Giving up your favourite foods to lose weight is never fun, but it does not have to be hell either. Changing what you eat and how you eat can help you shed the kilos. Below are 10 proven tips that work.
1) Tune in to your hunger cues
Busy work schedules and bad eating habits cause us to lose the ability to judge when we are hungry and when we are not.
To reboot your hunger-fullness meter, eat nutrient-rich food at regular times. You may want to consult a nutrition coach to help you rebalance your food intake.
Take a minute or two before you eat a meal to ask yourself ‘How hungry am I?’ Give yourself a score of 1-10 with 1 being ‘starving’ and 10 being ‘stuffed’. That way, you are reminding yourself to eat only what your body needs.
2) Swap liquid calories for water
A can of Coca-Cola contains a deadly 140 calories. Changing it to water means zero calories.
Water is good substitute because it will keep you full. If going cold turkey is too hard, try swapping with calorie-free alternatives then slowly dial these back by replacing them with water.
3) Eat whole, unprocessed foods
Whole foods are natural with no added preservatives or additives. Eating whole foods is the start of a healthier lifestyle. On your next grocery shop, try replacing white bread with a wholemeal option, for example.
4) Try healthier snacks
Snacking is one of the biggest contributors to weight gain. Instead of snacking on a chocolate bar or a bag of chips, try making yourself some healthy grab-and-go snacks like fresh fruits and vegetable sticks.
Find a healthy recipe online for a dip and you will have a delicious guilt-free treat.
5) Don’t starve
Starving yourself is not a healthy way to lose weight. If you starve yourself, you are only going to be hungry and may overeat at your next meal.
Eating smaller portions and healthier food at regular intervals is a more effective way to lose the kilos.
6) Eat a balanced breakfast
If you want to lose weight, eat breakfast. Eating breakfast can lead to a lower BMI, a boost in metabolism and will make you feel full for the rest of the day.
Before you rush out to celebrate with a Big Breakfast with extra bacon on the side, remember that a good breakfast is a balanced meal. Check with a nutrition coach on the types of breakfast that can promote weight loss.
7) Give up sugar
Processed sugar should only be consumed in small quantities. Refined sugar is easily digested by the body, and so you won’t feel full: that’s why you’re able to eat an entire bag of jelly beans without thinking.
8) Love yourself
The first step in your weight loss is loving your shape. Look at what you can improve, don’t aspire to be something your body is not.
9) Start small
Set small goals that can be measured. For example, if you want to swap coffees for water, start by replacing one glass a day. You will feel a sense of achievement when you have done it and this will motivate you to do even better.
10) Get into a routine
Changing the way you eat requires careful planning and thought. Spend time looking for healthy recipes and plan what to buy and when to cook. Over time, it will become second nature to you.
