| While extensive research has been directed | | | | your night of fat burning. |
| towards food types, hormones, exercise, | | | | 5. Concentrate and enjoy your meals |
| metabolism, genetics etc. people still struggle to | | | | Sit down to eat your meals. Don't rush your |
| lose weight. Why? Because knowledge can help | | | | eating, make sure you savour the taste of your |
| you understand why you are overweight but it | | | | food and chew it thoroughly before swallowing. |
| won't change your behaviour. Our behaviour and | | | | Don't eat mindlessly such as in front of the |
| our relationship with food is what ultimately | | | | computer. Your brain needs to register that |
| decides what we put in our mouth. The majority | | | | you've eaten the food otherwise you'll still feel |
| of thin people don't fear carbs/fats, measure their | | | | hungry. It takes 15-30mins for your brain to |
| food or eat six meals a day. They remain thin | | | | receive signals from the stomach that it's full. This |
| because of their positive relationship with food | | | | is why it's important to eat slowly. After enjoying |
| and good eating behaviour. | | | | half your meal, stop eating for a few minutes and |
| To explore this idea lets look at some of the | | | | ask yourself if your hunger has passed. Finishing |
| reasons fad diets fail and the general habits of | | | | everything on your plate is a bad habit when |
| thin people. | | | | there is too much food there. This is especially |
| Reasons fad diets fail: | | | | relevant for restaurant meals which are 2 to 3 |
| - Complete food group exclusion (eg carbs, fats | | | | times the required size. You should only eat until |
| etc.) makes you feel deprived and leads to | | | | satisfied - not full. Taking a break from eating to |
| cravings and binge eating. | | | | see if your hunger has passed is a good way to |
| - Fad diets prescribe strict rules regarding food: | | | | get into this habit. If you continue to eat after |
| types, amounts, timing of meals etc. These | | | | your hunger has passed, I guarantee in 10 mins |
| restrictions make eating a complicated and | | | | you'll feel stuffed and have eaten too much. |
| unenjoyable experience. | | | | 6. Don't let emotions control your eating behaviour |
| - Fad diets are not social. Trying to stick to a | | | | Learning to observe your emotions without acting |
| strict diet when eating out or celebrating a special | | | | is just as important as observing your hunger |
| occasion is not practical. You either feel deprived | | | | without acting. If you find yourself reaching for |
| when you attend or try to avoid the event all | | | | food when you feel upset, worried, stressed etc. |
| together. Neither of these options are suitable. | | | | you may be an emotional eater. Obviously the |
| - A strict diet creates a negative relationship with | | | | long term solution to this is to ask yourself what |
| food. If you begin to categorise food choices as | | | | triggers your negative emotions so you can deal |
| "good" and "bad" it isn't long before food becomes | | | | with the cause. However, this may take some |
| the enemy. | | | | soul searching and time to fix. In the short term, |
| - Fad diets cause food to consume your thoughts. | | | | you should replace using "comfort food" with |
| Regularly thinking about the "consequences" of | | | | another activity that relaxes or distracts your |
| food feeds negative thoughts. | | | | stressed mind. Meditation, reading, walking, listening |
| - Fad diets heavily restrict calories causing | | | | to music and taking a bath are just a few of the |
| uncomfortable hunger. | | | | activities you can do. Choose one that helps calm |
| - Stress can hinder fat loss for a number of | | | | your negative thoughts and emotions. |
| reasons: | | | | 7. Avoid junk food |
| - Hormonal responses (increased cortisol can slow | | | | Sugar, white grains, alcohol, chocolate, cake, |
| metabolism) | | | | sweet biscuits, soft drink, deep fried foods, fast |
| - Reduced motivation to eat well and exercise. | | | | food etc. Eating these foods regularly can cause |
| - Emotional eating - In my opinion, this is the | | | | you to gain weight and increase your risk of |
| worst culprit of all. Firstly, because it creates a | | | | physical sickness such as obesity, diabetes, heart |
| negative relationship with food and reinforces | | | | disease, stroke etc. Negative self-talk and |
| negative eating behaviour. Secondly, if large | | | | emotional stress is also common with frustration |
| amounts of junk food or high-calorie food are | | | | towards body shape and self-worth. |
| consumed in a small period, blood sugar and insulin | | | | These food items should only be enjoyed every |
| can rapidly increase signalling the body to store | | | | now and then. If you have trouble restraining |
