Eat yourself slim

Sadly, this title is slightly misleading. You can’t eat what you want and miraculously lose weight but by eating the right foods and following a few simple rules, you can transform both your diet and your figure.

Rule No. 1 – Don’t weigh yourself every day, in fact, it may be more beneficial to never weigh yourself but judge how you look and feel as a measure of success. If you are dieting and exercising then fat will be converted to muscle which weighs more.

Rule No. 2 – Drink plenty of water. Not only will an increased water intake cleanse and purify your internal organs and give you lovely glowing skin, but it will also curb those hunger pangs.

Rule No. 3 – Look at your eating plan as a change in lifestyle rather than a fad diet. Embrace the changes you need to make to improve your diet and combine these with simple exercises, which will also take your mind off the wish to eat.

Rule No. 4 – Change your habits. If having a cup of tea or coffee is accompanied by a couple of chocolate biscuits, then think about eliminating that cuppa when you are most likely to snack.

Rule No. 5 – Don’t look at food as a treat. Enjoy your food and don’t deny yourself a little of what you fancy but incorporate these favourite foods in your eating plan, rather than enjoying a binge at the end of a good week.

Rule No. 6 – Do treat yourself every now and again with a new hair cut, manicure or a new item of clothing. Once you start losing weight you will feel better about yourself and taking a little time out for pampering will help keep the positive process going.

Rule No. 7 – If you eat to hide pain and suffering or when you’re feeling low or depressed, do something about the root cause. Talk to someone about your issues or seek counselling. A health mind is the start to a healthy body.

Rule No. 8 – Never skip breakfast. Breakfast is the signal to your body to get your metabolism moving. If you don’t eat until later in the day, this is when your metabolism will start to move and losing weight will be all the more difficult.

Rule No. 9 – Eat three small meals a day. Portion control is where most people fall down on weight loss. A plate piled high with healthy food is not always the best option. A small plate of food with a little of what you like, balanced by healthy choices is more likely to satisfy. Keep the 80/20 rule in mind. If 80 per cent of what you eat is healthy, the other 20 per cent can include guilt-free indulgences.

Rule No. 10 – Be snack savvy. You will need to snack throughout the day to keep yourself going, especially if you’re being more active. Have small snacks such as fresh fruit and veg to hand, this will save the need for grabbing a calorie-laden bag of chips or chocolate bar just because it’s the easier option.

What is most important is loving the body you have and making sure it’s as healthy as it can be. Check YOURLifeChoices for more weight-loss tips.