I’m Harman Mohal, a Registered Nutrition Consultant (RNutr). I love life and always passionately promote a better lifestyle which starts, of course, with good nutrition.

As a fellow Essex resident and someone who is really passionate about helping people get the most out of their lives, can I ask you all to take a pledge to change some unhealthy habits to healthy ones? Work towards improving your health, be a role model for your children and build a happier and healthy future for them too.

Our dietary needs are all different based on any health conditions, our needs, beliefs and goals. But
It is never too late to start a healthy and nutritious lifestyle, so let’s start with some small daily changes.

1. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Choose either plain oats or wholegrain breakfast cereals, but do check the sugar and salt content. Don’t forget to include a multigrain toast with plain yoghurt. Treat yourself every day with king size breakfast and try to follow the same time-pattern each day. Of course, exceptions can be permitted!.

2. Don’t leave long gaps between meals, always have a piece of fruit or goody bag of nuts in between meals.

3. Maintain 5 a-day fruits and vegetables, increase fibre intake in the form of main meals, healthy snacks. Include more vegetables and a green leafy salad with each meal even if you are choosing a meaty option.

4. Base your lunch and dinner on starchy carbohydrates including rice, pasta, chapatti, couscous, potatoes with skin, wholemeal bread, quinoa, bulgar wheat

5. It is important when you are choosing starchy carbohydrates try to choose wholegrain or higher fibre varieties such as wholemeal

6. 6-8 glasses of fluids is the daily recommendation. Be aware of the sugary drinks and your daily fruit juice intake. 150 ml of a fruit juice (approx one medium glass) is recommended. Try the unsweetened version of fluids where possible. In the UK, drinks provide 70-80 % of our water needs; the remaining 20-30 % comes from food e.g. soup, stews, some fruits such as melon and vegetables such as celery.

7. Limit your daily alcohol intake. You may be aware that alcohol gives you a lot of calories too!! Therefore, limit alcohol consumption to 14 units spread over the week

8. A healthier lifestyle is all about having a balanced diet, changing eating behaviour, increasing your physical activity levels and last but not the least be wise with the daily portion sizes