Tips to Lose Weight
Losing weight isn’t just about the food you put into your mouth – it takes determination and will-power and we know you have what it takes!
It’s not just the bride who wants to look slender and glamorous on the big day: you as a bridesmaid will be in the spotlight too. If you feel you need to shake off a few pounds, read on for tips on how to lose weight.
Step 1: Preparing For weight Loss
For most women, the term “diet” always leads to failure in some form or another. Instead of going on a “diet”, we’re going to change your track of thought and refer to it as a long-term healthy eating plan. Just because you want to lose weight, doesn’t mean you have to eat food you don’t enjoy, be hungry all the time and not be able to dine out with your friends. You can still do all of these things, while losing weight at the same time!
Prepare yourself mentally – to change your diet, you need to prepare yourself mentally for it, as losing weight isn’t just bout food: it’s predominately mental. You must prepare yourself for setbacks and acknowledge that you slipped up, but just because you cheated once doesn’t mean you have to let your diet fall off the wagon completely.
Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach – this will cause you to buy food you wouldn’t normally buy if you shopped when you weren’t hungry.
Don’t keep junk food or temptations in your house – if it’s there, you’ll be tempted to eat it.
Step 2: Set Goals
If you don’t have a goal, how would you know what you want to achieve? The most important thing to remember is that your goals must be realistic. Aim to lose no more than 0,5Kg to 1Kg per week. Create a Diet Diary that will keep you motivated. In this diary you can:
* Write down all your goals, such as exactly how much weight you want to lose.
* Write down by when you would like to lose the weight.
* Have a daily calendar where you can monitor your weight loss. This will keep you motivated and keep your eye on the goal.
* Write a list of reasons why you want to lose weight. Read these reasons every morning when you wake up.
* Write down everything you eat on a daily basis. Often by looking at what you have eaten throughout the day, we are able to pick up on hindrances to our diet. E.g. you may be eating too much sugar in your diet without realising it, but after seeing it written down, you can then identify the problem.
Step 3: Be Sensible
Don’t starve yourself – it may make sense to you that if you were to starve yourself, you’ll lose weight rapidly. However, by depriving your body of food actually forces it to go into “survival mode” and it clings onto fat more than ever before. For all your body knows, you’ve been dropped in a desert without food. It naturally clings onto the fat to help you survive longer. If you do lose weight by not eating properly, this is only your body losing water – which you’ll gain straight away as soon as you start eating properly again.
Everything in moderation – nothing is really bad for you, as long as you eat it in moderation. Try to set 1 day aside per week where you can allow yourself to eat whatever you want, as long as you remain strict on yourself the other 6 days. This gives you something to look forward to in the week, and you don’t feel as though you’re depriving yourself.
Step 4: Change your eating habits
It’s not just about what you eat, but also about HOW you eat.
* Eat smaller portions – don’t stuff yourself until you are too full to move anymore! Stop eating when you are full.
* Eat on a smaller plate – this will trick your mind into thinking you have more food on your plate than what you actually have, preventing you from over-eating.
* Eat slowly, chew your food properly – don’t rush your meals, savour them and enjoy each mouthful.
* Eat smaller meals every 3 to 4 hours – by eating smaller meals 5 to 6 times a day, you still speed up your metabolism thus lose weight.
* Think before you eat. Be aware of what you’re eating before you put it into your mouth. Instead of automatically putting the chicken into your mouth, look and see if there is any skin you can remove.
* Don’t eat in front of the TV or computer - eat at a table when you can pay attention to what you’re eating.
* Think before having seconds. Before helping yourself to seconds, wait a few minutes to see if you’re really full.
* Crumbs have calories too! Try not to pick at food while preparing it, as all these extra calories add up.
* Just because no one sees you eat it, doesn’t mean it has no calories.
* Don’t eat straight out the packet – research shows that when people eat food straight out of a packet, they tend to eat more than if they were to eat the items out of a bowl.
* Do not skip meals – skipping a meal is very bad for your blood sugar and also causes you to be ravenous and overeat by the time your next meal arrives. Not only does skipping a meal slow down your metabolism, it also confuses your body, as your system loves routine. Rather stick to eating your meals at regular times.
Step 5: Make Wise Choices
* Read the ingredients on the packaging – sometimes foods we think are ‘safe’ are really hidden with loads of sugar and fat.
