A Guide To Healthy Eating For Weight Loss

Dr Ashwin Sharma

July 31, 2024

A healthy diet plays a vital role in achieving and maintaining your weight loss goals which is why our Levity experts recommend following the NHS Eatwell Guide.

Overview of the NHS Weight Loss Plan

The NHS Eatwell Guide provides guidance on how to eat a balanced and nutritious diet and it encourages you to eat a variety of foods from different food groups, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products.

The plan applies to everyone whether they are a healthy weight or overweight, which means you can continue to apply these principles even after you reach your weight loss goals. [1]

Understanding the different food groups

You may have tried to cut out entire food groups in the past but when it comes to creating a sustainable weight loss meal plan, it is essential to understand that each food group contributes to a balanced diet. The NHS Eatwell Guide breaks down these food groups into five main categories and provides a helpful plate diagram that breaks down how much of each food group you should be eating each day. [1]

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They also provide volume and take longer to digest, making you feel fuller for longer with fewer calories. You should aim to include a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables in your meals and according to the NHS Eatwell guide they should make up about 40% of the food you eat each day.

Starchy carbohydrates

Starchy carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as complex carbohydrates should make up about 38% of the food you eat each day because they are a great source of energy and fibre which helps keep you full throughout the day. Some people think starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and other grains are fattening, but gram for gram they actually contain fewer than half the calories of fat and are an important part of maintaining a balanced diet. However, you shouldn’t confuse starchy carbohydrates with simple carbohydrates which are often found in baked goods like biscuits and cakes which don’t contain the nutrients and fibre that starchy food does.

Proteins

Protein is crucial for weight loss as it helps keep you full for longer and supports muscle growth and repair. When it comes to weight loss it’s important to choose lean sources of protein because they are low in saturated fats and calories. Foods in this group like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, legumes, and tofu should make up about 12% of the food you consume each day.

Dairy and alternatives

Dairy products like milk, cheese, yoghurt, and dairy-free alternatives such as fortified soy milk or almond milk are a good source of calcium and protein. We recommend eating this food group in moderation as it should only make up about 8% of the food you eat each day.

Oils and spreads

These foods are more calorie-dense than others which is why this group should be consumed in small amounts. To manage calorie intake we recommend opting for healthier fats like olive oil, rapeseed oil, or spreads made from unsaturated fats. This food group should make up about 1% of the food you eat each day.

How to determine appropriate portion sizes

Now that we’ve unpacked what to eat, we’ll discuss how to determine appropriate portion sizes because eating the right amount of healthy food is crucial for maintaining a healthy diet and managing your weight. So, we’ve put together a step by step guide so that you can calculate how much of each food group you should be eating.

Calculate your daily calorie needs

First, find out how many calories you need to maintain your weight using the BBC calorie counter. For this example, let's assume you need 3000 calories per day to maintain your current weight.

Use the NHS eatwell guide

This guide helps you figure out how many calories should come from each food group. So, if we split up the number of calories above (3000) based on how much of each food group the NHS Eatwell guide recommends we get the following breakdown.

38% from starchy carbohydrates: 1140 calories
40% from fruits and vegetables: 1200 calories
12% from protein: 360 calories (which is roughly equivalent to 1g protein per kg)
1% from oils and spreads: 30 calories
8% from dairy and alternatives: 240 calories

Adjust for weight loss

To lose weight, reduce your daily calorie intake by 600 calories per day. Working with the example above, this means we’re now aiming for 2400 calories per day. Most of the calorie reduction should come from starchy carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and dairy alternatives. Make sure you keep your protein intake the same throughout your weight loss journey. For example:

Starchy carbohydrates: reduce from 1140 calories to around 780 calories
Fruits and vegetables: reduce from 1200 calories to around 900 calories
Protein: keep at 360 calories
Oils and spreads: adjust slightly if needed
Dairy and alternatives: reduce from 240 calories to around 180 calories

Overall, this approach helps ensure you're getting a balanced diet while safely and effectively losing weight. You should combine this approach with regular tracking of your weight and waist measurements in a journal to keep track of your progress and how your dietary changes impact your weight loss journey.

A Guide to Healthy Eating for Weight Loss - Levity

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Benefits of drinking water for weight loss

The NHS Eatwell guide also recommends drinking 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day because drinking water is not only essential for overall health, but because we sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking or overeating.

Thirst can also be easily confused with cravings for sugary or high-calorie beverages which is why we recommend choosing water or low calorie fluids like green tea or squash as your go-to drink that way you can avoid empty calories and stay hydrated. [2]

Foods to avoid

Staying nourished throughout your weight loss journey is important, so there are a few foods and drinks we recommend avoiding to stay on track.

Ultra-processed foods: These foods have low nutritional value and a high number of calories. They also often contain refined carbohydrates, which cause blood sugar spikes. Examples: white bread, sugary foods, fizzy drinks and boxed cereals.
High in saturated fat foods: Foods that are high in saturated fats are often calorie-dense and can slow your weight loss progress, if you are going to include them in your diet our experts recommend doing so in moderation. Examples: processed meats, butter, full-fat cheese, ghee, coconut oil and fried foods.
Alcoholic drinks: Drinking alcohol can both spike and lower your blood sugar, which may interfere with your medication. If you drink alcohol, we recommend limiting yourself to 1-2 drinks per week.

Eating out during your weight loss journey

You can still enjoy an evening with your friends on your weight loss journey. Just remember that weight loss medications work best when paired with sustainable dietary changes. So, when you’re reading the menu, look out for options that include:

High protein sources (poultry, fish, beans or tofu)
Complex carbohydrates (grains, vegetables or legumes)
Healthy fats (avocados, eggs, nuts or olive oil)

Questions about healthy eating in practice

If you need help with your diet Levity's clinical team is here to support you in setting and achieving your weight loss goals. If you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to contact us.

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