Comment apporter de petits changements sains à votre alimentation sans faire de régime ?

Whether it's keto, juicing, or intermittent fasting, there's no shortage of novelty diet programmes promising to help you lose weight fast. But are they effective?

Jennifer Low, registered dietitian and British Dietetic Association (BDA) spokesperson, explains that fad and extreme diets do not work in the longer term. They may make you lose weight to begin with, but then the weight goes back on as soon as you start to eat normally again.

"En outre, ils sont souvent pauvres en nutriments essentiels et vous laisseront une sensation de vide et d'épuisement, et entraîneront souvent une baisse de votre taux métabolique, ce qui signifie que vous brûlerez moins d'énergie", ajoute-t-elle.

"Extreme dietary restriction means that you have to switch off from listening to your body - our bodies are really good at telling us what we need. And no, they don't always say we need chocolate. Often they will crave vegetables as well. We all need to relearn to tune in and listen to ourselves."

Les régimes soudains ou extrêmes ne modifient pas non plus votre rapport à la nourriture de manière positive, ce qui signifie que vous avez moins de chances de vous en tenir aux modifications que vous apporterez à votre alimentation. Les petits changements sont beaucoup plus durables, ce qui signifie que vous serez en mesure de conserver ces habitudes saines à l'avenir.

So what can you do to make long-lasting changes to the way you eat without resorting to fad diets?

Ajouter de bonnes choses

Pour beaucoup d'entre nous, le réflexe est de réduire les aliments que nous considérons comme mauvais, tels que le chocolat ou les chips. Cependant, penser à ce que l'on peut ajouter à son régime alimentaire - et non à ce qu'il faut supprimer - peut constituer un changement plus positif.

"At this time of year it's easy to think 'I won't allow myself anything that's not good for me'. But that puts you in a deprivation mindset and you are likely to crave the very foods that you are not allowing yourself," says Low.

"Si vous réfléchissez aux compléments sains que vous pouvez apporter à votre alimentation, la plupart des gens constatent qu'ils mangent naturellement plus sainement et qu'ils peuvent consommer les aliments moins sains avec modération".

Boire plus d'eau

Chloe Hall, a registered dietitian and member of the BDA, recommends making small changes that you think you could stick to. For example, trying to drink more water during the day to try to reach eight glasses a day, or eating an extra piece of fruit a day.

"The important thing is that you are making the changes realistic and sustainable", she adds.

Increasing the amount of water you drink is a simple way to improve your diet and health. Not only will staying properly hydrated lower your chance of getting headaches, it can also help reduce sugar cravings and aid weight maintenance. Research has shown that having water before a meal may fill you up more and therefore promote weight loss by causing you to eat less at the meal.

Staying hydrated is also good for our mental wellbeing too, with studies suggesting that even mild dehydration can impair memory and mood.

Essayer des alternatives saines

If you tend to reach for chocolate or sweets, try more nutritious alternatives instead. You can make your own sweets using foods such as oats and dried fruit, or switch to dark chocolate. Eating well doesn't mean cutting out snacks - far from it. In fact, it's better to snack when you need to throughout the day, but with more balanced options to even out your energy levels.

"Essayez des en-cas contenant des protéines qui peuvent vous rassasier plus longtemps et vous empêcher d'avoir envie d'un autre en-cas, comme une petite poignée de graines ou de noix non salées, quelques gâteaux d'avoine complets avec du fromage frais allégé ou de l'houmous", explique Mme Hall.

Eating a variety of nutrient-rich snacks such as nuts further increases the chance of getting all the vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients you need.

Make sure you eat regular, balanced meals throughout the day too.

"No skipping meals, as this will often cause you to overeat the next time you allow yourself to," Hall adds.

Manger moins de sel

Thinking about the salt content of your food can make a big difference to your health. Too much salt can raise your blood pressure and increase your chances of heart disease, obesity, kidney disease, Meniere's disease, osteoporosis, and gastric cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average adult eats over 10 grams of salt a day - more than double the recommended daily intake of 5 grams.

Mais ces petits changements peuvent réduire considérablement la quantité de sel que vous consommez. N'oubliez pas non plus que plus vous vous habituerez à consommer moins de sel, moins vous en aurez envie.

Échanger des fibres

We hear a lot about the health concerns surrounding high-carb foods - but for most people, it's refined carbs - both sugary and starchy - which should be avoided or minimised. White versions of sugar and flour, often found in nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods, have been linked with a host of negative health outcomes.

Si vous êtes diabétique, ce point est particulièrement important. Les glucides amylacés et sucrés se transforment en sucre, ce qui augmente la glycémie. Les glucides raffinés sont pauvres en fibres et sont donc rapidement absorbés par l'organisme, ce qui provoque des pics de glycémie.

Swapping your usual foods for higher-fibre alternatives is an easy change with big benefits. There is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower chance of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer. It also makes us feel fuller, helps digestion, and prevents constipation.

Low recommends increasing the fibre in your diet by switching to brown pasta and rice and wholegrain breads.

"Increase your portions of fruit and veg in a day," she says. "Aim for two more than you would normally have to begin with and increase to five portions a day, or more."

It can also help to increase the variety of fruits and veg you choose, which can also make meals more interesting.

"Try to aim to have 30 different types in a week if you can, as it's great for gut health to keep your fruit and veg varied," adds Low.

Cuisiner plus

Il y a des jours où l'on n'a pas l'énergie de cuisiner et où l'on finit par commander un plat à emporter. Et s'il n'y a rien de mal à commander de temps en temps, prendre l'habitude de cuisiner à la maison est l'un des meilleurs moyens d'avoir une alimentation plus équilibrée.

Certified health coach Sophie Pirouet recommends that you start small and choose an achievable goal for you, which could be cooking a healthy dinner from scratch a few times a week. Before the week, select the days you'll cook, and the recipes, and get the ingredients you need in.

"Taking a bit of time to plan each week will make sure you're ready to go when the time comes," she says. "Especially if you're feeling tired at the end of the day and tempted by the convenience of fast-food delivery."

Manger dans une assiette plus petite

Following a healthy diet is also about eating the right amount. If you're carrying excess weight, it's worth looking at your portion sizes and how they measure up against the recommendations laid out by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) in their helpful guide.

Vous pouvez craindre d'avoir faim lorsque vous réduisez la taille de vos repas, mais si vous le faites progressivement et que vous consommez suffisamment de protéines à chaque repas, vous devriez toujours vous sentir satisfait - et avec le temps, votre appétit s'adaptera.

L'une des meilleures astuces, et la plus simple, consiste à utiliser une assiette plus petite lorsque vous commencez à réduire votre consommation. Ainsi, vous mangerez moins, mais votre assiette paraîtra toujours pleine. Cela a un impact psychologique qui a prouvé qu'il aidait les gens à réduire les quantités qu'ils mangent.