As most of us know, it is often the little things in life that make a big difference. And it is the same with weight loss! So why not try these 5 small steps and watch the difference it will make to you and what you see on the scales.
- Chew it over! How easy is it to wolf your food down without even registering what you have eaten or how much. Chewing your food properly allows your body to register exactly what it is doing and for gives your body time to register and acknowledge its own satiety signals to alert you that you are feeling full. You need to chew each mouthful about 15-20 times before swallowing to activate these internal signals.
- Keep Hydrated. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times and sip it throughout the day. Being hydrated ensures that your body will run more effectively and it also helps you to feel more full up. Having a big glass of water before a meal will help you to avoid over-eating.
- Become a sole eater. Eating with other people means you will probably eat more because you are less likely to pay attention to what you are eating and more likely to be talking. When eating with others, you are likely to eat 75% more than you normally would. In addition, you are more likely to drink more alcohol if dining with others who are drinking. And as you are probably aware alcohol is really liquid calories. Save it for those special occasions!
- Adopt the 80/20 principle. When it comes to food intake, aim to stick to a ratio of about 80/20. Eating healthy and regularly 80% of the time and spending 20% of your time eating “treats” will avoid huge fluctuations in weight and your body will adapt to this natural way of eating. This is on the whole how naturally “slim” people consume their food. They eat when they are hungry and most of the time eat healthy nutritious food, allowing themselves the odd treat when they fancy it.
- Be honest with yourself. It is easy and a common thing to underestimate how much you eat. We forget about the two or three biscuits we had in the morning and delete that square of chocolate or piece of cake in the afternoon! Doing this could add up to an average weight gain of one pound every two weeks. Be honest – don’t cheat yourself. The best way to avoid this cheating habit is to write down what exactly has passed your lips.
If you are struggling with losing weight and fed up with dieting, then there are alternative ways which embody the ideas above. Working with me using Hypnotherapy and Coaching can make a real difference to changing your relationship with food and dieting. Drop me a line via my contact form to book a weight loss consultation with me (free of charge)