'Diet' implies it's a short term fix to lose a few pounds but if you really want to lose weight and keep it off you need to change your eating habits. Eat healthy food, don't count calories and don't go crazy with portion control. A fruit salad for breakfast is great but so are most cereals etc. Jacket potatoes make a great dinner - even with a bit of cheese! Consider the long term implications of your eating habits - you'll need energy to work and play, you don't want to be starved and miserable so allow yourself some luxuries!
A trick that worked for me is to just eat 'bad' food in social situations. For example at parties or if friends come over for drinks allow yourself a few nibbles. Not only does this limit the food you can eat but it also encourages you to make time and enjoy time spent with friends!
2. Eat as much as you can.
People tend to skip meals or eat tiny portions when they want to lose weight - not me! Partially because in my house we have no concept of portion control so my plate is always piled high and partially because I don't want to starve myself, feel hungry, tired and demotivated. I want to feel energised, happy, lively and FULL whilst losing weight and changing my life and diet for the better. For breakfast I'm now used to drinking freshly squeezed juice (I bought a juicer at the start of the year to fuel my weight loss), either fruit or vegetable! It really squeezes all the nutrients and goodness out of the fruits! This may not always be enough so I'll top up on fruit, cereals or yogurt - I am LOVING fat free natural yogurt with a spoonful of lemon curd, not extremely healthy but damn it tastes good and it keeps me H A P P Y.
For lunch I'll have a salad either on it's own or with meat or fish or eggs etc. I fill a huge tupperware box up and dress it in low fat salad cream/mayonnaise or other low fat dressings. I then have either fruit or yogurt as a healthy pudding.For dinner I go big... I don't be as strict at dinner time because it's the end of the day, we've all been working hard and we just want to enjoy a nice meal but I ALWAYS bear my weight loss in mind. I always eat lots of vegetables/salad with EVERY meal for extra goodness and fewer calories. I love pasta, jacket potatoes, stews, sausage and mash and many more tasty dishes! Just go easy on the fatty stuff but pile that veg high!
3. Eat chocolate every night.
As most people do, my urge for weight loss started in the new year when my cupboards were full of Prosecco and chocolate and other Christmas leftovers... this can be tricky. I've 'diet'ed before and starved myself of not just chocolate but good food too! This made me crave sweets and sugary food even more than usual so eventually I just caved and binged on crisps, chocolates etc. What I've found this time round is that when I want chocolate I eat it. I'll just eat a square or two and really savour the taste and then put it away. It might be difficult at first to not finish the bar but once you get used to it it's easy! It stops the cravings and keeps you satisfied. After a while I found I wasn't craving chocolate half as much so ended up going a few days (even weeks!) without any!
4. Prepare!
I first started preparing my food simply to save time - which it does - however I soon realised it encourages you to eat alot healthier too! I usually fill a huge fruit bowl up with fresh salad, enough to last 2 - 4 days (depending on how hungry I am). I find it less hassle in the sense you can use a whole cucumber, a whole pepper, a whole punnet of tomatoes and you don't get odd bits of salad floating round your fridge. It's always readily available if you're ever too short on time to prepare lunch/dinner so you have no excuses! It's great for minimising waste too as you're more likely to eat a pre prepared salad rather than find all the ingredients and start from scratch!
I find the key to a good salad is equal(ish) quantities of everything - unless you really like something in which case go wild - and lots and lots of different things and lots of different colours, grated carrot and beetroot add great colour and texture to any salad and you don't have to cook it! I try and fit as many different foods as I can into one salad, not only does it look and taste great but it ensures you get lots of goodness from the variety of fruits.
5. Save £, Lose lb
Before I got a car I'd walk everywhere - because I had to. It was only when it snowed late December and I hadn't got the confidence to drive in it I decided to walk to work again. It's a gorgeous 20 minute walk and the snow meant it was so peaceful and beautiful, it really inspired me to walk more. However in the mornings I don't always fancy waking up with 20 minutes to spare so I dusted off my bike and rode to work ever since! It takes me about 7 minutes on my bike, exactly the same as my car because I simply over take all the school traffic and can take short cuts. It's a killer because I like to go as fast as I can - there and back - and there are some good hills round here! I can feel myself getting stronger and my legs getting more toned just from this! My friend came round last week and the first thing she said was 'you've lost weight, you're legs look amazing' and that is all the motivation I need to keep going!
I have ONE exception and that is if it's raining. I hate the thought of turning up to work wet, with makeup running down my face, unable to get dry and warm so I don't put myself through it. I just have to make sure I don't slip back into driving again the next day.
Another bonus of this, may I add, is that petrol lasts me a lifetime.
6. Be Happy
Why do you want to lose weight?
To look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see...
To be able to run to the end of the street and not have to fight for breath...
To fit into that dress you bought a few years back...
To make your partner happy...
Don't lose weight to be happy, happiness is not a destination. Happiness is a way of life.
Be happy that you're doing something about your weight, changing into the body you'll love.
Be happy that you've lost 1lb or even not gained any!
Be happy that you're filling your body with good, fresh tasty food.
Be happy seeing your body make slow, healthy, long term changes and progress and be even happier when people start to notice.
Don't set yourself unrealistic goals, any weight loss is great weight loss. Make choices that suit YOU and ENJOY yourself.
Ps. Vodka, soda, lime has a lot less calories than wine or beer!
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