We all fall foul to the temptation of crash diets as a way to lose weight quickly, but it isn’t the safest way when it comes to our health. The body responds best to slow changes where food and exercise are concerned, so if you’re used to snacking on sugary treats and leading a sedentary lifestyle there’s no benefit to suddenly running four miles in a day. Not only would it put your body under stress, but the inevitable failure will be demotivating and disheartening. Your body needs food for energy, so the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ really is true – you need to fuel your body with healthy foods which provide plenty of nutrients.
In order to lose weight in a healthy way, you need to up your exercise each week and lower your intake of calories, but gradually. Small changes can make all the difference, and they soon mount up to make noticeable changes sooner than you think they will. Those biscuits you have with your mid-morning coffee may not seem like much but they amount to over five pounds in weight every year – weight which could be easily avoided. And once you start looking, there are plenty of areas where you can make minor changes for big results. Swap your full-fat milk for skimmed, choose sugar free and low-fat yogurt instead of chocolate mousse, or opt for freshly squeezed fruit juice instead of cola.
If you’re making changes to your diet that’s great, but it means nothing if you’re not upping your exercise each week too. Even light exercise is better than sitting in front of the TV each night, so why not spend a couple of evenings each week going for a walk around the local park or walking to work instead of catching the bus. Once you’ve begun, you can gradually increase the amount you do until you’re taking part in regular exercise each week, such as cycling, aerobics or swimming. The best way to ensure you stick to it is to make it fun – if you’re bored, you won’t be motivated. Love dancing? Why not pick a dance class as a way to keep fit. If you love being outdoors, why not go jogging or cycling in your local area. There are ways to keep things fun, you just need to seek them out. And you can also top this up with changes to your lifestyle, such as walking to the shops when you grab those extra ingredients for dinner, rather than driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
A BMI of between 18.5 and 25 is considered healthy, so if you’re over or under this bracket then you need to adjust your diet accordingly. There are many BMI calculators online which can decipher your number for you, or you can speak to your GP who can advise if you’re in a healthy weight bracket. There are no shortcuts to losing weight – it requires hard work, determination and willpower. But once you start losing weight, you’ll realise how motivating it is to see your hard work paying off and you’ll be inspired to try even harder. Try writing down your day to day diet and exercise habits, as a way of documenting your weight loss. It will motivate you when you’ve achieved a lot, and highlight what you need to work on if you’re struggling. The best way to lose weight healthily though is to be patient and put the work in – it will pay off eventually.
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