Many people seem to spend their whole lives dieting. But if they’re spending their whole lives dieting, it strikes me that dieting on its own doesn’t work. The key is changing your attitude so that once you’ve lost the weight, you keep it off.
Phylicia at the Guildford Wellness Centre has this advice:
If we really put our minds to it, I’m sure we all know the situations where we start eating more than we need. Some of us comfort eat, others stick to diets at home then give in to restaurant food. But you can be a successful weight loser – by being adaptable and planning ahead, you can have a strategy in place for dealing with temptation!
2. Exercise
The recommended regime is 60-90 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise for people hoping to lose weight. You’ll be pleased to hear that includes walking, a way of exercising that’s easily incorporated into everyday life. How often could you leave the car at home and walk instead?
3. Set goals and monitor your behaviour
What goals could you set yourself? How many minutes will you exercise for, how many calories will you eat – anything with exact numbers will help you stay on track. Many successful weight losers keep food journals and meal plans too so they don’t drift back into bad habits
Eating regular, healthy meals is more likely to result in weight loss than missing meals. If you miss meals, you run the risk of gorging when you do finally sit down to eat. Regular meals also enable you to keep track of what you’re eating more easily.
5. Eat a low-fat, nutrient-dense diet
A high-quality diet with plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains is what keeps us satisfied. The fruit, vegetables and whole grains are bulky and filling but your body won’t burn up many calories digesting them. Protein, on the other hand, will make you feel full but digesting it will also give your body a work out – that’s why it’s an important part of a weight loss diet.
6. Think about portion size!
How much do you need to eat to not feel hungry anymore? I bet it’s a lot less than you would need to feel “stuffed!” Keep this in mind and you can trim your food intake significantly. Try putting food straight onto your plate instead of setting the table with serving dishes; using smaller plates works well too.
7. Find an alternative to comfort eating
It’s easy to see why people comfort eat; it’s how many of us deal with stress. We’re all going to be in stressful situations sometimes but, to lose weight, it’s important to find ways of weathering the storm without raiding the cupboards. Think about taking some exercise, going out in the sunshine or meditating – they’ve been found to reduce stress without increasing weight!
8. Change your attitude
How do you think of yourself? If you think of yourself as “fat” then any weight loss will be an aberration, just a break from the norm before you go back to over-eating. But you can change how you see yourself and remember that successful weight loss will come through a series of small steps and a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
9. Make your plan and stick to it.
Once you’ve found a routine of eating and exercising that’s working for you, stick to it, even when you’re on holiday or dining out.
10. Control your environment.
In spite of all the unhealthy temptations out there, you are the one in control of what you eat. You can control what’s in your kitchen cupboards and what you take with you to work. You can control what you bring back from the supermarket and even what you order in restaurants. It’s a good idea to shop with a list and make sure only food that’ll do you good makes its way home with you!
So there you have it. Ten ways to ensure you lose weight and keep it off. Easy peasy...? If you still need support – or just some gentle reminders – Phylicia at the Guildford Wellness Centre would love to meet you and help you become healthier for life. Give her a call on 07958 581901 or visit the website.