* Limit the amount of chemical substitutes, like aspartame. Although they are basically calorie-free, they are harmful to your body, and actually cause you to crave sugar even more.
* Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice
* Skip the salad dressing – opt for olive oil and balsamic vinegar if you must.
* Choose white meat instead of red – fish and chicken are leaner and healthier than red meat and pork.
Dining Out
If you are dining out, or want to treat yourself, make wise choices.
Choose: Instead of:
Fat free sweets (jelly babies, hard boiled
sweets, wine gums, jelly beans etc.) Chocolates
Popcorn and pretzels Fried potato chips
Dark chocolate Milk chocolate
Fruit sorbet Ice cream
Fruit salad and low fat custard Rich desserts
Brown, whole-wheat pasta White pasta
Tomato-based pasta sauces Cream based pasta sauces
Salad on the side French fries on the side
Cup of hot chocolate Chocolate mousse
Fat free cottage cheese Mayonnaise
Pizza with vegetable toppings Pizza with meat topping
Step 6: Make Water Your Best Friend
The easiest weight-loss tip there is: It’s free and all you have to do is drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and it assists you in losing weight. As a bonus, your skin will have that beautiful dewy clear appearance.
Drink a warm glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice in it first thing in the morning. This helps to wake up your digestive juices and lubricates the insides of your body. The lemon helps to flush out any toxins in your body.
Drink a glass of water before a meal – this will discourage over-eating, as water naturally fills you up.
Step 7: Increase the Good Stuff
Increase your fibre intake – by not eating enough fibre, your body cannot get rid of waste products, which causes bloating. Eat high fibre cereals and bread in the mornings and up your intake of fruit.
Eat good fats – good fats that are found in nuts, seeds, oily fish, olive oil and avocados actually help you lose weight if you eat 1 portion of 1 good fat with every meal. Just be sure not to over-indulge in them or it can hinder your weight loss.
Fall in love with vegetables – We know that Brussels sprouts have never really been man’s best friend, but there are plenty of delicious tasting vegetables for you to enjoy. They are full of the good nutrients and vitamins your body needs to assist you in losing weight. They also contain plenty of fibre. The best thing about vegetables is that they are superfoods and not only assist in helping you to lose weight, but they give you beautifully healthy skin, hair and nails too.
Choose whole grains and pulses – These stabilise your blood sugar for longer, keeping you full for longer and also contain more fibre than white foods.
Step 8: Exercise
While a diet alone will help you lose some weight, by including exercise in your weight-loss plan will help the fat melt away at an even faster pace. If the gym isn’t your scene, try taking a brisk walk around your neighbourhood 3 times a week, or enrol in a yoga or pilates class. Find simple ways in your everyday routine to get your heart rate up a little – like talking the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Not only will the pounds be melting off, you will have more energy than before, you’ll sleep better and your overall health will feel better in general.
Step 9: Avoid Water Retention
Water retention is that horrible bloated feeling, as if your body is one big floating blimp. Here are a few tips to get rid of excess water in your body and that uncomfortable feeling:
* Decrease your salt intake (this is the biggest culprit for bloating).
* Avoid foods that cause water retention (or eat them in moderation) such as melon
* Up your intake of natural anti-diuretic foods – pineapple, cranberry juice
* Juniper and horsetail are known for their diuretic properties.
* Add parsley leaves to your cooking or eat them fresh.
* Drink Dandelion tea daily – removes the acid n the blood and helps purify your system.
* Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.
* Take a calcium and potassium supplement – helps your body to process water.
* Take a vitamin B and C supplement – helps your body to process water.
* Eat 1 clove of garlic a day – has detoxifying properties. Eat parsley thereafter to get rid of the smell.
* Exercise daily for 30 minutes – helps to flush food and water from the body better.
Step 10: Reward yourself
For every bit of weight you lose, reward yourself to keep you motivated. Reward yourself by treating yourself with a facial at the spa, buying a new smoothie-maker machine (for all those delicious healthy fruit drinks!) a new pair or shoes, or celebrate your weight loss by buying a new pair of designer jeans or sexy underwear for your new body!
Be Patient
Don’t weigh yourself 5 times a day – your body’s weight continually fluctuates during the course of the day. The only correct time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning when you wake up.
The Final Fitting
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results fast. You didn’t put on the weight overnight, so you can’t expect to lose it overnight too. Stick to your healthy eating plan and exercise
Tips to Lose Weight
Losing weight isn’t just about the food you put into your mouth – it takes determination and will-power and we know you have what it takes!
