21 practical weight loss tips for beginners

Tag: Weight loss tips

11
Jan
2019

21 practical weight loss tips for beginners

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips, so I’ve put together a post that contains the many tips I’ve picked up over the years that have helped me to lose 4 stone and keep it off for quite some time now. These are not quick fixes, but practical steps you can take to improve what and how you eat. These weight loss strategies have also helped me to improve my relationship with food and how I view my body. If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, I hope you find these useful and I hope that you are kind to yourselves in the process of changing your eating habits and associated behaviours.

1. Record what you eat
Tracking what you eat is a simple way to keep an eye on what you’re consuming, as it’s quite easy to forget what you eat, especially if you’re prone to snacking. It’s also a useful tool to adopt if you calorie count or want to track how much protein, carbs or fat you’re consuming. Apps such as MyFitnessPal are great for tracking and recording your progress, but simply writing down what you eat on a piece of paper is just as useful.

2. Plan your meals in advance
I’m a huge plan of meal planning. All you need to do is jot down what you plan to eat and when. I find this helps you to make and stick to healthy choices “in the moment”.

3. Walk more
I always think that walking is a hugely underestimated form for exercise. It’s a great fat burner, free to do, relaxing, and suitable for all fitness levels. Incorporate it into your everyday schedule or set some time aside to take a stroll.

4. Eat way more vegetables then you’re currently doing
Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that will leave you feeling great in so many ways, plus they’re a wonderful source of fibre and can help fill you up for very few calories. Include a large portion of veg with as many meals as possible. Carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery and fruit make great snacks too.

5. Be kind to yourself
In the pursuit of weight loss many of us can be very cruel to ourselves – whether that’s in the form of starving your body from food or having negative thoughts and opinions about yourself. For anyone wishing to lose weight, please do be kind to yourself. It can take time to lose weight and for long-lasting results it’s far better to work on creating new, healthy eating and exercise habits one step at a time that are sustainable. Although this book – Body Positive Panda – isn’t a weight loss book, I would highly recommend reading it if you continually find yourself having negative thoughts about your body, or feel you may behave in a less than positive way towards yourself. This book does not advocate dieting, so it may seem like a very strange thing for me to recommend it, but it helped me to put my weight loss goals in perspective and re-evaluate why I’m wanting to lose weight and if I actually want or need to. After some time asking myself some difficult questions, I realised that I have a genuine interest in nutrition and I enjoy exercising, so from a distance it might not seem that a lot has changed in my behaviour but take my word for it that mentally and emotionally, I’ve experienced a huge shift in my attitude towards weight loss and I feel far happier and healthier for it.

6. Remember the basics of weight loss
There are a lot theories when it comes to successful weight loss methods, but there is one fundamental thing experts agree on – consume less than you’re using. If you eat more than you’re ‘burning off’ you can gain weight. Plus, there’s undeniable research when it comes to the benefits of consuming a wide range of fruit, vegetables and foods as close to their natural state as possible (e.g. heavily fried or processed foods are never featured in a healthy weight loss plan for this reason). I find this helpful to keep in mind when I feel conflicted by healthy food messages or if a new fad diet appears on the scene. A healthy diet consists of a wide range of fruit; vegetables; wholegrains (brown rice for example); legumes; pulses; protein (e.g. chicken, tofu, salmon, eggs); healthy fats (found in avocado for example), lots of water and exercise.

7. Food shop online
Supermarkets can be tempting places, with buy one get on free offers on foods that tend to be high in fat and calories, and low in vitamins and minerals. Once you’ve made a meal plan for the week ahead, why not shop online as a way to reduce the temptation to buy foods that aren’t great for your health or weight loss goals.

8. Cook from scratch whenever possible
This is a simple way to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat in your diet, as many pre-made sauces and ready meals contain a higher proportions of these compared to when you cook a meal with fresh ingredients from scratch. Plus, cooking from scratch is an easy way to include a load of vegetables – think soups, stews, curries and stir fries.

