“Fast does not last”, or so the weight loss rhyme goes. Although 12WBT is not about promoting fast tips and tricks to lose weight, we ARE all about smart choices for improving habits and wellbeing. And there are certain things to cut from your diet that WILL guarantee weight loss.
So, achieve your goals and overall health by tackling these big 3 healthy habit hurdles.
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1) Ditch the calorie-laden drinks!
First and foremost, it is far easier to drink calories than it is to eat them. Our stomach empties quicker with liquids and humans can virtually drink all day, non-stop.
If you, like many, shy away from water and instead reach for juice, cordial, soft drink or coffee to ‘quench’ your thirst, then changing these drinks for water will pay dividends. There are also plenty of water drinking apps to help you improve your water intake. By increasing your water you will, by default, start to decrease your consumption of other calorie-laden drinks.
If you are struggling with swapping directly to water, try sparkling water with a touch of added fruit slices for a pretty and tasty twist.
Did you know that swapping out just 1 large takeaway cappuccino per day for a glass of water equates to a weekly calorie saving of nearly 1400 calories? For some individuals, this weekly coffee calorie total is equal to a whole day’s worth of calorie intake!
Also read: How Much Water do you Really Need to Drink?
2) Quit Snacking at your desk
Be wary of taking un-portioned bags or containers of snacks to work. Even if the contents are deemed healthy (i.e nuts), it is very easy to demolish a whole bag (1000 calories plus) in a day without batting an eyelid.
Planning is paramount, so consider preparing your lunch and portioned snacks each day to get out of the habit of grazing.
Did you know the office sweet, cookie or nut jar may be unknowingly sabotaging your weight loss? Studies show the proximity and visibility of food causes a consumption increase of nearly 50%! Which means office ‘treat’ jars are increasing a staff’s food intake considerably.
3) Cutting down on portion size will guarantee weight loss
There is a saying that suggests that the “poison’s in the portion”. What this means is that a little of most things can be fine, BUT importantly, too much of anything is rarely okay.
With regards to weight management, one of the most common causes of a plateau, or even weight gain, is portioning mistakes (or not portioning at all).
Setting your meal times, cooking only what you need, knowing your snack portions, and staying away from mindless grazing on nuts, fruits and things like trail mixes, will all help prevent overconsumption. And remember, just because a food is healthy, doesn’t mean the calories won’t add up.
If you are not quite sure how things measure up, here is our 12WBT guide to better portioning.
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And there you have it! Simple, practical choices make all the difference in your journey to life-long healthy habits, and will guarantee weight loss when accompanied by excellent nutrition and fitness.
Keen to stay on track this summer? Why not join our 12WBT program? More info here.
