When you are just starting out on your weight loss journey, the thought of losing a stone can be very intimidating, and feel almost impossible, especially if you have a bad week or experience a period of plateauing! Trust me, though, once that first stone drops off, the rest will keep coming because it will mean that you have tapped into a successful and positive routine. To help kick start your success, try these shortcuts to losing a stone:
Get into the habit of drinking a pint of water before you eat each big meal. This will help to fill your stomach up and will result in you not having to each as much food before feeling full. Feeling full without as many calories is the key to weight loss, and water can help to do that.
Most of the time, we have wolfed down a lot of food before our stomachs have had the chance to tell our brains that we are full. Beat this by eating more slowly so that you have time to realise you are full.
Opt for foods that are lower on the glycemic index, which is something that tells you about converting energy. Things like white bread, for example, are high GI, and so will leave you feeling hungry again in no time.
Try to eliminate many of the things in your life that are causing you unnecessary stress. Stress leads to comfort eating, so the more relaxed you are, the less likely you are to stray from your diet.
Find the most unflattering pictures of yourself that you can and stick them on places like the fridge so they will help you to keep to your diet. You won’t want to snack when you see yourself at your worst!
Keeping a food journal is a really great idea. Be honest and thorough and note down everything that you consume. You might see that there are areas where you snack without thinking.
Get into the habit of reading all the nutritional information on the labels of your food. Sometimes foods that you think are healthy are actually high in sugar etc., so it is really worth educating yourself.
It’s all about achieving that maximum calorie deficit! Do extra things outside of your regular working out to make sure that you are doing as much activity as you can, like taking stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of using the bus or train.
Work on your portion control. The easiest way to do it is to buy a set of smaller plates and bowls so that you still have the visual of a full portion even though it is smaller.
It is essential that you get a good night’s sleep regularly. The more rested and restored you are, the less likely you will be to want to snack and make unhealthy food choices.
If you really want to lose weight quickly, one of the best things you can do is cut out the alcohol in your diet. There are so many hidden calories in booze that it can make a huge difference.