9. Cook in batches
If getting in the kitchen to cook everyday is impractical, then start ‘batch cooking’ and save the extra portions in the fridge or freezer for future meal times.

10. Enjoy fruit as a dessert or afternoon snack
Fruit is naturally sweet and makes for a great dessert or snack, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Fruit needn’t be ‘boring’ either. I personally love a piece of fruit but I also love making banana ice cream (blend a frozen banana with some milk – that’s it), fruit sorbets (more frozen fruit in a blender), fruit salads, mixing fruit with some yogurt or making a smoothie. Plus, you’ll be consuming a load more vitamins, minerals and fibre too!

11. Eat more protein
Lean sources of protein can really help you to feel fuller for longer, and reduce the urge to overeat on foods that may not be great for you. My favourite protein sources are plain greek style yogurt, quark, chicken, tuna and salmon. I also love lentils and beans, which are great sources of fibre too. I should state here that I’m not an advocate for cutting out carbs, but when it comes to breaky, lunch and dinner I have found it beneficial to reduce my carb portion sizes slightly, if favour for a larger portion of protein and veg.

12. Eat more fibre
Nutritionists and health experts often report that we do not consume enough fibre, and we can all benefit for upping our fibre intake. Fibre ensures you have a healthy working gut, are ridding your body of toxins and, well let me just say it – stools! Stay regular by opting for brown rice, brown bread, lentils, beans and green leafy vegetables. There are many other benefits too and I personally have found in recent years, that increasing my fibre intake has helped significantly with my weight loss.

13. Join a group
The buzz of other people working out or eating healthy is infectious and I’ve always found it beneficial to be around people with a similar goal. Groups can come in so many forms, so have fun finding one that works for you and keeps you motivated. It could be a group (online or in person) where you discuss healthy food choices (like WW), or a local exercise class or gym where you naturally have conversations with those taking part about their goals and share tips. Or, start your own group with friends and family and motivate each other to try new healthy recipes and new activities.

14. Learn from the process
If you have a ‘bad’ day and go off track, try not to beat yourself up about it. Put it in perspective and learn from it. For example, I would overeat anytime I would restrict my food intake too much during the day. This may sound silly but it’s almost as if I thought I wasn’t allowed to eat while trying to lose weight. That is ridiculous, we all have to eat. I learned that I simply needed to eat more nutritious foods and not to let hours and hours go by without eating, as that was also a trigger for me to indulge on high fat and high calorie foods.

15. Eat
Eating less and burning more will create a calorie deficit that will lead to weight loss, but please don’t take that to the extreme. From experience, when you eat more nutritious foods (such as lean protein, fruit, vegetables, brown rice and bread, lentils, beans) you may feel as though you’re actually eating more than you’ve ever done before. Your body will thrive on receiving all the right macronutrients (fat, protein and carbs) and micro (vitamins and minerals) nutrients it needs.

16. Forget ‘good’ and ‘bad’
I’m guilty of referring to myself as having been ‘bad’ if I eat a piece of chocolate or as if the chocolate itself is ‘bad’. For me it’s important to establish and share that eating chocolate (or any other food not on a superfoods list) doesn’t make you a bad person. There are no ‘bad’ foods; some foods do have higher nutritional benefits than others but eating chocolate or crisps doesn’t make you bad. If you like these foods, enjoy them in moderation and don’t be hard on yourself after eating them. Life is too short for that.

17. Be mindful of your portion sizes
Without sounding confusing having just said eat and forget good and bad foods, for weight loss a deficit between what you’re consuming and what your using needs to be created. I went through a time when I just wasn’t losing weight, even though I felt as though my diet was healthy and any treats I had were in moderation. It came as a bit of a shock to me when I realised (through research and talking to a PT and weight loss coach) that I was simply overeating – even though the foods I was consuming were healthy. Here’s a link to a handy portion size guide I came across online.

18. Be mindful when you eat
As much as possible sit down to eat and focus on your food without distractions – even if you’re just having a snack or a hot drink. When you eat while watching TV for example, it’s easy to consume your food without really acknowledging it and that can leave us wanting more food than we need. Try to savour every moment and make eating a fun event.

