Many people believe that dieting is the best way to lose weight. They have tried all the popular diets such as the Atkins diet, 5:2 diet and juice fast diet. Somehow they always end up putting the weight back on and more after finishing the diet. Why is this? When you suddenly fast your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. When you eventually give in to your body’s signal to eat, your body holds on to more fat in case there is a famine again. This is a negative cycle of dieting and putting on weight. So now I will explain how to lose weight and keep it off.
The best way to lose weight is to eat healthily. Making gradually changes to your diet including reducing processed, sugary foods and increasing the amount of vegetables and protein in your diet will help to support your body in losing weight and keeping it off. Make it a long-term lifestyle change, not a fad diet.
Here I will tell you how to lose weight and keep it off with my foods to eat and foods to avoid for weight loss:
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
Foods to avoid for weight loss:
- Replace refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta and rice, pastries, pies, pizzas for whole grain brown bread, pasta and rice.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners especially aspartame which puts a strain on the liver and can slow weight loss.
- Reduce foods high in sugar, which converts to fat inside the body if it is not used up during exercise.
- Avoid chocolates as they are highly acid-forming. The occasional piece of dark chocolate is fine.
- Avoid all margarines, full-fat milk and full-fat cheeses.
Friendly foods for weight loss:
- Eat more organic foods, which contain fewer pesticides. Pesticides are stored in fat tissue and are really hard to eliminate.
- Increase fruit and vegetable consumption to 5-10 portions per day. Onions, ginger, spring greens, spinach, pak choy, celery, pineapple and apples are all great foods for assisting weight loss.
- Eat at least 1 portion of good quality protein per day at breakfast or lunchtime such as beef, lamb, venison, fish, eggs, chicken or fermented tofu, as protein balances blood sugar for a longer period.
- Always eat breakfast. A good option is a couple of poached eggs on wholemeal toast or organic porridge made with almond milk and a few raisins to sweeten.
- Drink lots of herbal teas and at least 6-8 glasses of water per day. Water suppresses the appetite and prevents fat depositing in the body.
Weight Loss Plate
Make your meal plate in these proportions for weight loss.
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- 10% protein e.g. chicken, fish, eggs
- 20% good fats e.g. avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds
- 20% carbohydrates e.g. wholegrains, brown bread, brown pasta, brown rice
- 50% fruits and vegetables
Weight Loss Meal Plan Ideas
When you calorie count it stresses you out and does not work in the long-term. Eat 3 meals per day and a few healthy snacks to give your body all the nutrients it needs.
Day 1
- Breakfast porridge with 1 apple and raisins to sweeten.
- Lunch tinned mackerel on 1 slice wholemeal toast.
- Snack 1 sugar-free yoghurt.
- Dinner chicken with roast potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.
Day 2
- Breakfast 2 poached eggs on 1 slice wholemeal toast.
- Lunch Greek salad.
- Snack 3 oatcakes with hummus or cottage cheese.
- Dinner salmon with broccoli, cauliflower and quinoa.
Day 3
- Breakfast sugar- free granola with almond milk and yoghurt.
- Homemade vegetable soup with wholemeal bread
- Snack handful of nuts and an apple or a pear.
- Dinner chicken curry with spinach, tomato, cauliflower and brown rice.
If you would like a personalised diet plan for weight loss, contact Kate on 07652 868342 or info@kateoriordan.com for more information.
