I’m sure I’m not the only one looking at that quote and thinking damn I knew there was something I was meant to do in the winter. And I know for some people as summer rapidly approaches that means a quick weight loss diet is on the cards. Maybe one of those juice cleanses or the Master Cleanse popularized by Gwyneth and Beyonce. But STOP and remember these types of diets are only sustainable in the short term, produce weight loss only because of the massive reduction in calories not due to detoxing and if inadequate protein is consumed you are breaking down your muscles to supply your body with it’s protein needs. Not so much detox as auto-cannibalism.
So although I can’t be your dietitian fairy godmother and wave my magic slimming wand I can give you 5 simple sustainable tips that can help you lose weight.
- Swap soft drinks and juices for water. Liquid calories add up without you even realizing it. Better to eat that piece of fruit than to juice it. Stick to water or sparkling water for hydration. Try adding flavour with lemon, lime, mint, cucumber.
- And while we are on the subject of fruit. NO MORE THAN 2 PIECES OF FRUIT PER DAY. Sorry to shout but it is one of the most common mistakes my clients have. “Fruit is good, right, so I should eat lots” Yes fruit is good but it packs a fair whack of extra calories if you are eating loads of fruit – swap to veggie sticks – carrots, capsicum, cucumber…
- Portion sizes are key. The average dinner plate size has increased since the seventies and the average portion sizes served in cafes and restaurants have doubled or tripled in the last 20 years. This means we are consuming more without even noticing. Try getting the smaller old style dinner plates from a charity shops and resist the need to clear your plate – forget what your mother told you in this instance!
- Drink water before you eat. Often we mistake thirst for hunger so have a big drink of water before you eat. Also a small study found that those who drank about 500ml of water, 30 minutes before main meals lost an extra 1.2 kg weight compared to those who didn’t.
- Mindful eating. Eat in a slow relaxed manner, put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls and chew well. This has two functions, firstly digestion of starchy foods starts in your mouth so for better digestion let the food be in your mouth for longer and secondly it takes time for the message to get from your stomach to your brain to tell it you’ve had enough, so slowing down helps you to not overeat.