| fat. Finally, emotional eating is usually followed by | | | | yourself, then they shouldn't be kept in the house. |
| feelings of guilt and stress which continues the | | | | A good tactic is to save these foods for special |
| cycle. | | | | occasions (no more than once a week) such as |
| General Habits of Thin People | | | | eating out with friends or a birthday/holiday. If |
| 1. Completely avoid snacks | | | | you decide to indulge in a "rich" (high calorie) food, |
| Eat three meals a day. Choose meals that have | | | | eat it slowly and savour it. Some people like to |
| fresh vegetables, lean meat and a small portion of | | | | have one relaxed eating day a week. This isn't an |
| whole grains (eg. brown rice, grain bread etc.) The | | | | opportunity to revisit negative eating behaviour by |
| result is a well balanced and nutritious meal that | | | | gobbling down anything and everything. It's an |
| satisfies both hunger and taste buds. These meals | | | | opportunity for you to enjoy a favourite meal |
| are usually eaten at regular times and no snacks | | | | and maybe a dessert to follow it. |
| are eaten in between. | | | | 8. Don't binge drink |
| Note: If you are used to having an afternoon | | | | Drinking is a common obstacle that stops people |
| snack, it may take time to adjust to 3 meals a | | | | achieving their goals. It's ok to enjoy a few drinks |
| day - During this adjustment period, I recommend | | | | every now and then but the trick is to limit them |
| packing 2 pieces of fruit as an option to eat | | | | so they don't sabotage your goals. One of the |
| between lunch and dinner. By having this option | | | | biggest problems of drinking is that it tends to |
| available, you are less likely to be tempted by an | | | | make people overeat and/or eat junk food. |
| unhealthy snack. | | | | To drink less: have a glass of water between |
| If you regularly buy food from a cafe/restaurant | | | | every drink; drink slowly and enjoy your company |
| keep in mind that their portion sizes are 2-3 times | | | | and conversation; when your glass is empty wait |
| more than you need. If you feel uncomfortable | | | | a while before you get a refill; limit your social |
| leaving food on a plate, ask for a take away box. | | | | drinks to 1 night a week. If you still find that |
| You could also share a meal with a partner/friend. | | | | drinking is sabotaging your goals, you may need |
| If the meals on the menu don't have a good | | | | to have a complete break from it. |
| portion of salad/vegetables, order a side salad and | | | | 9. Go to bed at a regular time |
| eat a smaller amount of the main meal. | | | | Have you ever noticed that when you stay up |
| Sandwiches on whole-grain bread with a lean | | | | late or only get a few hours sleep your hunger |
| meat and lots of salad are another good option. | | | | signals increase? This is the body's attempt to |
| While some weight loss advisors suggest 6 meals | | | | help it stay awake. Different jobs require different |
| a day there is a number of reasons this approach | | | | working hours but the best thing you can do is go |
| is not practical: | | | | to bed at a regular time and aim for 7-8 hours |
| - Recent research has concluded that eating more | | | | sleep a night. If you find yourself snacking late at |
| frequently does not speed up your metabolism. | | | | night; have a big cup of herbal tea after dinner |
| - It encourages an individual to think about food | | | | and go to bed early. You'll feel fresher in the |
| regularly (every 2-3 hours) and lessens their ability | | | | morning and be hungry for breakfast. |
| to deal with hunger. This can lead to hunger and | | | | Note: If you're a shift worker, treat your shift as |
| food having more control over your thoughts and | | | | a regular day and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| behaviour. | | | | accordingly. |
| - Preparing 6 portioned meals everyday can be | | | | 10. Don't make excuses to justify bad eating |
| tedious. If an occasion calls for a social breakfast | | | | behaviour |
| lunch/dinner, your meal options are limited to | | | | When you're satisfied you're satisfied. Don't make |
| something that won't sabotage your other 5 daily | | | | excuses to overeat. |
| meals. | | | | - "I must finish what's on my plate": it's fine to |
| - Eating smaller meals can leave you feeling | | | | leave food on your plate. If you think you're |
| unsatisfied. You are never really hungry or | | | | wasting food, order a smaller meal or get them |
| satisfied. Thus you lose your ability to feel hunger | | | | to put what's left in a take away container. |
| without responding. Hunger between meals should | | | | - "My friend/family offered it so I must eat it": |
| not control your behaviour. | | | | Your friend/family offered it as a suggestion. |
| - Hunger is a sensation in your body just like | | | | They won't think twice if you politely thank them |
