Fighting The Flab

These are my best top 10 tips for anyone trying to lose weight.... please feel free to read them and pass them on... of course a link back is always helpful :o)

Tried and tested out on ourselves and people we have helped. I hope they can help you on your journey to being fitter, healthier and indeed slimmer, if that is what you desire.

1: Drink plenty of water.
This is by far the most important tip on any diet plan, and it is good for you as well. Nearly everyone I know (who is dieting) who has upped their water intake, has decreased there calorie intake! Simple. It has become quite common knowledge now that people can confuse hunger with thirst; the knock on effect from this is that you can end up eating calories you really don’t need.
"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, R.D. a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

CAUTIONARY NOTE! Check the labels as many of these have calories in them!



2: Enjoy your treats away from home.
This was one of my favourite tips, and I use it. I do not keep ‘treat’ food in my house because if I do, I know temptation will win through eventually.
Ellie Krieger R.D. hosts Food Networks, Healthy Appetite. One of her tips was this; when you need a treat take a trip to your local ice cream parlor or plan a family outing.
"By making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about the temptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and pleasurable way to make it work when you are trying to lose weight," says Krieger.
SO TRUE! When I get into the mindset that I want a treat I can have one, I just walk to my favourite take away and have one (although I order children’s portions). I do not deny myself anything, I just use portion control.

3: Eat protein at every meal.
It has recently been proven that protein is far more satisfying than carbohydrates or fats, it keeps you feeling fuller for longer and passes through the body easier than carbs..
"Diets higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss," says University of Illinois protein researcher Donald Layman, PhD.
Protein helps preserve muscle mass when dieting and also encourages fat burning and keeps you feeling full for longer! Now that’s a triple winner! Get healthy protein sources in your diet, like yogurt, lean meat, nuts, or beans, at meals and snacks.

4: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.
At some point in life you are going to come across a stressful situation. I hear a lot of people moan about this and say this is where it all goes wrong, so, as the Boy Scout movement says, “Be Prepared.”
Instead of turning to food, have some other tactics up your sleeve. I personally find that a soak in the bath listening to music helps, or I go physical and turn to exercise. I know others that would read a chapter of a book and some practice meditation techniques. Find what helps you relax and then when you get stressed reach for that instead of the cheese!

5: Be physically active.
I have heard many people over the years say several things about exercise especially combined with a diet. The two most common I hear are; “I exercise so I can have more to eat” and “I was bad at the weekend so need to do extra in the gym”
These are not good things to hear. They are both negative and put you in a negative mind frame, also if you fail at getting to the gym you are more likely to comfort eat due to the stress put on yourself.
Exercise is always a good thing, even if you are not trying to lose weight. Instead of making it a punishment, start slowly and build it up, concentrating on how much better you feel, how you sleep better and how much more energy you have in day to day life. Keep it positive and try and build it into a routine.

6: Eat a diet full of colour
Fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are very low in calories. They help keep you satisfied longer, and are a great snack and can be eaten with every meal. Try replacing just some of your carbohydrate with vegetables and you will notice a huge difference over time in both how you feel and how you look. If you can’t be bothered measuring it all, use one of the portion control solutions out there to show you.

7: Beware of liquid calories
Nearly all drinks contain calories, even a lot of ‘diet’ brands contain some calories and are full of artificial sweeteners which can cause a ‘spike’ in your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling hungry after the spike has passed. Be careful of ‘healthy’ alternatives as well, fruit juice and especially smoothies are designed to be drunk in very small amounts. Although undoubtedly good for you nutritionally, they can also be very high in calories. These types of calories will not fill you up, but they will most certainly add weight.

8: Eat whole fresh foods
Modern day foods are pumped full of preservatives. This is done for ease of storage and to make the food last longer, however, this also reduces the nutritional content of the food. Where possible choose a fresh food option and avoid pre-packed are processed foods as these are typically higher in calories, fat and salt!

9: Weight loss support: join a weight management group
A huge factor in long term weight control comes from motivation and understanding, as well as receiving advice, encouragement and support. There are now many online forums that allow this to happen with ease. Why not check out groups such as Club Diet Plate. You may also wish to check with your local hospital to see if their registered dietitian conducts group weight loss programs.

10: Weight loss and portion control
As the world has taken the restaurant businesses to task over cost, what we actually deem as value for money now could well be killing us. “Super-size” meals and “all you can eat” buffets, far from giving us value for money have warped our concept of a ‘normal’ portion of food. Be mindful of the amount of food you eat, use portion control systems and if eating out, don’t be afraid to ask for a doggy bag!