help with the Monday blues, treats because it’s Wednesday and we’ve got to mid-week, treats because it’s Friday and nearly the weekend, not to mention everyone’s birthdays, Christmas and stuff being brought back when people go on holiday!!! It’s a nightmare! I usually just think how much extra exercise I’d have to do to burn all those calories, and it puts me off eating it!

justme,

UK – UK,

10 hours ago

The key to slimming…eat less. Simples

glen1946,

Texas,

4 hours ago

Eat less carbs and sugars, eat more proteins, fibres and fats. works every time and lessens the chances of diabetes.

shamzine,

Kuala Lumpur,

11 hours ago

Well obviously DM…its like planning your journey. Thanks for reminding me.

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