19. Enjoy feeling better
While I understand the happiness that can come from losing weight, I also want to shout about the benefits of eating well and exercising more, because this has (ever since I started to really change my eating habits for the better) always been a surprising benefit. Binge eating on chocolate and consuming portion sizes way bigger than I needed for my lifestyle I believe where the reasons why I was overweight and felt so lethargic. Eating more natural foods and moving more has given both my energy and confidence levels a huge boost. Eating better makes me feel better and every time I complete an exercise (be it running, cycling, or weight lifting) without wanting to keel over, I feel extremely proud of how far I’ve come and how much stronger and fitter I am today.

20. Weigh yourself just once a week
Weighing yourself is one way to measure your progress, and if you do weigh yourself regularly please only do it once a week – ideally at the same time each week, first thing and in the nude! If that’s not possible, weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time each week wearing similar clothes each time. Weighing yourself throughout the week can be disheartening if the number on the scales fluctuates, which is does depending how what you’ve eaten, how much you’ve drunk and so on. Other measures you may like to try or consider are how you feel; how your clothes feel; you may be able to access scales that tell you your body composition and see if your ratio of fat to muscle changes over time; or a measuring tape – so that you can see if you’ve lost inches from your waist, hips, thigh and arms for example.

21. Make one change at a time
There are many ways to achieve successful, healthy weight loss. In this post alone are 21 tips and I wouldn’t blame you for feeling a little overwhelmed if you’ve reached the end of the post and aren’t sure where to start. While you lose weight focus on one area (or tip provided in this post) you could change at a time. Focus on that area for a week and give yourself time at the end of the week to review your progress and see if you’re ready to focus on another area.

If you’ve enjoyed this post and have found it useful, please like, share and comment; and I wish you the best with all your health goals, you can do it!

Chloe

15
Nov
2018

5 ways batch cooking can help you lose weight

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m a huge fan of ‘batch cooking’; so much so that I’ve decided to dedicate a whole blog post to it. Here are five reasons why I love to batch cook and how it can help you to eat well and lose weight healthily (if that’s your goal).

Weight loss tips
Batch cooking: To cook more than you need to in order to create extra portions for future mealtimes.

Batch cooking helps you to stick to a healthy diet
When you’re tired and hungry it’s easy to reach for foods that might not be best for your health or weight loss; I’m talking about high fat, high sugar and overly processed convenience foods. If you’re like me, it’s at these times when we’re more likely to overeat too. Having healthy meals already cooked, that just need heating up, is a great way to stick to your healthy eating goals.

Batch cooking comes in handy when unplanned events strike
I remember an occasion when my daughter was a baby and it was the first time she was really poorly. Anytime I left her she would cry and so cooking dinner that day was the last thing on my mind – until I got really hungry and I had nothing to eat! (I should add I was also behind with my food shop.) When I got back into the habit of batch cooking, having some healthy meals to hand felt like a lifesaver for moments like these (and there have been several moments like these). Batch cooking is also great for if you ever have unexpected guests around mealtimes – this one hasn’t happened as much to me, but if you surprise me with a visit then I can heat up some chilli con carne for you!

Batch cooking saves time
I first started batch cooking to save on the amount of time I needed to spend in the kitchen; this was when I didn’t particularly enjoy cooking – just eating! Now, I see batch cooking as a huge timesaver for my future self! If I know I have a few hectic days coming up that will leave me short on food prep time, I will turn to my pre-cooked meals to help me stay on track with my healthy eating. (I now like to cook, if you were wondering.)

Batch cooking can give you a break from cooking!
Batch cooking is perfect for when you simply want to do other things and have a break from cooking but still eat healthily.

Batch cooking saves on waste
I’ve also found batch cooking to be a good way to use up any ingredients that might be on the turn – particularly vegetables. I often make batches of vegetable curries, or roast a load of veggies – they make a great side dish.