It’s not just the bride who wants to look slender and glamorous on the big day: you as a bridesmaid will be in the spotlight too. If you feel you need to shake off a few pounds, read on for tips on how to lose weight.
Step 1: Preparing For weight Loss
For most women, the term “diet” always leads to failure in some form or another. Instead of going on a “diet”, we’re going to change your track of thought and refer to it as a long-term healthy eating plan. Just because you want to lose weight, doesn’t mean you have to eat food you don’t enjoy, be hungry all the time and not be able to dine out with your friends. You can still do all of these things, while losing weight at the same time!
Prepare yourself mentally – to change your diet, you need to prepare yourself mentally for it, as losing weight isn’t just bout food: it’s predominately mental. You must prepare yourself for setbacks and acknowledge that you slipped up, but just because you cheated once doesn’t mean you have to let your diet fall off the wagon completely.
Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach – this will cause you to buy food you wouldn’t normally buy if you shopped when you weren’t hungry.
Don’t keep junk food or temptations in your house – if it’s there, you’ll be tempted to eat it.
Step 2: Set Goals
If you don’t have a goal, how would you know what you want to achieve? The most important thing to remember is that your goals must be realistic. Aim to lose no more than 0,5Kg to 1Kg per week. Create a Diet Diary that will keep you motivated. In this diary you can:
* Write down all your goals, such as exactly how much weight you want to lose.
* Write down by when you would like to lose the weight.
* Have a daily calendar where you can monitor your weight loss. This will keep you motivated and keep your eye on the goal.
* Write a list of reasons why you want to lose weight. Read these reasons every morning when you wake up.
* Write down everything you eat on a daily basis. Often by looking at what you have eaten throughout the day, we are able to pick up on hindrances to our diet. E.g. you may be eating too much sugar in your diet without realising it, but after seeing it written down, you can then identify the problem.
Step 3: Be Sensible
Don’t starve yourself – it may make sense to you that if you were to starve yourself, you’ll lose weight rapidly. However, by depriving your body of food actually forces it to go into “survival mode” and it clings onto fat more than ever before. For all your body knows, you’ve been dropped in a desert without food. It naturally clings onto the fat to help you survive longer. If you do lose weight by not eating properly, this is only your body losing water – which you’ll gain straight away as soon as you start eating properly again.
Everything in moderation – nothing is really bad for you, as long as you eat it in moderation. Try to set 1 day aside per week where you can allow yourself to eat whatever you want, as long as you remain strict on yourself the other 6 days. This gives you something to look forward to in the week, and you don’t feel as though you’re depriving yourself.
Step 4: Change your eating habits
It’s not just about what you eat, but also about HOW you eat.
* Eat smaller portions – don’t stuff yourself until you are too full to move anymore! Stop eating when you are full.
* Eat on a smaller plate – this will trick your mind into thinking you have more food on your plate than what you actually have, preventing you from over-eating.
* Eat slowly, chew your food properly – don’t rush your meals, savour them and enjoy each mouthful.
* Eat smaller meals every 3 to 4 hours – by eating smaller meals 5 to 6 times a day, you still speed up your metabolism thus lose weight.
* Think before you eat. Be aware of what you’re eating before you put it into your mouth. Instead of automatically putting the chicken into your mouth, look and see if there is any skin you can remove.
* Don’t eat in front of the TV or computer - eat at a table when you can pay attention to what you’re eating.
* Think before having seconds. Before helping yourself to seconds, wait a few minutes to see if you’re really full.
* Crumbs have calories too! Try not to pick at food while preparing it, as all these extra calories add up.
* Just because no one sees you eat it, doesn’t mean it has no calories.
* Don’t eat straight out the packet – research shows that when people eat food straight out of a packet, they tend to eat more than if they were to eat the items out of a bowl.
* Do not skip meals – skipping a meal is very bad for your blood sugar and also causes you to be ravenous and overeat by the time your next meal arrives. Not only does skipping a meal slow down your metabolism, it also confuses your body, as your system loves routine. Rather stick to eating your meals at regular times.
Step 5: Make Wise Choices
* Read the ingredients on the packaging – sometimes foods we think are ‘safe’ are really hidden with loads of sugar and fat.
