8 ways you can permanently succeed with weight loss
Being overweight puts us at greater risk of a range of different chronic and long term diseases. It is also damaging to our mental health. So, what behaviours and habits do you need to cultivate in order lose any necessary weight and maintain a healthy weight?
Below we have 8 ways to lose weight and keep it off for good.
1. Eat regularly
You shouldn’t go any longer than 5 hours without a meal or snack. This will help you to sustain your hunger and keep any cravings at bay. If you wait too long to eat, you will more likely to demolish anything you can get your hands on.
2. Be aware of portion sizes
Aim to eat until you feel satisfied rather than full. Eating to the point of discomfort or fullness will generally mean that you have overeaten. It always takes a little longer for the messages of a full stomach to get to the brain. If you are unsure, have a glass of water and wait for 20 minutes before having something else to eat.
3. Eat well-proportioned meals
Aim to make the vegetable or salad portion of your meal the largest (half of your plate). This is high in vitamins and minerals and low in fat and calories. Have your carbohydrate in the form of a whole grain such as brown rice (a quarter of your plate). The remaining quarter of your plate should contain lean protein, such as chicken, turkey, fish or vegetarian alternative.
4. Choose healthy habits daily
We are creatures of habit, and with that we can either make healthy ones or unhealthy ones. Pick apart your daily routine and identify any habits that are hindering your weight loss. Habits take time to establish so you can’t rely on motivation to embed them. Habits take discipline and repetition. Set yourself small targets. For example, if you never eat breakfast, aim to eat breakfast 4 times a week, with each week that goes by, adding another day, until you eat breakfast every day without thinking.
Some habits may be more obvious than others, so you may benefit from keeping a food and exercise diary.
5. Set realistic goals
If your goal is to lose weight, aim for approximately 0.5-1kg per week until you reach a healthy BMI.
6. Plan ahead
Making a shopping list and meal plan for the week ahead. Always have healthy snacks on hand when you are out and about – you never know when life throws you an unexpected curve ball. You know what they say, fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
7. Be aware of your alcohol intake
Alcohol is empty calories – a medium glass of wine provides 150-200 calories; this can quickly add up. Both men and women shouldn’t exceed more than 14 units of alcohol each week, but if you’re trying to lose weight, these are calories that you could do without.
8. Avoid calorific drinks
As well as alcohol, you may be unintentionally sabotaging yourself with calorific drinks. Sugary drinks such as cola and orange juice are empty calories that can cause weight gain and tooth decay. It is also best to avoid highly calorific hot drinks such as hot chocolates and lattes, especially with added syrups and toppings – they often contain more calories than a single meal!
Now that you are armed with these top tips, you can begin to instigate them into your daily life until they become so engrained, they will become as natural as brushing your teeth.
