Top tips for losing weight

Millions of people decide to lose weight each and every year however very few of them realise how difficult this task can be. When they don’t see results in the first few weeks they decide to give up, using excuses like ‘dieting is not for me’ or that ‘it is too hard to count calories every day’ or ‘I don’t really need to lose weight anyway’. Losing weight doesn’t have to be difficult though and by following the top tips below you can lose weight without much thought at all.

 

·         Use smaller plates for your meals. This will make a smaller portion look the same size as you normally have.

·         Drink a glass of naturally sparkling mineral water with your meals to help fill you up. You can also drink it in between meals when you are feeling a little bit peckish. Often thirst manifests itself as hunger and so you should have a glass of water before turning to a snack.

·         Chew slowly and eat small forkfuls. This will make your meal last longer, giving you time to feel more satisfied.

·         Keep butter and other spreads at room temperature. It will spread much more easily and so you will use less. For example, a piece of bread and butter is around 170 calories, however if you use warm butter than spreads thinly it is only around 130 calories.

·         Never go shopping on an empty stomach – temptation will get the better of you!

·         If you feel like a snack, try some raw carrots or any salad vegetable. Alternatively have a piece of fruit. While this may not be very tempting you will enjoy it once you are eating it and it will take the edge off your appetite.

·         Have a packet of sugar-free chewing gum handy so that you can chew in between meals.

·         Clean your teeth instead of having a snack. The fresh feeling in your mouth stops you from wanting to eat – it really does work as well.

·         Only weigh yourself once a week. The human body naturally fluctuates with regards to weight because of water retention and other factors. This means that some days you may be heavier than on other days and you may even change weight during the course of a single day. When you see that you have put a pound or two on it can be very demoralising and this is often the cause of people breaking their diet. Choose one time when you weigh yourself each week, Monday morning for example, and resist the temptation to weigh yourself more often.

·         Have a cup of soup instead of a cup of tea during the day. It may contain a few extra calories but it will fill the gap until it is time for a proper meal much better than a cup of tea or coffee can.

·         Have a treat occasionally. Many people fall off their diet because it is boring or the food is bland however you are allowed a small treat at least once a day. This can be a chocolate biscuit, a few nuts or anything else you see as a treat. The point is that it is much easier to stick to a diet if you have something to look forward to that isn’t another vegetable!