A GP and weight loss expert has revealed when you should be eating sweet snacks during a diet to help you reach your goals.
With the New Year now fully underway, many people have began adopting some lifestyle changes to help them lose weight and feel better.
In any diet, balance is key, and you shouldn't be depriving yourself of any food groups. However, it's important not to overindulge, as this means you won't see any results.
To help people feel their best when dieting, Dr Clare Bailey has shared some of her top tips - and she's revealed the ideal time of day that you should be treating yourself.
Dr Claire, who collaborated with husband Michael Mosley on the hugely successful Fast 800 diet books, posted some advice on Instagram surrounding weight loss tips.
According to her, you should be trying to cut down on sweet snacks altogether - but if you do want one, you should eat it straight after a meal. She recommends dark chocolate with more than 70% cocoa content.
She added: "Have sweet treats after your meal to avoid a sugar spike."
The doctor also suggested eating fruits instead to get your fix of sweetness.
Continuing the Instagram stories, the health guru suggested another four simple things you can do in order to help you shed the pounds while dieting.
Focus on timing
Dr Clare said: "Try intermittent fasting by reducing your eating window.
"Avoid eating your main meal within three hours of going to bed."
Time restricted eating (TRE), a popular form of intermittent fasting, is widely encouraged by Clare and Michael. In an article on their website, they explained that many people choose to do their fasting window overnight, and eat breakfast later in the morning.
However, they recommend the maximum fasting window to be 16 hours, in order for it to be sustainable in the long-term.
Eat more protein and fibre
Getting all of the food groups in is important, but there are some that aid dieting and weight loss more because of their nutritional content.
According to Clare, protein will "help you feel fuller for longer and help with cravings".
Some examples of high-protein foods include:
- Lean beef
- Eggs
- Almonds
- Tofu
- Fish
- Quinoa
- Greek yoghurt
- Cottage cheese
Meanwhile, adding more fibre into your diet can be simple by making a couple of easy swaps.
Clare suggested replacing white rice and breads with wholemeal or brown options, as they include more nutrients and are often easier to digest.
Try a Mediterranean diet
Clare and Michael are huge advocates of the Mediterranean diet and many of their recipes are based on it.
Low in carbs and sugar, the diet is packed full of disease-fighting nutrients as well as plenty of protein, fibre and healthy fats that help keep you fuller for longer.
It's derived from people living in Mediterranean countries, but can be adopted to suit any cuisine so that you can still enjoy your favourite tastes from around the world.
Clare said: "Include whole foods, oily fish, dairy, meat and plenty of vegetables - and avoid highly processed foods."
Tell a friend
Finally, it can be easy to fall off the wagon if there's nobody holding you accountable.
To help with this, Clare suggested to share your weight loss journey with others, as it can help you to reach your goals.
It means you're less likely to slip up, and your loved ones will be able to support you through any lows.
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