Posted on January 03, 2012 by Jenny Cromack

Have you indulged on a few mince pies too many during the festive period? Follow these tips from motive8 North and you’ll soon be shedding those post-turkey pounds!

Before you read these tips the main thing you need to ask yourself is are you committed to making a change? Without this commitment you won’t see the changes you want to see, so make a promise to yourself that you are going to make a positive change to your lifestyle and you are going to stick to it! Not only will you shift a few pounds, but you’ll also see an improvement in your general health and energy levels!

1. Avoid the word ‘diet’

Diets are often associated with restriction, by denying yourself the foods you enjoy you will soon get frustrated and more likely to binge on the foods you enjoy. Diets are also seen as short term solutions, so why not follow a healthy eating plan which is a long term lifestyle change and still allows you to have a little bit of what you fancy every now and again.

2. Don’t Crash Diet

Although you need to reduce your calorie intake to see those scales come down, drastically cutting calories will cause your body to go into starvation mode. In the long term this actually causes your body to store more fat making it harder for you to lose weight. A healthy amount to lose is 1-2lb per week, more than this and you risk losing lean muscle tissue will slow your metabolism in the long term.

So far , so good….we’ve told you not to diet….but that doesn’t mean you can eat what you want….so, what should you eat to have a healthy diet?

3. Avoid anything white and all sugary foods.

This includes white bread, white rice, white pasta in addition to sugary foods. These foods cause sugar spikes which causes an increase in insulin which in turn causes an increase in fat storage. So stay clear of high Glycemic Index (GI)  foods.

4. Choose slow-release carbohydrates

These are often referred to as being low on the Glycemic Index (GI) scale and release their energy slowly into the blood stream, this results in fewer insulin spikes and less fat storage. Choose wholegrain rice, quinoa and bulgar wheat.

5. Lean protein is key!

Lean proteins should be a staple of your diet if you want to drop excess weight. Proteins keep you feeling full and also impact on your blood sugar levels like carbs do. Aim to always have a protein source with carbohydrates to reduce the sugar spike and fat storage. Choose lean proteins such as turkey, chicken and fish.

6. Avoid carbohydrates after 7pm

On non-exercise days avoid carbohydrates completely after 7pm to avoid turning those carbs into unwanted fat in your sleep. If you have exercised late afternoon or evening then you should have a small amount of low GI carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen and aid your post-workout recovery.  

7. Stock up on fruit and veg

Fruit and veg are an important part of your diet. Snack on 2-3 pieces of fruit per day and add plenty of vegetables to your lunches and evening meals to fill you up. Try having a small salad as a starter before your evening meal to fill you up.

8. Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking

We know you’ve read this a million times before, but breakfast really is the most important part of the day. It kickstarts your metabolism so you burn energy at a higher rate and you’ll also be less likely to reach for unhealthy, sugary snacks mid morning which will stop unwanted pounds creeping on. Try slow-release carbohydrates such as porridge, or a high protein breakfast such as 2 poached eggs on 1 slice of toasted rye bread.

9. Eggs for breakfast

Research shows that those people who eat eggs for breakfast are more successful at losing weight and inches from around their waistlines. It is thought that the protein content of eggs makes you feel fuller and less likely to snack mid morning.

10. Eat Little & Often

Eating little and often keeps the metabolism revved up, meaning you will burn energy at a higher rate, plus you’ll also be less likely to snack on unhealthy food as you will feel full. Aim to have 5-6 small, healthy meals per day or 3 healthy meals, with 2 small snacks in-between.  This doesn’t mean you can reach for the left-over chocolates either…choose fruit, vegetables and nuts.

11. Ditch the booze

We know it sounds boring, but if you enjoone or two glasses of wine on an evening you need to cut this out and you’ll soon see the results! A glass of wine contains around 180 calories, so if you have been consuming more alcohol than normal over the Christmas period it’s easy to see how you can gain weight. The calories in alcohol also provide no nutritional value, hence the reason they are often known as ‘empty calories’, replace these empty calories with nutritionally sound food which your body desires.

Additionally, the liver is responsible for breaking down alcohol and fat, but it is thought that because alcohol is toxic to the body the liver prioritizes breaking down alcohol first rather than metabolizing fat which can lead to weight gain.

So, take a month off the booze and see those pounds disappear!

12. Are you really hungry or just bored?

When there are so many people dying of starvation in under-developed countries, it is a sad state of affairs that many of us eat out of boredom rather than because we are genuinely hungry. The next time you think you are hungry, ask yourself ‘are you really hungry? If you are bored then find something else to do……go for a walk, read a book….anything to distract you from eating.

13. Cut back the calories

1lb of fat equals 3,500 calories. Therefore to lose 1lb per week you need to cut back on 500 calories per day. Think of all of the foods you eat with no nutritional value….that lunch time chocolate treat, or the glass of wine to de-stress after a busy day at work. Cut these ‘empty’ calories out and the pounds will soon fall off!

14. Write a food diary

Keep a food diary for a week – you will be amazed at what it tells you about your eating habits and the types of foods you eat. Address the habits which need to be changed and make any positive changes to the types of foods you eat.

15. Preparation is key

Successful weight loss is down to preparation. Make double portions of foods which you can whip out of the freezer rather than dial a take-away. Prepare lunch for the next day whilst you are making the evening meal to avoid eating fat laden sandwiches. Keep fruit and nuts in your drawer at work to avoid raiding the vending machine.

If you need a healthy eating plan to follow please see Jenny or Chris.