Fad diets and crazy exercise regimes promise to help you slim down quickly but weight loss doesn't have to be so difficult.
You can achieve longer-lasting results by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Here are some tips to help you get started on the right track.
Learn about your health:
Identify why you want to lose weight and the risks of not losing weight. Leaning about health will help give you motivation to make changes to your lifestyle such as increasing activity or changing dietary choices.
Learn about your food:
Read ingredient lists on food labels. Identify foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt but low in essential nutrients. For example, high fat takeaway, soft drinks, biscuits, cakes, confectionary.
Choose mostly whole foods, including lots of plant foods:
Whole foods — such as freshly prepared vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts, seeds and grains — are packed full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fibre that are essential for vitality and wellbeing.
Limit processed foods:
Many processed foods have excess salt, fat and sugar and not enough of the essential nutrients and fibre that our bodies need.
Be active:
10,000 steps a day is a good start and can help with weight loss and lowering blood pressure. Talk with your doctor about an exercise level appropriate for you.
Be adaptable:
We all face unexpected challenges. It's ok to change course occasionally, but if you miss an exercise session or over indulge, make sure you get back on track and don't give up.
Give tastebuds time to adapt:
At first you may find foods that are lower in sugar, fat or salt to be a little bland. Give it a few weeks and you will find your tastes will change. Also look for alternate ways to add flavour such as using herbs or adding sweetness with fruit.
Finally, keep the big picture in mind:
Set some long-term goals — for example, make it a habit to have at least one check up with your doctor each year. Keep your own records of blood pressure, cholesterol and other things in a notebook so you can track your progress. Achieving a healthy weight will also improve other aspects of your health, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels so there are a multitude of additional reasons to choose a healthy lifestyle.
Here are some simple steps to kick-start your new healthy lifestyle:
- Identify why weight loss is important to you. It will make it easier to stick to your new eating habits.
- Clean out your pantry and look at the labels of everything you have. Identify foods that are high in fat or salt and make a note to try a healthier alternative next time you do the shopping.
- Swap one processed for each day for a non-processed alternative — for example, an apple instead of a muesli bar.
- Swap coffee and cake for a 30 minute walk with a friend.
- Try salt-reduced products for at least 14 days.
- Take you coffee or tea without sugar for two weeks.
This information is provided by the Sanitarium Nutrition Service.
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