How to Eat Lean Whether at Home or at Restaurants

Diet has become a dirty word, even though, in its simplest sense, it means the kinds of food that a person habitually eats. Thankfully, there is a way to lose weight naturally while having fun and eating delicious food, and without resorting to the type of dieting that leaves you deprived and without energy. I like to call it “eating lean”. In the Louise Parker Method, we teach our clients how to eat in a way that supports health without deprivation and boring-tasting food. The number one pillar of The Method is to “eat beautifully”.

We know you have a busy life with family and work obligations, so you need quick and easy meals that the whole family will enjoy. If you don’t enjoy your food, it will be hard to stick to any weight-loss programme. To get started, think about adding in more of the good-for-you foods you know and love. Then, you’ll begin to crowd out the not-so-great foods that are holding you back from reaching your goals. In this blog, we give you the tips you need to help you on your healthy eating journey and look at how to make better choices when you go out to eat or on holiday.

What Does It Mean to Eat Beautifully?

We first eat with our eyes, so make your food so vibrant it practically jumps off the plate. Say goodbye to boring salads with chicken breast and hello to colourful, flavour-bursting recipes that don’t take hours to make. Eating bland and boring food is a jail sentence no one wants to suffer, so take your recipes to the next level and focus on colour, using new spices and herbs, and balancing the three macronutrients in each meal.

Ideally, you do want to cut out alcohol, sugar, sugary foods, refined carbs (think white bread, rice, cereals and pasta) and processed foods because they don’t serve your best self. Try to follow this, at least for the first six to twelve weeks of your programme. After that, you can follow an 80/20 diet, which allows for more freedom and fun foods like wine with friends, a pain au chocolat at the weekend, and the occasional three-course dinner.

What Does a Normal Day of Eating Look Like?

I always recommend that clients eat three balanced meals and two snacks each day, so you are never left feeling hungry or have energy dips throughout the day. If you do feel sleepy, it probably means you need to eat! Thankfully, as you experience eating lean, you naturally tap into your body’s signals and cravings. For your main meals, always include a portion of protein to stabilise your blood sugar levels, hormones and appetite (for example, two eggs, one salmon steak or fish fillet, 100 g of lean meat, one chicken breast, or 125 g of tofu), some lower GI carbs (for example, all veggies except starchy ones, fruits, high-fibre and grain-based foods, or whole grains like quinoa), and some good fats from nuts or seeds, avocado or oils in dressings.

How to Find Healthy Food at Restaurants

Once you know which foods are better choices, you’ll find it second nature to peruse a restaurant menu and spot the healthful meals. Sometimes, this means ordering many things off the starter menu or going off-menu and asking the chef to make something special for you. Don’t be afraid to be “that person” — the waiter is there to make sure you are satisfied and should be able to answer any questions you have about how dishes are prepared. Good chefs like the challenge of making something new. Today, many restaurants will include a key on their menus to indicate “heart-healthy” or low-fat dishes, so you can easily pick the best choice. If you get a say in the location, steer towards ones you know prepare lean meals. Ultimately, though, it’s important to remember that one off-track meal is not going to ruin your progress, so enjoy it, don’t beat yourself up about it — this is supposed to be fun, not punitive — and get back on track tomorrow.