If you found this post helpful or interesting, leave me a comment or give me a thumbs up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Happy cooking!
Chloe

05
Nov
2018

Meal planning for weight loss

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips and one of them has to be meal planning. At the start of each new week, I’ll make a note of what I’m going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner; plus two (sometimes three) healthy snacks. Planning my meals in advance has helped me to make healthy food choices and lose weight. Here are a few other reasons why I’m a big fan of meal planning.

The benefits of meal planning

– Meal planning helps you to make healthy choices before hangryness and/or tiredness sets in. I find both of these emotions in the past have led me to overeat on foods that were high in fat and sugar, and not good for my health (or weight loss goals).

– Planning what you’re going to eat in advance makes food shopping easier; as you’ll know what you need to stock up on. It also saves on waste, as you won’t be buying anything you don’t plan to eat.

– Meal planning helps you to look forward to meal times. It’s easy to get stuck in a food rut and when that happens, I’d often start fancying more indulgent foods that weren’t great for me. ‘Healthy’ food can be and is delicious, so planning a breakfast, lunch or dinner that you’re excited to eat is a big win all round.

– Planning your meals in advance encourages you to try new foods and is a good way to see if you’re eating plenty of fruit and veg over the course of a week.

– Meal planning also encourages you to think about any social occasions that you might have coming up. It ives you a chance to create a plan of action that will help you to make healthy choices, or decide if it’s a occasion that’s worth some indulgence – and if so, go ahead and enjoy it!

18
May
2017

The 80/20 weight loss method

Categories: Baby & Me, Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

In recent years I’ve heard the phrase ’80/20’ when it comes to healthy eating habits and weight loss. It’s all about being healthy for 80% of the time and I guess letting yourself off for the other 20%. I’ve struggled to come to terms with it, as surely any amount of time being unhealthy will just sabotage your weight loss efforts, won’t it? Here’s what happened when I followed the 80/20 approach to weight loss.

My weight loss following the 80/20 method
The week before last I vowed to embrace the 80/20 method and let myself indulge a little more at the weekend, but I was to eat well during the week and keep up my exercise. As usual, I got a little carried away once my ‘indulging’ time approached. I felt angry at myself for a moment and thought “why would I ‘waste’ being ‘good’ Monday to Friday, to simply gorge for a few days”. I was certain I’d hate the scales come my next weigh-in but I actually lost 1.5lbs.

Looking back on this week as a whole, my ‘bad’ days were really not that bad and I should probably spend more time reflecting on the bigger picture, to stop myself spiralling out of control*; which is what I feel like most of the time when I eat a little more than what I perceive to be a healthy amount for me (or if I have a treat food).

Less guilt, more food
One pleasant side effect of the 80/20 rule for me was the lack of guilt I felt when I did enjoy some more treats or have bigger serving size than usual. Allowing myself to be ‘off plan’ for 20% of the week felt quite liberating. Without the 80/20 mantra circling my mind, I would of beaten myself up about those extra treats until my next weigh-in. Life is too short to not enjoy the foods you love (ha, is that the piggy in me talking?) or to overly stress about it – strive for good health, everything in moderation and surely the rest will follow.

Skinny people eat chocolate, too
It has also occurred to me that there are plenty of slim people out there who drink wine and eat chocolate. This has been quite a revelation for me! It means one day I too could be slim and still enjoy that stuff, without putting on 7lbs every time someone invites me out to dinner, or if I fancy some Nutella (that stuff is so good!).

So here’s to the 80/20 rule and to being kinder on ourselves as we aim to lose weight and feel good about ourselves. It is ok to have a treat and to not stress about ‘unplanned’ treats either. There’s plenty of time to rectify any situation.

Chloe x

*Another confession
I started this post last week and as I finish it off to publish I’m very aware that I wasn’t able to go to my Weight Watchers meeting this week, and I’m pretty certain I’ve abused the whole 80/20 thing! Spiralling out of control food wise is exactly how I feel at this very moment (alongside being bloated); but this post has been good for me to re-read and I’ll approach being kinder to myself once more and get back on track.

