Christmas…mince pies, mulled wine, chocolate liquors and festive telly - a time for relaxing with family and friends (including those waistlines)! It’s no surprise that one of the top resolutions in the New Year for most of us is to lose a few pounds from all that excess munching over the festive period so here are a few top tips to dieting and shedding those extra pounds.
1. BE REALISTIC
Don’t expect to shift half a stone overnight. One or two pounds a week is a realistic and healthy target (and attitude) to adopt. Permanent weight loss is a gradual and slow process. Yo-yoing weight loss and gain means stretch marks, an expensive wardrobe and low morale so slow weight loss is definitely the way forward. You can’t beat a healthy diet, drinking lots of water and regular exercise to shift those pounds permanently.
Top tip: Instead of jumping on the scales every morning feel how your clothes fit and feel instead. Think shape rather than weight for your future svelte figure.
2. FOOD DIARY
Writing down what you eat for a week is a great way to really see what you’re actually munching. You’d be surprised at how those sugary frappachinos and bags of crisps add up calorie-wise! Go through each day of your diary after a week (or even a day) and cut out (or at least back) on sweets, snacks and sugar. Oh, and there’s no need to go hungry. Just replace sweet snacks with healthy alternatives – carrots, nuts, seeds, sultanas may sound like rabbit food but you’d be surprised how tasty and filling these are!
Top tip: Toasted pumpkin seeds are seriously tasty and very, very moreish! Try the DropWeight programme for top support and advice on losing weight the right way.
3. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
A sun-dried tomato or cheeseburger? A sun-dried tomato means glowing skin, shiny hair, healthy nails and complexions. Cutting out sugary snacks and eating more fruit and vegetable has the bonus knock-on effect of not only looking slimmer and healthier but also absolutely fab with it. Who could say no to radiant skin, luscious locks and clear complexions? Eat three meals a day (with healthy snacks if you’re really hungry in between) and visualise your positive outer (and inner) self.
Top tip: Munch a mixture of rainbow coloured vegetables for optimum nutritional value and choose seasonal, locally sourced, organic produce wherever possible.
4. WATER, LOVELY WATER
Our bodies are made up of 80% water so it makes sense hydration is essential for well-being and weight loss. The wet stuff is also appetite quenching too. When you feel a pang of hunger try drinking a glass of water to see if it’s really food your body is craving! Sip seven glasses of water throughout the day slowly and constantly for constant hydration.
Top tip: Sip a hot glass of water with a big squeeze of lemon to kick-start your sluggish system first thing in the morning. Soups are a tasty, top meal to cook too!
5. EXERCISE
The UK government recommends that ‘adults aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on five or more days of the week’ so get that heart pumping! Jump off the bus a stop or two early, walk into town and dig up those sprouts on a daily basis. Get regimental and join a fun, aerobic class with a mate for a serious workout. Treat yourself to some colourful workout gear and think healthy heart, healthy mind and healthy waistline!
Top tip: Gyms offer an array of exercise classes from boxercise to funky step so pick up a timetable and see what takes your fancy.