If you’re like a lot of people living in Australia, you could probably benefit from losing some weight. You’ve most likely also heard of a lot of fad diets to lose the weight fast. You may even have tried a few. But what happens when you do? You lose a bit of water weight initially, then you get tired of all the rules, or you skip a day, or you keep on the same diet, but you stop losing weight. In fact, you may gain weight. That’s the problem with diets that claim to help you lose weight without effort. Losing weight and getting healthy are going to take time and effort. You’re going to have to change your lifestyle and stick to it.
This is why crash diets and miracle cures don’t work. To really change your lifestyle, you have to be patient. You have to do it a little bit at a time. First of all, you have to change your diet. Now, how are you going to eat more healthfully? You could throw out all the processed food in your refrigerator, buy a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, and say, “from today forward, this is how I eat!” The problem with changing your diet this quickly, for a lot of people, is temptation. You’ll do well for a while, but then you’ll think, “Well, just one doughnut, or just one frozen pizza.” Before you know it, you’ll be right back where you started.
Slow and Steady Sheds the Kilos
To change your diet and lifestyle for good, you need a plan, and, again, you need patience. First of all, throw out the scale. That’s right, you don’t need a scale to lose weight. In fact, obsessing over numbers is really unhealthy and can result in weight gain. If you’re reducing your calorie intake and increasing your energy output, you will lose weight, and you will get healthier. Your clothes will tell you this a lot better than a bathroom scale can.
Next, get a pen and a notebook. For a week, make a note of everything you eat and when. Do not feel guilty. Do not try to stop. Just be aware. Awareness of what you put into your body is a major factor in weight loss. Now, once you’ve made a record of your regular eating habits, it’s time to start cutting things out.
For the first week, find one unnecessary food item that you snack on during the day or at night, and cut it out. Do you have a doughnut with your coffee in the morning when you get to work? Do you go for second helpings of mashed potatoes or bread rolls with dinner? Do you make an afternoon trip to the snack machine? Cut one of these things out for one week. At the end of the week, pick you’ll find you really don’t miss it. For your second week, pick another excess snack or second helping to cut out of your diet.
As you cut the excess and the junk, start slowly adding in healthy snack options and sides. Fresh fruits and vegetables make much better between meal snacks. They’ll keep you full and energized, keeping your blood sugar at an even keel so that you don’t get those afternoon crashes that so many people suffer from.
While you’re doing all this, start to think about ways to add more activity into your daily routine. Park farther away from the office and walk. Take stretching and walking breaks. For regular exercise outside of work, find an activity you like and start incorporating it into your free time. Whether it’s riding a bicycle, running, or taking long walks, pick something that you want to do, that makes you feel good. Add this activity into your routine the way you’ve been taking junk food out. Before you know it, you’ll be fitter than you’ve been in years, and you won’t care how much you weigh because you’ll have lost more than a size or two in your clothing. Who needs to spend money on a scale when you’re shopping for skinny jeans, right?
A healthy diet and nutrition are an important part of your wellbeing. Our dietitians and nutritionists are here to educate you and your family about healthy ways of living by helping you to reduce or maintain a healthy weight, control cholesterol levels and strategies for having a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. We also provide advice for food intolerances and allergies, Coeliac disease, diabetes and fussy eating (Paediatrics).
We see children and adults for advice with all areas of nutrition. If you have questions about healthy weight loss or diet and nutrition contact your local doctor, who will arrange for you to see a dietitian. Contact Us Today!
