Many people say they want to lose weight, meaning they want to weigh less. But as far as losing weight is concerned they mean they want to lose fat. No one wants to lose muscle tissue and end up with loose, saggy skin but most people who diet incorrectly do so. For many who have tried quick-fix 'fad' diets, you know that initially you lose some weight but because of the half-starve, impractical regime usually involved in such diets it's impossible to maintain.
If you do push on with it you can end up looking drawn and haggard in the face and the problem body parts remain. Sensible healthy weight loss means losing excess body fat that has formed throughout the body, particularly in places that make you look fat like the waist, hips, buttocks and thighs.
Changing the way you view food and changing your lifestyle to a healthier more active one will allow you to feel as good as you look with the added confidence of having disciplined control over your body and no longer feeling your life is ruled by food. Not only will you feel and look better but as a result of the changes you will make if you follow the advice below you will have laid the foundations for a lifestyle which with a little care, will literally stay with you throughout a long and healthy life.
1)Start as you mean to go on, this means never missing breakfast. Eating first thing in the morning boosts your metabolism by 20%. Choose Porridge, Bran cereal or Fruit and Yoghurt.
2)Add valuable protein to breakfast by mixing in a protein powder or sprinkle some chopped walnuts which provide protein and oils to help you feel full.
3)Choose unprocessed whole, rolled oats or Wholegrain with no added ingredients.
4)Take a top quality vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you supply of all crucial nutrients for health, some of which are no longer in many over farmed foods.
5)Be economic with your valuable time and prepare your lunch and snacks for work when you prepare breakfast. Just a half hour earlier out of bed in the morning can make all the difference in your life.
6)Use only whole-wheat bread for sandwiches and low calorie dressings. (Not to be confused with low fat which can still be high in sugar) White bread contains no nutrients of value.
7)Trim fat and remove any skin from meat.
8)Steam vegetables and avoid anything sautéed in fat.
9)Use organic or fortified rice-again white rice is just useless calories.
10) Use dry herbs, spices and seasonings instead of just salt to flavour your food.
11) Pack food in Tupperware boxes with eating utensils to keep it fresh and make it easier to eat small and often wherever you are.
12) Dried fruits like raisins, prunes or apples make great snacks.
13) If you don't prepare your own food choose what you purchase carefully by reading all labels.
14) If you buy a sandwich again, be sure to choose only whole meal bread with fresh chicken, salmon, tuna or egg salad filling.
15) Eat fresh fruits or those canned in their own juices-never in syrup.
16) Try to limit the amount of pre-packed snacks and 'man-made' foods you eat.
17) Eat smaller meals more regularly throughout the day moving emphasis away from snacking and then eating one large evening meal with the emphasis on a decrease in total calories consumed.
18) Eat your food slowly, chewing well. It takes your brain up to 20 minutes to signal to your stomach that you are full.
19) Don't go any longer than two to two and a half hours without eating. Regular small amounts of food keeps blood sugar elevated along with the speed of your metabolism and helps prevent cravings.
20) Eat fewer simple carbs, sugars and fats and increase high quality protein consumption.
21) Use only low calorie skim milk in tea or coffee-preferably go black.
22) Drink plenty of pure, still water-the more water you drink the more you flush out.
23) Keep high calorie, low nutrient foods like cakes and biscuits out of the house if possible to avoid temptation. If you can't do this, keep your food in a separate area.
24) Limit alcohol intake-alcohol is sugars ugly little cousin, its high in calories and inhibits the absorption of nutrients.
25) Don't snack while watching a screen or T.V. You lose track of what you're eating.
26) Eat two or more portions of fresh veg or salad daily. It's easy to do so but also easy not to do.
27) Try to regularly eat Broccoli, cauliflower and Sprouts. Research shows they help clean the colon resulting in weight loss but also prevent cancer.
28) Eat two pieces of fruit daily for their antioxidant content. Vitamin C can also be obtained from salads and pure fresh fruit juices.
29) Fruits and vegetables are both good sources of Pectin, a soluble fibre that binds bile acids in your intestines and prevents you from re-absorbing them and turning them into (LDL) bad cholesterol.
30) Avoid processed meats and sugary foods. They disrupt hormone balance, insulin levels and adrenaline. They also destroy precious B vitamins and chromium.
31) Avoid microwave and convenience foods. They contain harmful chemicals to 'mimic' natural taste and flavour.
32) Learn to compensate. If you eat too much one day eat less the following day. It is calories consumed on the week not the day that will lead to weight loss or gain.
32) Only weigh yourself once weekly-any more often is obsessive and pointless.
33) Keep your mind off food by taking up activities that don't involve it-walking, gardening or best of all-regular exercise!
34) Invest in some expert training advice. Do it yourself workouts at best lead to nowhere and at worst lead to injury. You spend a fortune servicing your car why not a few bucks on your body? You'll never be able to trade that in for a newer model!
35) Find a training partner or regular gym goer-this puts pressure on you to keep appointments.
36) Avoid negative friends or relatives who are not supportive of your efforts through jealousy or whatever strange reason.
37) Combine strength training with aerobic work. Weightlifting with boxing or rowing machine etc. This helps build lean muscle and burns more calories.
38) Avoid energy saving devices such as lifts and escalators-use the stairs.
39) Exercise at a pace that measures your level of fitness, don't rush it too soon. Clearly identify exercise you enjoy so you will stick with it!
40) Exercise progressively and gradually increase the difficulty of your program for continuous improvement.
41) Get rid of your 'big clothes' now. Give them to charity as this helps you to associate you being slim with benefiting people with real problems.
42) Perform aerobic activities for at least 20 minutes but no longer than 40.
43) Always warm up and cool down properly.
44) After a successful period reward yourself. Maybe buy a new book or ticket to a show when you lose each five pounds.
45) Establish consistency training with aerobics or weight training at least three times a week.
46) Set a longer term goal like a booked up beach holiday for which you must be in shape!
47) Remind yourself that many, many, many more people fail to lose weight than succeed-you MUST be the exception by using your resolve.
48) View the changes as an opportunity. The more you expect from a new situation the more you'll get back. If you can move into a new lifestyle with a POSITIVE attitude the battle is half won!
49) Accept some major refocusing is necessary. Remember those who expect lifestyle changes to be easy are doomed to fail. It will be difficult but only in the beginning. When results come your motivation will grow accordingly.
50) Visualise your goals and clearly see the benefits. Without a clear and precise picture of your goal results will be inconsistent and never what they should be. Cut pictures from magazines of physical role models and stick them on the fridge to remind you of where you are aiming with this project. Make a motivational chart. Take the time to write down things you would enjoy doing when you are slim; dancing, swimming, wearing figure hugging clothes or playing tennis-give it a lot of thought and really imagine how you'll feel when you arrive at your goal! Add to that list more energy, stronger muscles and joints, improved posture, improved sex life- the list just goes on and on... see the results below on a client of mine:
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