General tips
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1. |
Don’t go on crash diets. Aim to lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week by changing your eating and
exercise habits. |
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2. |
Weigh
yourself each day and keep a diary of your weight loss. Don't worry
about daily fluctuations, concentrate on long term trends. |
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3. |
Do not skip breakfast! Eating breakfast can actually help you lose weight by kick-starting your metabolism for the day! |
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4. |
Eat several small meals per day rather than two or three big ones. If this is not possible, eat a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner so as not to eat too heavily at night. |
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5. |
Drink plenty of water throughout the day as this facilitates weight loss. |
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6. |
Make sure you do some exercise! (See additional tips below.) Exercising helps you burn off calories, raise your metabolic rate, and help build muscle. |
Food and cooking
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7. |
Eat foods high in dietary fibre as these help you register a feeling of fullness more quickly. |
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8. |
Choose lean cuts of meat and trim excess fat before cooking (use healthy cooking methods such as grilling without fat). |
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9. |
Limit the sue of high fat dairy products such as butter, cheese, cream, ice cream, sour cream, and yoghurt. |
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10. |
Use low fat or skim milk instead of whole (full cream) milk as well as low fat versions of soy and coconut milk as these can also be high in fat. |
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11. |
Use low-calorie salad dressings rather than olive oil or mayonnaise. |
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12. |
Avoid foods high in fat! These include deep fried foods, stir fries, sausages and processed meats, dairy products, coconut milk-based
curries. |
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13. |
Avoid high fat takeaway and restaurant meals such as lasagne, Thai and Indian curries, nachos, pizza, creamy Italian pastas, and battered foods. |
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14. |
Avoid fried foods. Use healthier cooking methods such as grilling, roasting, stewing, boiling, steaming, and poaching (but don’t add additional fat!). |
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15. |
Avoid snack foods like potato crisps and corn chips as these are high in fat. |
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Note:
The term "fat" includes all oils, butter, margarine, lard and so on. While some fats like olive oil may not have the health risks associated with other
saturated fats, they are still extremely high in calories and do not
aid weight loss. |
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16. |
Avoid foods high in sugars such as cakes, biscuits, confectionary, ice cream and soft drinks. |
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17. |
Eat foods that have a low GI (glycaemic index). These foods release sugar into the blood slowly, providing a steady supply of energy that leaves you feeling satisfied for longer. |
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18. |
Eat whole fruit rather than drink fruit juice, as the extra fibre in the fruit will help you register a feeling of fullness. |
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19. |
Eat as many fresh or steamed vegetables as you like (but limit potatoes). |
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20. |
Limit alcohol consumption. |
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21. |
Buy products labelled as “low fat” or “fat free” where there is a choice. |
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22. |
Occasionally allow yourself a small serving of a “naughty” food you really like. It won’t spoil the long-term effects of dieting and can motivate you to continue with the diet. |
Exercise
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23. |
If you don’t exercise at all, start now! Walk for 20-30 minutes each day (if you don’t have time, two or three 10-minute walks per day are just as good!) |
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24. |
In addition to walking, try to get involved in at least one other activity at least once a week such as swimming, cycling, tennis, and dancing. |
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25. |
Take the steps rather than the lift. |
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26. |
Walk to the local shops rather than driving. |
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27. |
Get off the bus one stop early and walk the extra distance. |
Hopefully these tips will
work for you. This author has personally lost several kilos following these
points.
To check if you are in fact overweight, check out our Body
Mass Index (BMI) article and online calculator!
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