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It’s hard to believe it’s this time of the year again!
Here we are once more surrounded by a surplus of food and drink which has become an accepted normal with Christmas and end of year festivities. This is the time of year when diets come unstuck very easily and maybe that’s the best thing for them as it’s difficult to look at any particular diet and praise it for the long term weight control it brings.
Rather than head down that track of deprivation and guilt you may be better off booking some quiet time in with yourself over the summer break and start planning changes you’ll make in the new year. Yes it’s a perfect time of the year to look ahead and plan small consistent changes so this time next year you’ll be enjoying the fabulous progress you’ve made with lifestyle choices that come very naturally to you and offer good control over your appetite and weight.
Remind yourself it’s not something you have to do, but want to do! It could add years to your life, improve your energy levels and health outcomes and reduce or keep you off medications.
Let’s suggest a few points to get you started:
- Enjoy a good breakfast! You want to wake up with an appetite for breakfast and for this to happen you may need to reduce your portions from 4.00pm the previous day. Some studies suggest breakfast will determine your weight journey over your life. It will set you up well with appetite control and energy for the rest of the day
- Do you drink enough water? A thirsty person is a hungry person and our response to thirst is one of our most poorly developed senses. Water is the fluid that provides the best hydration – aim for 1.5 litres over the day. Find a system that works for you – bottles or glasses – linked to meals or reminders on your phone while you develop the pattern
- Get smart with portions and be protective about the size you want to be. You could be upset with portions available to you – yes retailers are more interested in the number and size of your purchases rather than your waistline and future health! Studies are very definite in showing that if you buy too much, you’ll cook too much and yes… you’ll eat too much
- Go green at lunch and dinner – be generous with those seasonal salads and green vegetables. It’s not just the fibre that keeps you feeling fuller, but the actual physical action of chewing the cellulose fibre that promotes longer lasting fullness
- Are you active enough? Walking is a powerful exercise for weight loss – short and brisk. Work on ways of putting more steps in your day. Maybe using technology that allows you to know how many steps you take in a day will encourage you along
This could be the most rewarding project you work on in your life – pamper yourself with it – you deserve it!
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