| feeling tired. If you can ignore feeling tired to | | | | but decline because you're full. |
| work late, socialise with friends or watch late night | | | | - "I've exercised today so I can eat this": This is |
| TV, why not ignore slight hunger between meals | | | | another dangerous habit. You can never out run a |
| to correct your eating behaviour and lose weight? | | | | poor diet. I can't stress this enough. Until you start |
| 2. Water is the beverage of choice | | | | practicing good eating behaviour and establish a |
| Our body needs 4 x 600mL bottles or 8 cups or | | | | healthy relationship with food, no amount of |
| 2.5L of water a day. Drinking water is the body's | | | | exercise will make up for it. |
| No. 1 way of removing toxins. It can remove | | | | - "I've eaten this much so I may as well eat the |
| sickness due to toxic build up inside our body, | | | | rest": This is common with binge eating junk food. |
| headaches, bad skin etc. It will improve skin more | | | | As I mentioned before if you can't resist, keep it |
| than any cream and reduces appetite as our | | | | out of the house. Practicing good eating behaviour, |
| body can confuse thirst with hunger signals. | | | | developing a positive relationship with food and |
| Drinking soft drink, fruit juice, alcohol and coffee | | | | addressing emotional eating will remove the desire |
| tea with added sugar can quickly add unnecessary | | | | to binge. |
| calories to your daily eating. By simply avoiding | | | | These guidelines have been developed to help you |
| these sugary drinks you can start to lose body | | | | succeed where fad diets have failed. The key is |
| fat. | | | | to re-kindle your love for food and develop |
| 3. Never worry about your body weight | | | | healthy eating behaviours to lose weight and |
| Worrying about your body weight/appearance | | | | remain thin. By keeping things simple and practical, |
| creates a negative focus in your mind. Your mind | | | | the guidelines contribute to a happier more social |
| is extremely powerful. It drives your behaviour. It | | | | lifestyle rather than leaving you feeling deprived |
| soaks up everything we think about (visualise, | | | | and compulsive. It also encourages you to |
| self-talk) and works towards that outcome. If | | | | recognise and deal with negative thoughts about |
| you visualise yourself as fat and think about | | | | food and body image. This helps you remain calm |
| negative outcomes, yourmind will work hard to | | | | and focused on a positive outcome. |
| keep you that way. Instead, visualise yourself | | | | Like all knowledge, reading this article won't bring |
| becoming thinner every day with your new eating | | | | about change. You need to make a serious |
| and exercise habits. Believe in yourself and | | | | commitment to change your behaviour. |
| remember that weight loss takes time. Don't | | | | Remember that behaviour change takes weeks |
| mentally beat yourself up when something doesn't | | | | not days. Some bad habits may be easy to break |
| go to plan. Understand that mistakes are part of | | | | while others may take more time and |
| learning new habits. They help identify areas you | | | | commitment. Start small and focus on one new |
| need to work on. An example of positive self-talk | | | | habit at a time. Take a few minutes each night to |
| I like to use when I feel down: | | | | reflect on how your day went. Congratulate |
| "Everyone falls over, it's the people who pick | | | | yourself for positive behaviours and make note of |
| themselves up and push forward that succeed". | | | | the negative behaviours that are holding you back. |
| 4. Don't skip breakfast! | | | | Never beat yourself up because things didn't go |
| Eating breakfast can stop you over eating later in | | | | perfectly to plan - this only feeds negative |
| the day. If you don't feel hungry in the morning, | | | | thoughts and outcomes. Instead, write down the |
| chances are you're eating too much at night. This | | | | obstacles that seem to be holding you back. Once |
| is a habit you need to change. Dinner should be | | | | you know what they are, you can think of ways |
| your smallest meal of the day because you don't | | | | to minimise or overcome them. |
| need energy while you sleep. When you start | | | | I wish you the best of luck with your weight loss |
| having smaller dinners you may feel slightly hungry | | | | journey. If you need help getting started or you |
| at bed time. However, you can't feel hunger while | | | | can't seem to make progress, please contact me. |
| you sleep. Take advantage of this by having a | | | | I specialise in high intensity training and helping |
| small dinner and setting your body up to burn fat | | | | people overcome lifestyle, behaviour and mental |
| while you sleep. In the morning you'll wake up | | | | barriers. |
| feeling refreshed and hungry for breakfast after | | | | |