Dietitian uses 'spot the difference' game to highlight how subtle changes can impact weight loss

It’s a game often reserved for children’s books and the back of newspapers, but one dietitian is using ‘spot the difference’ to highlight how subtle differences in meals could be hindering your weight loss.

Paula Norris, an Australian dietitian, has the dream Instagram feed of health fanatics everywhere. Sharing images of nutritious snacks, filling meals and debunking health myths, the health guru is a resource of wellness knowledge.

Bringing her followers back to their childhood with a ‘spot the difference’ challenge, she shares an image of two seemingly similar meals – but one is significantly higher in calories than the other. Paired with healthy tips, she provides insight to the difference between the meals.

“If you’re trying to lose weight then it can be easy to overdo the cals on even seemingly healthy meals like stir fry,” she wrote.

“I have weighed the non starchy veg for this demo but I DO NOT [sic] weigh non starchy veg at home- I throw as much as I can in! Scales are good to keep portion sizes in check for meats, starchy carbs and good fats (although measuring in spoons, cups usually works for a lot of starchy carbs and fats) but weighing is not required for non starchy veg.”

Explaining how subtle changes can make or break your diet, Norris breaks down how these little details can impact weight loss progress.

“Ever since I studied Dietetics, I haven’t bothered with drastic diet changes to achieve goals because I know how short term, unsustainable and depressing they are. Changes I make are small, almost unnoticeable [sic] and spread across days and weeks,” she wrote.

“Decreasing the serve size of energy dense foods and increasing portions of low energy density foods has been key for me. A lot of small changes can add up!”

Understanding that her followers have different goals, Norris explains that it’s possible for both meals to be healthy – but one may be better suited depending on the reader’s goals.

“Both of these meals are healthy but depending on your goals you may make some modifications for more or less calories,” she wrote.

“While good fats are of course amazing for – and required by – our bodies the calories can add up. So if you’re trying to move some weight you need to be aware of portions of even good fats.”

With the dietitian’s ‘spot the difference’ series receiving more than 2,000 likes on each comparison, her followers praise the expert for sharing her knowledge in an uncomplicated way.

“This is such a great reminder. Little choices really do add up,” wrote one follower.

“It’s amazing how a few small changes significantly cut the cals but not the taste or ability to satiate,” added another.

If the Super Carb Diet isn’t for you, reducing your oil usage while cooking, replacing starchy carbs with leafy greens and incorporating moderate healthy fats are a few simple ways to lose weight, according to the dietitian.

“A few small changes across the day can be the difference between weight gain, maintenance and loss.”

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

Is the Super Carb Diet the new way to lose weight?

Nutritionist-approved unlikely foods to eat to beat the heat

Sleeping too long at night ‘could lead to an early death’