27
Apr
2017

4 simple weight loss tips to keep your diet on track

Categories: Weight Loss

Despite feeling really motivated last week, I managed to put on 1lb. However, I’m feeling strangely positive about it. That gain was a reminder that losing or maintaining weight does take a little effort and when I think about last week, I was pretty slack in everything I now know helps me to lose weight; and those things are…

1. Recording what I eat before I munch
Seeing what I’m about to eat written down in some shape or form makes it real and helps me to determine if its worth consuming. That may sound odd, but sometimes when i’m about to track ‘another bar of chocolate’, it makes me stop and reach for something healthier… or just stop. It’s also surprising how much I forget if I just track in my head.

2. Keeping an eye on my portion sizes
I can eat a lot, be it healthy or unhealthy stuff, so for me weighing out certain foods like pasta or having a sensible amount of bread is pretty key. I also find it helpful to look on the packets of foods to see what they recommend as a single portion.

3. Chocolate in moderation
I love chocolate and can eat far too much of it in one sitting. I’ll never want to cut it out completely, and I don’t think you need to for good health or weight loss, but I can certainly go over board with it.

4. Walking
Walking is such a great way to keep active but I definitely haven’t been reaching my step count, so I’ll make a bigger effort this week to chase my daughter around (she’s definitely been exceeding her step count) and keep my ass moving.

Once again, I’ve shared some ground-breaking tips that you’ve probably never heard before.

16
Feb
2017

15 weight loss mantras to boost your motivation

Categories: Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

The last few weeks have proved a little challenging for me when it comes to eating well and exercising regularly – if you follow me on Instagram you’ll have a good idea of what’s been going on! In an attempt to get back my mojo back, I’ve been seeking out a few weight loss mantras, and trying to remember sayings people have shared with me over the years to help me keep going. So, here are 15 healthy weight loss mantras that have stuck in my head.

Unfortunately I don’t know where I picked a lot of these up from, but I definitely can’t take credit for them! If you know you said these, or if it was you, use the comment box below to let me know! Either way, thank you to whoever came up with these and for inspiring others. If you have any mantras or positive words of wisdom not listed below, I’d love to hear those too.

Summer bodies are made in Winter
Strive for progress, not perfection
Delicious can mean nutritious
Trust the process and the results will follow*
A treat doesn’t have to be something that you eat
Motivation gets you started, habits keep you going
I’m not losing weight, I’m getting rid of it
It’s ok to feel frustrated, it’s not ok to quit
Three months from now you will thank yourself
Now matter how slow you’re going, you’re overlapping everyone on the couch
Mind over matter
If you start now, you’ll start seeing results one day earlier
Blips happen, it’s how we recover from them that makes the difference
You’re only human
If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you

*I’m pretty certain echo supplements shared this one with me after reading ‘Will it make the boat go faster’.

02
Feb
2017

7 weight loss tips for new mums

Categories: Weight Loss

As much as these tips can help anyone wanting to lose weight healthily, I do think they are especially helpful for new mums, as it can be really challenging trying to balance your new-found duties as a mum, while wanting to put your weight loss high on the agenda. Below are 7 tips for new mums who would like to lose some post-baby weight and a little bit about why I’m keen to share my experience and tips.

1. Make your health a priority, too
I say this because I felt terribly guilty about wanting to find time to exercise or plan my meals in advance. A part of me kept thinking it could be time better spent – washing bottles, entertaining my little one or Googling whether a baby could die from hiccups (yeah, I really freaked out when my daughter first had hiccups. I chilled out when a midwife asked me “what would you do if you had hiccups?” my reply was “nothing”… and there was my answer!). If you have put on weight during pregnancy, it’s normal to want to lose that – especially if you feel unfit from it (as I did) or down about it (as I did). Plus, if you’re feeling your very best, that can only be a good thing for those around you surely?

2. Attend mum and baby fitness classes
These classes are great for entertaining your baby and it means you can exercise without having to find someone to look after your child. You’ll also meet other like-minded mums.

