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Start on the road to weight loss with these simple tips
Working in the fitness industry I find I am asked the same questions every day, and one of the most common is “how do I lose weight?”. You can give long answers or short answers to this question, but the basics are the basics, and no matter how much you dress them up or want them not to be true, you can’t change reality.
The fact is we live in a world where we are bombarded by advertising for mega-burger deals and chocolate bars. We see world class sports stars promoting the virtues of high fat & sugar products, and at some level in our sub-conscious we associate their magnificent physiques with those products. Well you have to have the discipline to ignore this temptation. Easy to say, not so easy to do, perhaps. Well here are a couple of tips that may help:
Planning your eating
The first step to getting any behaviour under control is to understand the truth about it. Write down what you eat, and when. Plan your meals to ensure a good, healthy start to the day, and consider keeping a ‘food diary’ to keep on top of your real intake.
Drinking water
Drink water, lots of it – at least 1-2 litres per day. As well as being healthy in itself this will fill your stomach and reduce your appetite.
Engage in regular activity
This could be anything from regular walks to gardening. Two half-hour walks a day burn at least 300 – 500 calories a day. Find something fun; bike riding, roller-blading, whatever it is, just do it!
Keep an eye on sugar levels
The Glycemic Index is becoming more and more recognised as a crucial health measure in our food. A food rated above 85 is high, below 60 low, and in-between is moderate. Low glycemic diets are healthy and excellent for weight loss – give you a slow release of carbs, meaning you don’t feel hungry. In practice this could mean, for example, a breakfast of oats or muesli with a glass of orange juice, giving your all the energy you need before lunch time. Consult this table to see where other food ranks.
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Try out these tips for just a few weeks, and you’ll notice the effect. And if you just do one, do the easiest – drink water, lots of it, and often. There’s no simpler way to make a difference to your weight.