* Limit the amount of chemical substitutes, like aspartame. Although they are basically calorie-free, they are harmful to your body, and actually cause you to crave sugar even more.
* Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice
* Skip the salad dressing – opt for olive oil and balsamic vinegar if you must.
* Choose white meat instead of red – fish and chicken are leaner and healthier than red meat and pork.
Dining Out
If you are dining out, or want to treat yourself, make wise choices.
Choose: Instead of:
Fat free sweets (jelly babies, hard boiled
sweets, wine gums, jelly beans etc.) Chocolates
Popcorn and pretzels Fried potato chips
Dark chocolate Milk chocolate
Fruit sorbet Ice cream
Fruit salad and low fat custard Rich desserts
Brown, whole-wheat pasta White pasta
Tomato-based pasta sauces Cream based pasta sauces
Salad on the side French fries on the side
Cup of hot chocolate Chocolate mousse
Fat free cottage cheese Mayonnaise
Pizza with vegetable toppings Pizza with meat topping
Step 6: Make Water Your Best Friend
The easiest weight-loss tip there is: It’s free and all you have to do is drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and it assists you in losing weight. As a bonus, your skin will have that beautiful dewy clear appearance.
Drink a warm glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice in it first thing in the morning. This helps to wake up your digestive juices and lubricates the insides of your body. The lemon helps to flush out any toxins in your body.
Drink a glass of water before a meal – this will discourage over-eating, as water naturally fills you up.
Step 7: Increase the Good Stuff
Increase your fibre intake – by not eating enough fibre, your body cannot get rid of waste products, which causes bloating. Eat high fibre cereals and bread in the mornings and up your intake of fruit.
Eat good fats – good fats that are found in nuts, seeds, oily fish, olive oil and avocados actually help you lose weight if you eat 1 portion of 1 good fat with every meal. Just be sure not to over-indulge in them or it can hinder your weight loss.
Fall in love with vegetables – We know that Brussels sprouts have never really been man’s best friend, but there are plenty of delicious tasting vegetables for you to enjoy. They are full of the good nutrients and vitamins your body needs to assist you in losing weight. They also contain plenty of fibre. The best thing about vegetables is that they are superfoods and not only assist in helping you to lose weight, but they give you beautifully healthy skin, hair and nails too.
Choose whole grains and pulses – These stabilise your blood sugar for longer, keeping you full for longer and also contain more fibre than white foods.
Step 8: Exercise
While a diet alone will help you lose some weight, by including exercise in your weight-loss plan will help the fat melt away at an even faster pace. If the gym isn’t your scene, try taking a brisk walk around your neighbourhood 3 times a week, or enrol in a yoga or pilates class. Find simple ways in your everyday routine to get your heart rate up a little – like talking the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Not only will the pounds be melting off, you will have more energy than before, you’ll sleep better and your overall health will feel better in general.
Step 9: Avoid Water Retention
Water retention is that horrible bloated feeling, as if your body is one big floating blimp. Here are a few tips to get rid of excess water in your body and that uncomfortable feeling:
* Decrease your salt intake (this is the biggest culprit for bloating).
* Avoid foods that cause water retention (or eat them in moderation) such as melon
* Up your intake of natural anti-diuretic foods – pineapple, cranberry juice
* Juniper and horsetail are known for their diuretic properties.
* Add parsley leaves to your cooking or eat them fresh.
* Drink Dandelion tea daily – removes the acid n the blood and helps purify your system.
* Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.
* Take a calcium and potassium supplement – helps your body to process water.
* Take a vitamin B and C supplement – helps your body to process water.
* Eat 1 clove of garlic a day – has detoxifying properties. Eat parsley thereafter to get rid of the smell.
* Exercise daily for 30 minutes – helps to flush food and water from the body better.
Step 10: Reward yourself
For every bit of weight you lose, reward yourself to keep you motivated. Reward yourself by treating yourself with a facial at the spa, buying a new smoothie-maker machine (for all those delicious healthy fruit drinks!) a new pair or shoes, or celebrate your weight loss by buying a new pair of designer jeans or sexy underwear for your new body!
Be Patient
Don’t weigh yourself 5 times a day – your body’s weight continually fluctuates during the course of the day. The only correct time to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning when you wake up.
The Final Fitting
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results fast. You didn’t put on the weight overnight, so you can’t expect to lose it overnight too. Stick to your healthy eating plan and exercise