3. Go for a walk
Most babies love a little stroll in the buggy and I always found my daughter would drift off to sleep on walk too; plus its great exercise for you and a gentle way to improve your fitness.

4. Buy healthy ready meals
Make it all a little easier for yourself and have some healthy ready meals around for occasions when you might not have the time or energy to cook.

5. Take note of recommended serving sizes on packets
Checking to see the recommended serving size on various foods was a real eye-opener for me. You don’t need to follow the suggestions exactly, but it’s a handy guide if you think that your portions sizes may be a little on the large size.

6. Snack on fruit and veg
It’s good for you and isn’t time consuming to prepare.

7. Sleep when you can
Sleep is just as vital to healthy living as eating well and exercise. If you’ve planned to go for a walk or exercise when your baby is sleeping, but you’ve had a particularly bad night/night’s sleep – just have a kip too.

Why I’m sharing weight loss tips for new mums
During the first 20 weeks of my pregnancy, I really suffered with ‘morning’ sickness (I’m still angry it’s called that, when mine would literally last all day). For a while I thought I might surprise everyone, and myself, by not gaining too much weight when pregnant. “Maybe, I’ll actually lose weight”, I remember thinking one day… well, the fact that I have this blog reveals what happened next.

I ended up putting on 5 stone (and it was probably a little more than this, as I stopped weighing myself once I found out I was pregnant and only weighed myself a month after having my daughter). My little girl weighed around 7.5lbs – there was really no need to eat the way I did in the end! I was both amazed and disgusted at how much I had gained.

At the time I wasn’t too fazed (marvellously) by how much weight I wanted to lose. I had hoped a lot of it was water retention – pah, as if! What am I, a camel? And because I had lost almost 50lbs in time for my wedding in 2013, I thought I’d be able to lose it with ease. I lost two stone relatively quickly but then I stayed the same weight for over 9 months. It was really frustrating and a lot of it came down to not being able to get my head around my new life as a mum and how it could fit in with eating better and exercising regularly – to put it simply, I was just so tired!
At that time I did a few online searches for new mum weight loss tips and didn’t really find any guidance on how to put healthy eating and exercise into practice; and so that is why I’d like to share my experience and tips with anyone interested.

29
Jan
2017

Celeb personal trainer shares his 6 top tips for year-round fitness

Categories: Weight Loss

I’ve not had many guest posts on my blog, so I’m delighted to share with you some top fitness tips from K West Hotel & Spa’s Personal Trainer, Clifton – who has trained the likes of Calum Best, Made in Chelsea’s Proudlock, and England and Southampton footballer Ryan Bertrand. Over to you Clifton…

1. Don’t be Afraid of the Weights
What’s the secret to achieving the highly-desired dancer physique? Step off the cross trainer and pick up a pair of kettle bells. Whilst cardio develops overall fitness levels and stamina, using weights in compound exercises – such as squats and burpees – is the k
ey to building long, lean muscle mass. Clifton advises high repetitions of back-to-back exercises using a low weight, followed by 30/60- second rest.

2. A Balanced Diet
80% of how we look is related to diet, so despite endless hours in the gym, you really are what you eat. Try to avoid fad diets and instead opt for a portion-controlled, balanced diet.

3. R & R: Rest and Rehabilitation
On a mission to get fit, overtraining may seem like a good idea, whether it’s a 2/3-hour session or two workouts a day. However, resting your body is just as important as exercising, as without rest progression can plateau. Schedule two rest days each week, and a full week out every three months. Getting a full 8-hour sleep each night will also ensure maximum results.

4. Hydration
Too much of a good thing can be bad. The optimum amount of water needed to keep you fully hydrated is two litres, as much more than this can dilute sodium levels in the blood. Similarly, coffee has great health benefits as it helps speed up the metabolism and aids in fat-burning, but should be enjoyed only once a day.

5. Defining Targets and Measuring Results
Do you want to feel fitter? Or look great on the beach? Whatever your aim, it’s vital to set targets to stay motivated and to measure your progress. Steer clear of regularly using the weighing scales and instead quantify your progress using a measuring tape or before/after photos.

