formula for losing weight.
Simple!
If you think you can get away with eating doughnuts and then burning it off in gym, think again.
I run on the tredmill for 45 minutes. During that time I usually burn around 320 kcalories. That's an equivalent of Snickers bar (320 kcal) or couple of doughnuts (160 kcal each). That's not very enjoyable way to indulge your chocolate bar if you remember that you will need to sweat out for an hour.
Also, what about your other food options? Do you always cook everything yourself and know every ingredient that goes into your meal? Probably not. Every time you are eating out, you might consume more calories than you expected to consume (including all those hidden sugars in items like bread!).
Do you know that medium Italian Pizza slice contains 234 kcal (Pizza Hut, 6 slices in 1 pizza), that makes just over 1400 kcal for the whole pizza (I know I can eat a whole pizza when I'm out socialing with friends. The crust is thin, and it's mostly cheese anyway. You are enjoying your glass of wine, and an hour later the pizza is gone!)
You think that Jacket Potato with baked beans might be a bit healthier for you? Well, it's 514 kcal if you chose it without butter and salad dressing (which comes with salad), and it jumps to 950 kcal if you chose it with cheese instead of beans!
Anyway, back to the topic. What do I do when I need to lose a few pounds quickly?
2) I try not to go out for a meal (it's only for few weeks and you know it will worth it)
3) I space out my meals (I try not to snack too much in between, because it's all adds up, you know!)
4) I try to get busy (the busier you are, the less time you have to think about food)
5) I drink lots of herbal teas (no calories, but there is some pleasant taste in your mouth)
6) I don't brush my teeth often (e.g. after every meal and in-between) like some people suggest, but it might help you. The minty flavour of your toothpaste will certainly reduce you desire for some snacks, and they will taste awful after that anyway)
7) I make sure that people around me know about my plan. This way they are not going to 'treat' me with sweets and buiscuits
8) I become obsessed with it! Every time I see the food that I want, I look at how many kcalories it has. If a meal has more than 500 kcal, I don't eat it. If a snack has more than 150 kcal, I don't eat it either. The less the better. And I never forget that I am losing weight!
Your salads do not need to be boring. You can always add an apple and pine cone nuts (kernels) - this is my favorite topping, or any other sliced fruit and some delicious nuts into your salad. Or add big nice olives and cashews- that's my other favorite topping. It's only 2-3 very delicious ingredients that can make all the difference to your salad, trust me! Also, have a look here for some interesting ideas for your salad.
By the way, chose your toppings only those which are NOT in oil. If they are in oil like sundried tomatoes and mushrooms, then forget it!
10) I do not add any oil to anything. Do you know that 1 tablespoon of oil contains 120 kcal? That's a lot for a 'small' extra topping to your meal. So try not to fry anything either. Make soups and stews your primary food options.
11) If I choose a salad for lunch/dinner when I'm out, I avoid all the toppings to it. I would rather choose a main meal instead of the salad, like salmon and veggies rather than salad with dressing that outweighs my meal in kcalories and after 30 minutes of which I will probably be hungry again. At least a meal like that (salmon with veggies) will fuel me up for much longer.
12) You are expecting me to say that I do not have any desserts? Wrong! I love desserts after my meals.
Only I have either: fresh fruits (e.g. a bunch of grapes, 2 oranges, 3-4 plums, a few slices of melon, or some strawberries), or - I blend frozen banana with frozen berries or mango, add a bit of store-bought smoothie (1/3-1/4 of a cup) to make a super-delicious ice-cream.
13) I avoid cheese or any other full-fat dairy (unless they are in pizza which is an occasional treat. Just remember what I said about a pizza in the beginning)
15) I motivate myself. Through interesting websites, books about nutrition and weight loss, 'before' and 'after' photos of people on the net, by talking to my mum and auntie who are always interested in discussing weight loss while eating healthy, or my previous photos on the beach.
16) I used to drink Slim Fast when I was younger instead of some of my meals. It helped at that time. Now I'm chosing a healthier approach through a healthy nutritious diet.
17) I try not go to a bakery (which I have near my work!) and I avoid any sweet 'treats' as much as I can.
I do not store anything 'naughty' in my house apart from may be some cereal bars.
18) I do not eat white pasta. It's a trush food. It's a totally processed food void of any nutrition and absolutely bland if you won't add to it some full-fat creamy dressing. What is the point?
19) I try to avoid jacket potato for very similar reasons to white pasta. It might be a bit healthier, but you have to add to it some cheese, baked beans, or tuna mayo to make it more palatable. I just don't bother.
By the way, a baked potato is not a healthy choice as you might think. Here is the article explaining what's wrong with a baked potato.
20) So what do I eat throughout the day (when I'm on the fast track of losing kilos):
- Snack (sometimes I go without a snack) - 1 banana or couple of oranges
- Lunch: salad (see number 9 for suggestions). Dessert (see number 12)
- Dinner: Veggie and beans soup (or a baked fish with salad), salad in a tortilla 'wrap', stir-fry veggies, some boiled eggs with salad, or veggie omelette (with lots of non-starchy veg: peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, cabbage, etc. and 2 eggs mixed with a little bit of non-dairy milk).
I drink lots of herbal teas, like 5-7 cups of fruit-, herbal-, or green tea a day.
Do I slip up sometimes? Of course I do! But very-very rarelly. And then I get back on the track immediately, like at the same evening or the next morning.
Do I feel like I deprive myself? Most of the time - no, I don't!
I always remember that I can have anything I want at any time. Then I ask myself - do I really-really want that [chocolate bar, buiscuit or chips]? Most of the time the answer is - 'No, not really. I just want something [sweet, 'naughty' or 'filling']. 'Can I opt for something better?' And if the answer is 'yes', then I choose something with a more nutrition and less calories instead.
And if I really-really want that chocolate bar, then I will wait for a couple of days and see whether the feeling will go away. And if it doesn't, then I go and have it. Then I will enjoy every little bite of it, because I wanted it for so long. Then I will remember about that food [e.g. chocolate bar] when I am in the gym running on the treadmill, and I will literally try to burn it off.
Hypnotic Weight Loss is another area of interest for many people, because listening to a CD or a professional hypnotherapist may reduce your 'workload' of planning and motivation for your weight loss. Hypnotic suggestions influence your mind and you might find the very next day that your preference for food choices have changed drammatically. You can have a look for a qualified hypnotic therapist in your area (although they are quite expensive as they charge by the hour and you will usually need a few hours of therapy) or you could have a look at hypnotic CDs on the market which are made by professional hypnotherapists. I personally like the products of Wendy Friesen, a well-known American Hypnotherapist. I have tried them myself and I would recommend them to anyone.
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