10 Tips for weight loss

We have recently taken a look at some exercises so today we will look at 10 tips for weight loss.  Combine these with your exercises to achieve your aims.

1. Maintain a food diary - this will give you a better idea of what, and when, you eat. Note down portion sizes of food consumed. You will also notice snack foods that are calorie dense such as crisps, cake and chocolate. You can gradually reduce the portion sizes and make healthy substitutions.
2. Start the day with a healthy filling breakfast - it will kick start your metabolism and give your body the fuel it needs to support daily activities.
3. Spread your meals throughout the day - this helps to avoid blood sugar highs and lows and the resulting insulin surges. In addition, after eating a meal your body raises its metabolic rate by about 10% for the next couple of hours thereby providing calorie burning potential. Aim to fit 2-3 healthy snacks between the 3 major meals of the day.
4. Reduce your intake of saturated fat. Fat is needed for fat soluble vitamins A, D and E. A high intake of saturated fat is associated with high cholesterol and Chronic Heart Disease (CHD). Try to have a healthy balance of mono and polyunsaturated fats. Daily intake of fat should ideally account for no more than 30% of calories consumed.
5. Cut down on alcohol - your evening out could account for a large chunk of the calories your body needs on a daily basis. A pint of draught Guinness has 210 calories, the average draught bitter has 182 calories, a shot of vodka has 72 calories. A 500ml bottle of lager has 145 calories and a 175ml glass of white wine has 133 calories.
6. Build activity into the working day - take the stairs instead of the lift, take a walk at lunchtime. Any extra activity will help to raise your metabolic rate and burn off calories. Aim to make the little extra a good habit.
7. Make enjoyable activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, gardening etc, part of everyday life. This way you will be burning off calories without giving it a conscious thought. Try to encompass weight bearing exercise into your schedule - 3 times a week is a good start. If you don't want to go to a gym then carry out simple exercises at home using tinned food or bottles of water.
8. Set realistic goals - a goal is like a destination, it will give you something to aim for. Have short, medium and long term goals, say 3, 6 and 9 months. Your goals should be stretching but achievable. Give yourself a little reward - not food related - when you reach your goal. You should never aim to lose more than 10% of your starting weight - once you have reached this, evaluate you goals and set a new target, again no more than 10%. Aim for a weight loss of about 1lb a week, that's almost 2 stone in 6 months!
9. Engage support of family and friends - let them know the journey you have commenced. Let them inspire and encourage you as you move toward your goals - a healthier, fitter, slimmer you. They may even want to join you.
10. Do not go food shopping when you are hungry as you are likely to pick convenience food that will satisfy your hunger. You should, if possible, plan what you need in advance and stick to this when you shop. Take a little time to look at food information labels, especially for fat and saturated fat.

If you can maintain the majority of these tips then you should see and feel success. Small incremental weigh loss is the way to go as you have a greater chance of maintaining your new lower weight.