Losing Weight Healthily

By Katherine Louise James

Losing weight is a difficult thing to achieve especially if like me, you like your food. My advice to concentrate on 3 key factors: diet, exercise and drinking water. It might seem obvious but these three things WILL make you lose weight. Fad diets DON'T work; you end up piling on any lost weight very quickly which lowers your self-esteem making you eat more!

The only way to lose weight is to do it gradually and healthily over a period of time. You also need to tailor your diet and exercise to your personal regime. If you weigh 13 stone, exercise and eat fairly healthily but aren't losing weight then this could be caused by: a.) Eating too much bad food b.) Not exercising enough.

If this is the case, identify the problem and fix it. Just because you go to the gym twice a week for an hour each time doesn't mean you can eat whatever you like for the rest of the week. Up your exercise to three or four times a week and cut down on the sugary and salty foods and you'll very quickly see a difference. Any movement helps so try walking to work, swimming, running, and the gym or dance/fitness classes. Combine this with 8 pints of water a day and you'll not only look better but you'll feel much better too. Incorporate fruit, vegetables, pulses, rice, fish, chicken a little red meat and oats into your diet. It's best to get a range of different coloured fruits and vegetables as they all contain different vitamins and minerals. Wheatgerm can lower cholesterol so sprinkle it on top of your cereal or into yoghurt. Remember when eating meals to reduce the amount of food you eat a little. A little change in diet can have a dramatic change to your waistline.

It's a cliché but make sure you get your five-a-day. Eating your five-a-day has been proven to naturally reduce your risk of cancers. Remember that fresh, dried, frozen and smoothies all count.

If you have a sweet tooth, try eating a couple of slices of pineapple when you really have the urge for something sugary. The sweetness in pineapple will stave your sugar craving and it is low fat. If you prefer savoury snacks and fancy something naughty like a bag of crisps, try eating some unsalted nuts. Nuts can contain a lot of calories though so ensure you only have a handful.

Another good tip is to lower the amount of time you weigh yourself. Only do it once every two weeks. You'll be given a big boost when you do lose weight and won't be constantly thinking how much you weigh.

Another tip is to treat yourself occasionally. If you're constantly thinking 'I have to be healthy all the time', you'll worry which will make the whole losing weight task much more difficult. Allow yourself the odd treat now and then. Maybe three small treats a week.

Losing weight isn't rocket science and can be achieved following the basics. The most important thing is to make sure your changes are for good. It will make you healthier and will allow you to live a longer and healthier life. DIETS DON'T WORK!

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