Last week we talked about goals (visit it by clicking here) and when I talked to friends, clients and family, the overwhelming response was to do with losing weight: “I’d just like to lose a few pounds” / “Half a stone would make me happy”/ “I would love to fit back into my jeans”, etc, etc.
Of course, last week’s blog post came fresh off the back of learning to love yourself as you are. And this is something I still stand by. Weight loss is not the answer to happiness. However weight loss (for anyone who is overweight) is the answer to better health, more energy and future well being.
Do you need to lose weight?
Being overweight is quite simply, not good for us. It puts more pressure on our joints and it increases our chances of disease and illness. Most of us equate weight loss with wanting to look better or fitting into a certain size rather than thinking about how healthy our bodies are on the inside.
On a side note however, it is worth pointing out that being slim doesn’t always equal being healthy either. The term ‘skinny fat’ has been recently used to describe those who aren’t overweight but hold a lot of hidden (visceral) fat around their organs (which isn’t good) due to poor diet and lack of exercise. And of course being too skinny and not having enough fat is dangerous too…but that is a whole other topic that we’ll discuss at some point.
Let’s assume for the point of this blog that you are someone whose health would benefit if you lost a little (or a lot) weight. If that is you, read on.
Once goals of weight loss have been established, two of the most common questions I get are:
- What diet should I do?
- Why can’t I lose weight?
Right…Let’s discuss these!
MOST IMPORTANT POINT is this:
All weight loss happens when you create a calorie deficit. In other words, you burn more than you eat. It’s simple and it’s what every single diet is based on no matter what fancy name they have.
There are a small percentage of people that have other health related issues that prevent weight loss but for most of us, if you can’t seem to lose weight, chances are you are still eating/ drinking too much and not moving enough.
So which diet is best then?
There is no answer to this. I am not a fan of the word ‘diet’ but then this isn’t my journey. Some people swear by Atkins/ weight watchers/ slimming world/ fasting/ paleo/ clean eating, etc etc (the list is pretty endless which is why it is so confusing). But guess what, the way they ALL get results with weight loss is by creating a calorie deficit.
BUT before you think “Great, I’ll go for the one that promises to help me drop a stone/ lose a dress size in a week”, please listen to the following bits of advice:
Don’t start something you can’t keep up
Yes things like a detox/ juice diet/ drastically low calorie diet will make you lose weight but it isn’t sustainable and in the long run won’t be good for you. Life’s too short to be constantly hungry and miserable so don’t do it! Plus, even if you lose weight from a crazy diet, as soon as you go back to eating normally, it’ll just go straight back on.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
There are no short cuts or miracle solutions. Losing weight is hard work and for most of us it involves a fairly big lifestyle change. However it is worth it. Your health should be your number one priority. Take the time to educate yourself – learn about nutrition and how a balanced diet works. If you rely on blindly following meal plans and jumping from diet to diet, then you won’t know how to eat ‘normally’. This is a major feature of my 8 week Kickstart programme – each day you have an article to read so you learn why certain foods are good for you, what a balanced diet looks like and how to get portion sizes right. This knowledge stays with you forever and you are in control of your own choices.
Slow and steady really is the way forwards
Lose weight too quickly and chances are it won’t be fat. When we talk about weight loss, we really want to mean fat loss. To lose 1lb of fat a week you need to burn off an extra 3500 calories…so 500 calories per day. It’s a lot but completely manageable if you reduce portion sizes and increase how many calories you use through moving.
Lots of people don’t think 1lb of fat loss is that much but if you can consistently lose 1-2lbs of fat from now until the new year, you’ll be starting 2018 about a stone lighter. Plus do it slower and it’s more likely to stay off as your lifestyle will be changing along side it and you’ll slowly be creating new, healthy habits.
What works for one person won’t necessarily work for you
It is about finding something that fits in with your lifestyle. This is your journey…don’t compare yourself to others and don’t assume that if one person loves a certain diet you will too.
Find your own way.
If making every meal from scratch takes up too much time then you won’t keep it up. It is about finding a balance that can be sustained. I’m not a great cook and I don’t love cooking but I have about 10 really good, quick meals that I rotate through each week. It works for me and means I get a lovely, balanced diet without too much hassle. All my recipes that I use are in my 8 week Kickstart Programme…and I promise if I can cook them, so can you!
Keep remembering that this is for your HEALTH
Eating low calorie/ low fat/ diet foods may help you lose weight but if they are full of chemicals, sweeteners and flavourings your body is not going to thank you.
Stop telling yourself you are on a ‘diet’ because immediately you think of all the foods you are no longer allowed. Instead, focus on filling your body with goodness. Add in plenty of fruit, veg, lean protein and quality carbs. The more ‘real’ foods you eat, the more energy you’ll have and the better you’ll feel.
Start listening to your body
As children we are encouraged to eat everything on our plates or we were told ‘you can’t have pudding until you’ve finished all your first course’. These habits are deeply engrained and often, even as adults it’s what we do even without thinking about it (and I bet if you are a mummy, you’ve probably said something similar to your children). Wasting food isn’t good however nor is eating everything on our plate regardless of whether we need it or not.
Try dishing up smaller portions, eat them slowly and then wait at least 20 minutes before you decide if you need any more. Most of the time you won’t. Try to limit distractions when you eat as well. If you are busy talking/ watching TV/ working/ reading then you will miss your body telling you it’s full and you’ll keep eating far more than you need to. Research has shown that we eat a third more calories when we aren’t fully concentrating on our food. Try it today. Eat every meal slowly, focus on each bite and stop eating as soon as you start to feel full. Not only will you eat less but you’ll also actually taste what you’re eating instead of shovelling it in mindlessly.
Make one change today
Try to overhaul everything at once and you won’t keep it up – it will be too overwhelming and you’ll rebel against it. Focus on one thing today and for the rest of the week. See what a difference it makes. For me, I am going to stop working whilst I’m having my lunch. I think when you work from home it’s an easy habit to slip into and I know I’m guilty of eating too fast without even really tasting the food. So today I am going to have a proper lunch break!
Good luck! Making changes to your lifestyle and getting your body as fit and healthy as possible involves lots of hard work but you CAN do it!
Get a support network around you and go for it.
If you need more help, then join my fabulous ladies on my 8 week Kickstart Programme. It’s structured to help you make small, manageable changes that you can keep up forever more. We get you eating as well as possible and fitting in more exercise (which is completely flexible and designed to fit in with you). You have an instant support network through our closed Facebook group and I will be with you every step of the way. Pop over to have a look at it by clicking the link above or message me to find out more (lorna@alittlemorefabulous.co.uk).
If you aren’t quite ready to sign up but you’d like lots of free tips and advice emailed to you, then enter your email address in the box at the bottom of the page.
Still you, just a little more fabulous!
Lorna x