Article: Lisa Templeton from True Love
Image: Sharief Jaffer

Should I have tea or coffee? Should I have full-fat milk or skim? Should I pour my orange juice into a dumpy glass, and drink more, or a tall, skinny glass? But what he is really gunning for are the packets of chips we snack on, and the food we pile on our plates, regardless of whether or not we are actually hungry.

Make seven healthy food choices a day
Jo'burg nutritionist Tamsin Lilford-Powys, of the Stress and Nutrition Clinic, suggests you make seven healthy food choices a day. "Even just seven healthy decisions a day will make a difference. After only a week, you will have positively influenced your health and well-being by just making good choices during the week."

Ask yourself these seven questions
1. Am I hungry or am I really just thirsty? Often we get signals that we interpret as hunger when, in fact, the body is asking for water. Drink a glass of water before you have a snack.

2. I'm thirsty. Should I have a fizzy drink? Colas and other fizzy drinks are full of sugar, an alarming seven teaspoons per can, and actually dehydrate you. Make a choice to halve the amount of fizzy drinks you have in a day and aim for only two fizzy drinks a week. Replace it with tap water, sparkling water or a cordial that is sugar-free.

3. Do I really need so much sugar? Could I be consuming a "loaf of bread a day" without knowing it? Count the sugar you have with tea and coffee – each teaspoon of sugar has the same amount of energy as a slice of bread. Make a decision to halve the amount of sugar you take. Sugar has "empty calories", in other words, it gives you fuel to burn but doesn't give you all the vital minerals and vitamins that fruit, for example, would give you.

4. Am I right to skip breakfast? The word "breakfast" originates from the phrase "breaking the fast". You've fasted all night and now your body needs food, so breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Choose to eat breakfast before 09h00 and give yourself the fuel to start your day with loads of energy.

5. Should I be eating my meals on the run? Life is busy but eating on the run means you don't digest your food properly. Take 15 minutes to sit down and eat breakfast or lunch and you will benefit in the long run. Try to make dinner a more leisurely family affair where events of the day are discussed, rather than eating in front of the TV.

6. I'm feeling peckish, is it time to hit the canteen for a packet of chips or a chocolate? Do you get that "snacky" feeling mid-morning, or do your energy levels sag mid-afternoon? It's not unusual for our body rhythms to hit a low at this time of the day, but rather than reaching for chocolate, choose some fruit, yoghurt, a handful of nuts and raisins, or a handful of biltong. Chocolate will only give you a momentary boost, and won't really be helping your body with all that sugar.

7. My favourite TV programme has ended and I feel like a post-supper snack. Should I indulge? "No", says Tamsin. Avoid eating after 20h00. Ideally, eat between 18h00 and 19h00. Eating too late will make your digestion less efficient and can lead to a disturbed night's sleep.

In addition to answering the seven questions above, try to eat at least three times a day. Big gaps between meals make your body think it's being starved and your metabolic rate slows down to protect it. It also means you get hungry and you may eat the quickest, easiest available food, which is often high in sugar and fat.

Follow these guidelines and you will be well on your way to feeling fuller for longer and sustaining that much needed energy throughout the day.