My Top Ten Tips For Losing Weight

Ok I admit, I am no fitness expert but I have managed over the years to slowly lose weight. I now weigh less than I did before my first pregnancy. I've tried my fair share of diets over the years and for a lot of the time I watched my weight yo-yo, going up and down, which brings me to my first tip :

1. You don't need to diet to lose weight.

Diets are only good for short term weight loss. Yes you lose weight when you are on them but as soon as you stop, the weight piles back on and sometimes more than what you weighed before you started the diet. The best thing to do is eat a balanced amount of food, no need to cut anything out.

2. Never skip breakfast.

I never used to eat breakfast, I could never face eating that early in the morning but I've since found out that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It helps kick start your metabolism and gets you burning calories from the get go. You don't need to eat a huge meal, smoothies are great for people on the go. One of my favourite breakfast is my banana and oat pancakes.

3. Switch white for brown.

Carbohydrates are actually good for you as long as you eat the right ones. I always found myself bloated after eating a bowl of pasta or one of my favourite sandwiches. Since switching to wholemeal pasta, brown rice and wholemeal bread, I no longer have that problem. It also means you are getting a lot my fibre in your diet which in turn will make you feel fuller for longer.

4. Eat more protein.

I've found protein to be an essential part of my diet. Protein helps in two ways. Like fibre, they help you to feel fuller for longer and are actually harder to digest so your body burns more calories whilst processing them. Protein is also known to help build lean muscle, this makes you stronger and more toned but muscle also helps burn calories when you are not active. Protein can be found in things like chicken, fish and beans. I always have a protein shake after I exercise to help get that extra protein to the muscles that I have just worked out.

5. Drink lots of water.

I put my hands up, I am really naughty when it comes to drinking enough fluids in a day, I used to go all day without drinking. Now I try to make sure that I have atleast a glass of water with every meal/snack.

Which leads me onto…..

6. If you're feeling hungry drink some water first.

Sometimes when you think you are hungry, you might actually be thirsty, so always drink a glass of water before consuming any unnecessary calories.

7. Green tea is your friend.

Did you know that green tea can benefit your body in many different ways including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of a stroke. Another great benefit is that it increases your metabolism which in turn helps you burn more calories. I drink a cup each morning with my breakfast and it is fab to have chilled on those hot Summer days.

8. You need to exercise.

Sorry but it is true, to stay fit and healthy you need to add a bit of exercise in too. Some of you may be thinking how can you fit it into your daily routine? Well if I can manage it with 4 kids I'm sure you can manage as well. It can be as simple as walking instead of getting in the car. At home I love the 10 minute solution DVDs as I can fit them in when I have quiet moment, although the kids do like to join in too. It is a good idea to get in a mix of cardio and weight lifting and switching up the speed in which you workout helps too but don't over do it, injurying yourself is no fun.

9. Take your measurements.

I know I've had times where I've stepped on the scales and either there is little or no change or even worse, I've put weight on. This in turn has left me disheartened and feeling like why do I bother. Nowadays I tend to ignore the scales and take my measurements instead because a lot of times when you haven't lost pounds you have infact lost inches.

10. Treat yourself.

I've managed to maintain the same weight now for a good 6 months and I still eat chocolate or cake almost every day. I think if you try to just cut things out, you tend to want them more and then you end up binge eating and feeling majorly guilty afterwards. Listed below are some great treats that I have found which are still relatively low in calories and some healthier options that make you think you are eating something a bit naughty :

Kit Kat
Milky Bar
Options hot chocolate
Quavers
Skips
Roasted chickpeas (I've found it is like eating nuts but healthier)
Kale crisps - there is an easy recipe over on hungryhealthyhappy
Frozen Banana (it's like eating ice cream)

As I said at the beginning, I am no expert but I really hope these tips help you on your weight loss journey. Just remember slow and steady wins the race, the slower you are losing the weight, the more likely you are to maintain that loss.

xxxx