6. Enjoy the Process
Fitness is a 50% physical, 50% mental challenge, so it’s important to enjoy what you do. Wear comfortable gymwear as you’re more likely to exercise for longer, and don’t forget your headphones if music is your big motivator. Clifton advises to always finish your training with one exercise that you really love, as you will leave the gym feeling great on a post-workout high.

About K West Hotel & Spa
Awarded ‘Best Spa in London’ at the Good Spa Guide Awards 2015, K West’s holistic spa offers a range of exclusive treatments. K Spa introduced the first ‘Snow Paradise’ to London, and features a twinkling Hydrotherapy pool, Sanarium, sauna, dry flotation tank, aromatic herbal steam room and the fully equipped K Fit gymnasium.

K West Hotel & Spa, Richmond Way, London W14 0AX
For reservations,call: 020 8008 6600 or visit www.k-west.co.uk

26
Jan
2017

My top 11 weight loss tips

Categories: Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

There are a lot of weight loss tips out there and so I thought I’d revisit and share a few that have really helped me over the last year.

1. Plan your meals in advance
If I don’t do this, I’m prone to overeating or letting my sweet tooth decide what’s on the menu (during my Uni days I did have Nutella for lunch on several occasions – just Nutella and a lot of it). Plus, if you have an event coming up – I find this encourages you to really think about the healthy choices you could make.

2. Treat yourself
As much as there are certain foods that should be eaten in moderation, I find banning them completely from my menu are disastrous, and so I will still enjoy a small bar of chocolate, or hot chocolate most days.

3. Record what you’re going to eat before you’ve munched it
On several occasions I have eaten something I thought was healthy (or reasonable in terms of its Weight Watchers Smartpoints values), but only realised I was wrong once it was in my stomach and while I was in the middle of using my Weight Watchers app to record it. I’m embarrassed to say there have also been times when I’ve forgotten whole meals I’ve had… no wonder I put on weight if I can’t remember what I’ve actually eaten!

4. Weigh yourself just once a week
Your weight can really fluctuate throughout the week and if you’re constantly jumping on the scales it can really knock your confidence if it goes up a little mid-week. Pick the same day and time each week to weigh in or skip the scales once in a while and measure yourself. You’ll be surprised at how your body shrinks when the scales might not be showing a change.

5. Book into an exercise class or schedule a workout with friends
This makes you more accountable for your fitness regime and less likely to quit or cancel.

6. Batch cook when you can
If you’re in the kitchen already, make the most of it and make double portions; but put the extra in box to freeze straight away so you don’t pick at it. Now my daughter is a little older I find this helpful as it means I have quick meals for her too. It’s also great on days when you just can’t be bothered or something pops up and you run out of time to cook anything healthy.

7. Have a few healthy ready meals to hand
Again, this is great for when you’ve lost energy to prepare anything decent or your day hasn’t quite gone to plan. All supermarkets tend to sell some kind of healthy option and you may have guessed that I’m a fan of Weight Watchers ready meals.

8. Try a new recipe each week
Keep the spark for healthy food alive! I love a cookbook for inspiration but you can find loads of healthy recipes online – especially on Instagram (I also post a few of my favs on here too.)

9. Plan a tasty and substantial dinner with a little treat
I’m less likely to pick on naughty things during that mid-afternoon slump when I know I have something delicious to look forward to that night.

10. Surround yourself with snacking fruit and veg
I like to snack and so having this stuff around can’t be bad eh?

11. Stock up on frozen fruit and veg, too
They’re so handy to use in smoothies, overnight oats or to cook with. Plus, you can get loads of varieties already chopped or diced for you… Simples!

P.S I hope you find these tips helpful. I’ve compiled them while “i’m in the zone”. If I post about going off track any time soon, please can you resend me the link to this page!

01
Dec
2016

31 Christmas weight loss tips

Categories: Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

Losing weight over Christmas can be really tricky, and while Christmas shouldn’t be just about food and drink – it does seem to dominate December. With that in mind, here’s a little round up of healthy Christmas weight loss tips I’ve picked up, read or heard over the years and I hope these can help you (and me) stay on track over the festive season.

