I so agree with this attitude.  This is based on the guidelines in the 1 Million Kilo Challenge adjusted to how I would apply it for myself. It is close to the eating plan I originally used to release my excess weight in 2007. Not so much a diet as a lifestyle.

The type of food and the amount that you are eating is far more important than the amount of calories or kilojoules.

If you base your eating solely on calorie or kilojoule intake, you don't take into account the quality of food you are eating. This means you could rationalise adding a Mars Bar or piece of cake and then eat less for dinner to stay within your recommended range. We don't believe this is a healthy, responsible way of living and eating, nor does it facilitate weight loss, in the short or long term.

Eating for permanent weight loss is about changing bad food choices into healthy ones, which becomes a natural part of your every day life. This saves you from being bogged down, consumed by and a slave to laborious maths every time you need to eat. That's 5 times a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year worth of calculations. No thanks!

I believe:
• All your food should be as close to its original state as possible, so minimal processing, preservatives and additives
• Half your plate should be vegetables
• One quarter should be lean protein: approximately 100g red meat, 125g skinless chicken, 150g fish or 180g tofu
• One quarter should be unrefined, unprocessed carbohydrates ie. brown rice, lentils, chickpeas, beans, barley etc
• Minimal added sugar, and only unprocessed, without compromising flavour
• Minimal added fat, preferably unsaturated and added as an ingredient rather than cooking in it.

For those of you who like to know figures, this is a good aim for most females who desire to release weight,
1200-1600 calories a day
This will be made up of:
250-350 calories for breakfast
350-450 for lunch and dinner
and around 150-200 per snack for mid morning and mid afternoon.

I like to choose healthy and portion controlled and be aware of calories without counting them fanatically.