Ten tips to help lose weight
losing fat is often seen as a challenge for most people.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep a healthy weight through exercise and eating right.
Over 60% of adults in the UK are classed as overweight or obese.
With all of us having to stay in at the moment, its easy to find ourselves being less physically active and eating more than we normally would – and often its not more fruit & veg!
Our brains are wired to ‘light up’ when we have foods that are high in fat or sugar, so it’s also important not to be too critical of yourself.
Our metabolisms slows down as we get older - but obesity isn’t caused by reaching a certain age, and it’s not inevitable. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for preventing a range of health problems later in life, from high blood pressure to Type 2 diabetes and more.
Whether you’re already active or just wondering why you can’t drop the pounds you want to, here are some nutritional tips to use as a starting point for getting in control of your weight
1. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of fluids daily – water, zero-calorie flavoured water, herbal or fruit teas are all good choices. Add in an additional 200ml glass for every 10kg of excess weight.
2. Fill up your stomach with large amounts of dark green, leafy or root vegetables first, such as Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Green beans, Brussel sprouts, Peas, Peppers, Courgettes, Aubergines, onions, Carrots and Sweet potatoes – the more colour and variety the better
3. Minimise your intake of refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and pasta
4. Instead, include beans, lentils, quinoa and wholegrains like brown rice, oats, wholewheat and rye.
5. Each day, eat at least 2 servings of fresh fruit such as apples, berries, pears or citrus fruits
6. Avoid sugary drinks, orange juice, natural or concentrated fruit juices, sugary fizzy drinks or adding sugar to drinks like tea or coffee
7. Avoid sugar, sweets, cakes, biscuits, sweet desserts and pastries
8. Avoid fried, burnt or browned foods, hydrogenated fats and excessive animal fats
9. Replace processed meats (sausages, ham, deli & smoked meats) with good quality, whole cuts of lean meat, also reduce party foods with additives, artificial colours or flavourings.
10. Reduce your alcohol intake; as we are all staying in at the moment, I know this one could be tough! If you can reduce the amount you drink each week it can have impressive results – one pint of beer has an average of 250 calories, while a large (250ml) glass of red wine can have up to 230 calories.
Getting your nutrition right is not only going to help you lose weight, it will help make you feel much better; eating the right food is more important than just counting calories - combining this with the right exercise is the best way to lose weight safely, effectively and importantly to keep it under your control.