Hi there

Lttle things can make a huge difference to everything you do. Whether it’s something as simple as putting on lipstick to give yourself a boost or carrying the shopping for a neighbour, these little things can make a great difference to how we feel and how others see us. And it is often the little things that will make a big difference to your weight loss this week. Today I am going to give you my TOP TEN LITTLE THINGS, which work for me. Try them and let them work for you:

• Chew, chew and chew. Research from Sheffield University shows that thorough chewing allows your body’s satiety signals time to register that you are full. Chew 15-20 times before swallowing.

 

• Go for the burn, not the muscle ache! A touch of spice can add interest to bland foods and make low fat foods more appealing. Try salsa on a baked potato, curry powder to jazz up lentils or cinnamon or ginger on fruit.

 

• Go for the big chill. Keep a bottle of water handy to sip throughout the day. Water not only helps your body run more efficiently but also helps you feel full. Have a glass of water first thing in the morning to put a spring in your step and before a meal to help you easily avoid over-eating.

 

• Eat alone. Eating with friends is liable to make you consume more than usual. When eating with others, people eat three-quarters more than they normally would according to recent American research. Dining with just one other person ups our food intake by almost a half! Food for thought!

 

• Be consistent. When it comes to food intake, aim to stick to you plan as closely as possible. Weight loss will be much more difficult if there are huge fluctuations in your daily food intake. The crash/binge syndrome reduces your metabolic rate in the short term, while increasing fat mass and decreasing lean muscle tissue in the long term. So keep close to your daily calorie allowance for maximum weight loss.

 

• Be brutally honest. Studies have shown that we typically under estimate how much we eat by 20 percent and over estimate how much we exercise by 25 percent. All of this would mean an average weight gain of one pound every two weeks! Be honest – don’t cheat yourself. Write everything down on your food diary so that you are absolutely sure.

 

• Never walk if you can run! That might be a slight exaggeration, but you could realistically say, “Never walk slowly if you can walk fast” or “Never drive if you can walk”. Move a bit more often and move a bit quicker and you will also move lots more pounds on the scales.

 

• The bin is not a sin. It is your waist that is a waste! Try not to cook more food than you need or more than you can eat. However, if you do have left over food, try to freeze it or store it safely to have another time.

 

• Never look back. Your face is on the front of your body so that you can see where you are going and not where you have been! You might hit difficulties, hitches and plateaus – but just ask yourself honestly whether you want to be back where you started. If you don’t move forward, you will move backwards.

 

• Never say never. Keep telling yourself that you can lose weight and that you will lose weight. The way that you think dictates the way that you live your life. So think positively and you will act positively.

For more great tips like these that can help you take a look at A FITTER YOU NOW.

Take care of yourself

Alex.