The pursuit of weight loss, and even the information on what ‘works’ and what doesn’t, can be confusing to say the least. We believe that keeping things simple, doable and realistic to be the key to long term success. Let’s face it, weight loss takes courage, honesty and self-reflection, and complicated tasks would derail anyone’s enthusiasm. So here are our straightforward weight loss tips, plain and simple. These weight loss tips are ideal for those of you who just want to know where to start.
Balanced Diet
Aim to be as inclusive with food as possible and not demonise certain groups. Banning foods that you love can lead to overeating and an unhealthy mindset around nutrition. Don’t skip meals and make sure to eat frequently to reduce the risk of going over your calorie target. This is a fantastic blog to get you started: Customise Your Healthy 7-Day Meal Plan With These Free 12WBT Recipes
Calorie Deficit
Losing weight requires that you burn more calories than you consume. It’s easy to underestimate just how much we are actually eating. So keeping things simple with an honest tally of calories, can help to prevent overshooting the mark. Try this calorie calculator to get you started.
Portion Control
Keep a reign on your serving sizes by weighing/measuring ingredients as you prepare your meals. Portion sizes can creep up by ‘eyeballing’, so keep things in order by measuring consistently and try using smaller plates to avoid filling them out too much.
Kitchen Clear Out
Clear the way for seamless meal preparation and less temptation at arms reach, by systemising your kitchen with only what you need. Keep unhelpful distractions out of sight and don’t store them at home.
Also read: My Top 4 Tips For Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen
Preparation
Identify your personal food preferences and plan ahead for the week. When you are shopping for groceries, avoid doing this when you’re hungry to keep that ‘hangry’ person filling up your trolley!
Real Food
Wherever possible, prepare your own meals and snacks at home and eat real food versus processed food.
Be sure to head to our nutrition homepage for tonnes of free recipes.
Hydrate
There are many reasons that hydration is important for optimal health. But one stand out effect of not drinking enough when it comes to hunger, can be the phantom cravings when you’re actually thirsty! Here’s how much water you should be drinking each day.
Hidden Calories
Be aware of your drinks throughout the day and make sure that these are all counted towards your daily calorie intake.
Sleep
Good sleep hygiene is vital in regulating the hunger hormone ghrelin and preventing extra food being eaten the following day.
Decrease Stress
Take care of your mental health with some de-stress exercises. Even 5-10 minutes per day of quiet time away from the noise, can help to build on a healthy mindset and decrease the opportunity for the stress hormone cortisol to disrupt the balance in the body.
Move More
Moving around as much as possible outside of your workouts can be an excellent way to accumulate lots of extra calories being burned throughout the day. Stand up more often, walk wherever you can and use the stairs when possible.
It’s not always about crazy workouts when you’re just starting out. So if you like walking already, here’s how you can maximise it for weight loss.
Tracking
Keeping a log of everything that you do can help to make sure that you are hitting your daily/weekly targets. Stick within the correct calorie range that you committed to and highlight any areas that need more attention.
Alcohol
Consider re-evaluating the frequency and amount of alcohol you are drinking. One standard drink can pack a punch with calories, plus the additional nibbles that tend to be consumed with fewer inhibitions!
Also read: Can I Drink Alcohol And Still Lose Weight?
Also read: Which Alcohol Has The Least Amount Of Calories?
Set Realistic Goals
Be realistic about your goals, break them down into smaller chunks to tackle. This will significantly reduce any overwhelming feelings about reaching the end result. Breaking your mojo with progress can be a result of big expectations too soon.
Consistency
You have a plan, you’re organised and you have your goals in view. Don’t overthink things and tick each day off with your best effort. By moving forwards each day, without extremes… you’re right on track.
It doesn’t need to be complicated whatsoever. These weight loss tips are practical and achievable and will give you the best possible start to your weight loss journey. JFDI towards success!
