So many people struggle with weight their entire lives, and obesity is becoming a real problem. Constantly losing and piling on the pounds is not good for the body. In order to be healthy, it is important to try to maintain the same body weight for our height and frame.
Being well over your body weight can cause serious health issues like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. This is why it is so important to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.
I see so many women between the ages of 25 and 35 struggling with weight, trying every different new diet to be skinny. I do not believe in fad diets; they seriously mess up your metabolism. What I do believe in is healthy eating and being active. I hope these Top 5 Tips To Lose Weight will inspire you to become healthier.
1. Eat Healthy – foods to avoid and foods to eat
Fad diets do not work. You have to remember that the quicker you lose weight, the quicker you will be putting it all back on the minute you start eating the wrong foods again. Also, restrictive diets will only make you crave unhealthy foods.
If you eat healthy, you will not only maintain a good weight for your body frame and shape, but you will have an abundance of energy and feel and look great.
Avoid too much starch and sugar in your diet
By eating healthy, you will also not be craving sugar. Did you know that sugar is as addictive as heroin?! Yes, that is correct. The more white pasta, bread, cakes, fruit juices and fizzy drinks you have, the more you crave, and it becomes a vicious circle. When you eat healthy, you will feel fuller for longer.
It may be difficult to break free from your eating habits, but trust me, when you start leading a healthier lifestyle, you will look and feel so much better! As we age, HEALTH is the most important thing!
Another big problem with eating too much sugar and starchy foods is that it creates blood sugar problems. The more sugar we eat, the more our bodies overproduce insulin. Too much insulin in the body causes sugar to convert into fat and prevents it from being released by the body. By eating healthy, you are keeping your blood sugar levels balanced, giving you more energy.
So, avoid white pasta, bread, rice and substitute with quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat. Try gluten-free breads. The brand Biona makes good gluten-free breads.
And be careful when reaching for protein bars. Many are overloaded with sugar. It is always best to make your own protein bars.
Reduce your caffeine intake
Drinking too much caffeine will also cause the body to produce elevated levels of insulin, so limit coffee to 1 cup a day. Try switching to dandelion coffee or chicory coffee. So a cappuccino with a croissant for breakfast is definitely a no-no!
Avoid alcohol!
If possible, avoid alcohol at all costs. It is poison for the liver. A healthy liver leads to a faster metabolism. Also, alcohol is sugar.
Drinking too much will make you bloated. If you really can’t live without alcohol, try to limit it to 1 glass of organic red wine with your meal, but ideally, I would eliminate alcohol, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
Aim for 5 portions of fruit & veg per day
Try to eat 2 portions of fruit a day, preferably in the morning when it is the right time to consume fruit on an empty stomach. Go for fruits like berries that are lower in sugar. If you have a banana, do not have more than one per day.
Include more vegetables in your diet. Start drinking more vegetable juices and smoothies using only one type of fruit. Usually, I only use apples in the majority of my vegetable smoothies. I have a family history of diabetes, so I really limit the fruit and sugar I eat.
Take care with raw honey
Remember that although raw honey is alkaline and it is healthier than sugar, it should be consumed in moderation. Try to limit yourself to one teaspoon a day.
Avoid added salt and salty snacks
Avoid salted peanuts, crisps, and sodium-based table salts, as they can cause water retention and place a strain on the kidneys. Substitute with potassium or magnesium-based salts like Himalayan salt. You can also use nori flakes or kelp powder.
Say no to ready-made dressings
Avoid salad dressings that are full of sugar and salt. Make your own. Use olive oil, tamari and lemon juice in salads.
Cook from scratch! No takeaways and ready-made meals
Cook everything fresh so you know exactly what ingredients are going into your food.
Avoid all ready-made meals and takeaways full of rich sauces, salt and sugar. Unfortunately, food manufacturers put salt and sugar in pretty much everything. I have seen it in products like almond milk, which is why I make my own.
Eat more whole foods. I cannot stress this enough. Use lots of herbs in your cooking, too!
Avoid all full-fat dairy
Absolutely no full-fat milk or cheeses. Substitute with almond and cashew milk and go for low-fat cheeses.
Focus on healthy fats
Include more healthy fats in your diet, especially at lunchtime, so you stay fuller for longer. Eat more walnuts, almonds, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, chia seeds, wild salmon, sardines, olive oil, linseeds, flaxseed oil, organic and GM-free soya beans and kidney beans.
Stay hydrated!
Drink lots of filtered water to reduce water retention and to flush out all the toxins.
Seek out superfoods
Include more super foods into you diet like spirulina, wheatgrass shots and powder, barley grass, maca and baobab powder.
2. Portion control
Do not overload your plate with food or eat until you can no longer breathe. Ideally, for a healthy, long life, you should always leave the dinner table not feeling completely full. A helpful tip is to always make half your plate full of vegetables or a salad. Complex carbs like brown rice and protein should always be the size of your fist and no bigger. A quarter should be your fat content.
3. Exercise
It is so important to be active. In order to lose weight, you need to sweat, sweat and sweat some more. Cardio will get you burning those calories.
Exercise increases metabolic rate and decreases fat deposits. It also increases muscle mass, so get moving.
If you look at athletes, they have lean bodies. Of course, if you are new to exercise, I do not expect you to train like an athlete. 30 mins a day is enough to begin with. Go for a brisk walk in the park or a jog.
4. Throw away the weighing scales
Weighing scales can become very addictive and obsessive. I see so many people who weigh themselves after every meal becoming obsessed with calorie intake. Throw your scales away and stop counting calories. If you eat healthy, there is no need to count calories. You can tell by the way your clothes fit you if you are overweight.
5. Make dinner the lightest meal
Dinner should be your lightest meal of the day. Do not eat carbohydrates at night. Have complex carbohydrates during the day.
Try to eat your dinner 3 hours before going to bed. Do not eat before going to bed; this will not only make you put on weight but will also put a strain on your digestive system.
Still finding it hard to lose weight?
If you feel you have tried eating healthy and exercising but are not losing weight, it may be a good idea to see your GP and have your thyroid and hormones checked. An underactive thyroid can cause weight gain, and a hormonal imbalance, like too much oestrogen, can also lead to weight gain.
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