Weight Loss Success
A Quick Guide Successful Weight Loss – Step 1 – Nutrition
If you have tried to lose weight in the past and failed the first thing
you must understand is that it was the diet that failed, not you.
If a plan is unsustainable it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got the strongest
willpower on earth, the diet will fail eventually.
This is why extreme diets and fad diets don’t work;
they are simply not sustainable in the long term.
Carbs, Protein and Fat – Getting the balance right
Along with calorie control, getting the balance of your macro nutrients right can be crucial for weight-loss. Most people rely on carbohydrate heavy diets that give them more energy than they actually need. The body stores that energy surplus becomes as fat.
To lose body fat you must reduce the amount of energy you take in while increasing the amount of energy you expend. These two factors combined will result in steady weight loss. It is important to remember that the changes you make must be incorporated into your life permanently.
People often diet, successfully lose weight then within a year, put it all back on. This is because once they reach their goal they think that they can do back to their old lifestyle. The truth is, the old lifestyle caused the weight gain in the first place and if you let it back in your life it will do so again. Once you have found a healthy diet and exercise regime it is important to maintain it.
NOTE: Fat is not the enemy. It actually contains essential nutrients that the body needs. Opt for butter, full fat milk and Greek yogurt, olive / coconut / rapeseed oil based salad dressings and yes, cheese can be your friend as part of a balanced diet, particularly soft cheeses which encourage gut bacteria diversity.
Keep a Record
Keep a food diary. It doesn’t just make you more conscious of what you eat; it makes you more you become accountable to yourself and your trainer. It also helps you look back on your successes and build on them. Refine meals that work and sideline those that don’t. A food diary also allows you to identify patterns in your eating habits that you might not have been aware of. Perhaps more importantly, it enables you to take a long hard look at the quality and quantity of what you are eating and pinpoint where small adjustments can have a big effect.
Setting Goals
It is important to set short, medium and long term goals and to write them down. A goal only becomes a commitment when you write it down.
Choose your goals wisely; if you have a lot of weight to lose break your goals down into smaller easier to achieve chunks. Whatever your goal are, once you have defined them discuss them with your trainer to make sure that they are realistic, attainable and measurable. Having goals that are realistic and attainable will put you in a far more positive frame of mind and make you more likely to succeed.
A major key to success it is anticipate how you will self-sabotage your diet or exercise regime in the future, and come up with a solution to defeat your future self before it happens. Spend 10 minutes putting in writing a strategy to counter your natural self destructive tendencies.
TIP for Success – If like many people you have a treat cupboard or drawer in the kitchen, get rid of it. We are all creatures of habit and end up dipping into the biscuit tin or chocolate box almost without thinking about it. The best way to break the habit is to put your sweets, crisps, biscuits and chocolate in a non transparent box and keep that box somewhere out of sight – the back of a low kitchen cupboard. Resisting temptation is easier if treats are out of sight and inconvenient to reach.
Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
Nutrient dense Foods you can eat everyday include eggs, milk. Greek yogurt, tomatoes, bananas, spinach, watercress, peas, unsweetened almond milk, any leafy green vegetables, beetroot, homemade soups, vegetable juice, red, yellow and green peppers, asparagus, nuts, seeds. Butter, avocado, meridian peanut butter, lentils, barley, spelt, quinoa, salad leaves, onions, celery, stir-frys etc.
Foods to limit to once a week consider limiting pasta, rice, potato, sweet potato, cuscus, ice cream and noodles.
Foods to eat in moderation can include Bread, chicken, fish, white meat, red meat, fresh cream, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cheese.
Foods best avoided tend to be anything heavily processed. Baked pastries, sugar, fried food, food claiming to be low in fat or sugar, artificial sweeteners, cakes and biscuits, crisps and chocolate, takeaways.
How do I know what my ideal weight should be?
The table below provides a guide to healthy weight ranges for adults.
Min – Max Weight to Height Ratio Chart
| Height ft. in. (cms) | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 5′ 0″ (152 cm) | 6st 6lb – 7st 12lb | 6st 11lb – 8st 5lb |
| 5′ 1″ (155 cm) | 6st 11lb – 8st 4lb | 7st 3lb – 8st 11lb |
| 5′ 2″ (157 cm) | 7st 1lb – 8st 9lb | 7st 8lb – 9st 4lb |
| 5′ 3″ (160 cm) | 7st 6lb – 9st 1lb | 8st – 9st 10lb |
| 5′ 4″ (163 cm) | 7st 10lb – 9st 6lb | 8st 5lb – 10st 3lb |
| 5′ 5″ (165 cm) | 8st 1lb – 9st 12lb | 8st 10lb – 10st 10lb |
| 5′ 6″ (168 cm) | 8st 5lb – 10st 3lb | 9st 2lb – 11st 2lb |
| 5′ 7″ (170 cm) | 8st 10lb – 10st 9lb | 9st 7lb – 11st 9lb |
| 5′ 8″ (173 cm) | 9st – 11st | 9st 13lb – 12st 1lb |
| 5′ 9″ (175 cm) | 9st 5lb – 11st 6lb | 10st 4lb – 12st 8lb |
| 5′ 10″ (178 cm) | 9st 9lb – 11st 11lb | 10st 9lb – 13st 1lb |
| 5′ 11″ (180 cm) | 10st – 12st 3lb | 11st 1lb – 13st 7lb |
| 6′ 0″ (183 cm) | 10st 4lb – 12st 8lb | 11st 6lb – 14st |
| 6′ 1″ (185 cm) | 10st 9lb – 13st | 11st 12lb – 14st 6lb |
| 6′ 2″ (188 cm) | 10st 13lb – 13st 5lb | 12st 3lb – 14st 13lb |
| 6′ 3″ (191 cm) | 11st 4lb – 13st 11lb | 12st 8lb – 15st 6lb |
| 6′ 4″ (193 cm) | 11st 8lb – 14st 2lb | 13st – 15st 12lb |
Quick Tips
- Always add vegetables to your pasta, it adds bulk, fibre & vitamins.
- Use smaller dinner plates; you will eat smaller portions as a result.
- Never eat out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or stress.
- Eat at regular times and after training.
- Always read the label before you buy something.
- Avoid processed food that contains sugar, fructose, or corn syrup.
- Getting your 5 a day is great, but if you aim for 10 a day you will lose weight quicker and feel fuller.
- Alcohol represents empty calories try to limit your intake.
- Plan your meals several days in advance and stick to the plan.
- Don’t spend a fortune on super foods, regular fruit and vegetables can be just as healthy.
- Focus on foods that make you feel full. Eating high fibre or protein rich foods is an easy way to do this.
If you adopt a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a good diet and regular exercise then you will lose weight in a natural and healthy way. There is no need for restrictive diets that make you miserable and want to eat more. Not only that, but what comes off, stays off.
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