The secret to losing the lockdown weight without dieting

The secret to a healthy diet isn't in drastic measures. Photo / 123rf

"I hate diets."

Those are the words of one of Australia's leading health and wellness experts, Michele Chevalley Hedge.

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, the nutrition expert's words will come as welcome news to those of us who have spent the last few months in our homes away from the gym, and may be coming out of lockdown a little less fit than before.

Hedge, who is the author of new book Eat, Drink and Still Shrink, says being healthy doesn't have to be a hassle.

"It doesn't matter whether you're a CEO, a teacher or any kind of employee - we're all busy," she says.

"Everyone wants health but they don't want hassle. The good news is that it's actually okay to have a coffee, wine or beer and still live a vibrant life."

Wellness isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle, she says .

"What's your sleep like, what's your mood like — what's the whole package like? People think it has to be extreme, but it really doesn't.

"The measurement of wellbeing isn't the number on the scale. That number is simply a measure of gravity. The real measurement of wellbeing is your vitality, your happiness, your ability to connect.

Simply reading the labels could help you make healthier choices. Photo / 123rf

"Being able to perform at work and still have enough left in the tank when you get home to be able to really connect with your family? That's wellbeing."

Changes to our diets have to be sustainable rather than extreme, so before you embark on a drastic post-lockdown diet, start with making some changes to the way you shop at the supermarket.

Three rules for supermarket shopping

The path to a healthier lifestyle starts with your supermarket trolley, says Hedge.

And don't be deceived by food packaging which makes the contents look healthier than they actually are.

"We all know that non-processed and unpackaged foods are the best choice, but I also live in the real world," Hedge says.

"I have three children and a dog, so of course I'm picking up packaged foods sometimes.

"So just do three simple things from now on."

1. Could your grandmother understand it?

If you can recognise the ingredients, they're likely to be better for you, Hedge says.

"If it sounds like Frankenfood that's been made in a chemical lab, then it probably has been. But if its ingredient list is items you, or your grandmother, would recognise, than that's a great start."

2. The serving size trap

The next thing to take note of is the serving size.

"It might not sound like it has much sugar per serve, but if that serving size is 20g, for example, then that's really small — with cereal, that's enough to feed a bird, not a human."

3. The rule of four

The last step is to look at the grams of sugar in the packet and then divide that number by four.

"That will give you the rough number of teaspoons," Hedge says.

One example is some of the "healthy" yoghurts on offer at the supermarket.

"There might be 26g of sugar in a small tub, which is just an arbitrary number, but if you divide that by four, you realise that's 6.5 teaspoons of sugar.

"Now imagine pouring that into a cup of tea. It's a lot, and not what you want just before bed."