Christmas is just one day, don’t eat mince pies for the whole of December!
If you’re hosting Christmas parties, stock up as near to your event as possible, rather than bulk ordering weeks in advance. This will hopefully prevent pre-event eating and having to re-stock. Unless you have a second freezer that you can stay well away from!
Plan your meals and activity in advance – there are a lot of days over the festive period you can still be healthy on.
Practice safe/non-binge drinking. Alternative between alcoholic and soft drinks if you can on a night out and batch cook some healthy meals for the days/hungover that follow.
Often find yourself right next to the buffet? Move away after you’ve enjoyed your food and get involved with some festive games or dancing!
Keep your weight loss goals close to mind – write them down and carry them around as a little reminder when you feel like you may be over indulging.
Eat your greens and lean meat – roast dinner can be pretty healthy if you allow it to be.
Experiment with new Christmassy recipes to impress friends and family.
Plan a few active days over the holidays instead of planting yourself in a pub for hours on end – visit Christmas markets and enjoy some Winter walks.
Feel Christmassy with some lighter treats – mini mini pies, low calorie hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts…
Sign up to a charity run or event to keep yourself motivated during winter.
And with that in mind, why not embrace some Winter sports – try indoor skiing, head to a dry slope or go sledging!
Find yourself constantly grazing? Chew gum!
Are you a prosecco fiend? Stock up on low calorie options. Or perhaps a skinny lager is more your thing?
Bake your own, healthy mince pies! Here’s a healthy mince pie recipe to whet your appetite!
Love a Baileys? Buy the super tiny, bottles so you can enjoy the taste without the abundance of calories (or SmartPoints).
Replace festive snacking to an indulgence of another kind – enjoy Christmas themed scented candles, bubble bath and take a good soak!
Fancy a Christmas movie? Thankfully popcorn is quite fashionable these days and there are loads of options on the market to choose from – buy multi-packs of the skinny variety to stay in control of how much you munch during your favourite Santa flick.
Out and about and fancy a hot chocolate? Why not! Ask for a skinny hot chocolate or feel just as Christmassy with a Chai tea instead.
Paint your nails… that may keep you off the mince pies for a little bit! (Can you tell I’m craving a mince pie?)
Make more time for your spuds over Christmas, and put them in the oven for longer to roast, rather than depending on lots of cooking oil or goose fat to crisp them up.
Transform you everyday porridge, deserts or hot drinks into something festive with a sprinkle of cinnamon – plus, this little spice is really good for you.
Read my blog for inspiration or to at least feel you are not alone if you’re plans, don’t go to plan!
To help balance out any extra food or drink you might have, squeeze in a little more activity before or after any festive occasions you have booked.
Create your own healthy hamper to have around the house for when you fancy a snack. I’m a big fan of Bounce Balls, Naked bars, and protein shakes.
Buy yourself an early Christmas present – some new workout clothes, walking gear, or a pedometer so that you feel more motivated to keep moving while its cold outside.
Download a food diary app and track what you eat before munching, you can then make an informed decision as to whether its worth the calories or SmartPoints (if you follow Weight Watchers like I do).
Serve up some warming one pot meals. They can be super healthy and packed with loads of veggies.
Decide if you’re happy to lose weight, maintain weight or gain a little weight over Christmas – this may help you navigate certain situations with more control.
If you have a foodie event coming up it can sometimes be tempting to skip meals beforehand – unfortunately that can lead binge eating and reaching for high sugary and fat options. Eat as you would usually and enjoy a little indulgence if that happens. It’s Christmas after all!
Most importantly, relax! Whatever happens, enjoy your Christmas and if you’re weight goes in a direction you’re not too happy with, then there’s always January to get back on track!

I hope you found some of these tips useful and please share any advice you may have in the comments box below.

Happy holidays! xx

Photo: This is a pic from an Ocado magazine I received – it contains mouth-watering pages.