Christmas is fast approaching with only seven weeks left to go…

Your big question may be— what shall I wear? — and it may be quickly followed by:

• How can I drop a dress size before Christmas?
• And how on earth do I get started?

Are you tired of carrying around those extra pounds you gained in winter?

The festive season is a busy and stressful time of the year. All of this, on top of your normal busy everyday life can feel overwhelming to say the least.

So today I wanted to share with you the 3 simple secrets to help you drop a dress size by Christmas the healthy way without feeling deprived and exhausted.

Does Willpower Work?

One of the biggest mistakes that busy women make when trying to lose weight is they RELY ON THEIR WILLPOWER.

Unfortunately, due to our hectic lives, when the time comes to make a healthy food choice, your willpower is likely exhausted.

So, what is the solution?

Being prepared and organised in advance!

The Principles of weight loss

 To drop weight successfully you need to create a negative energy balance , in other words your energy intake needs to be consistently lower than your energy expenditure.

 Weight loss is all about maths:

To lose ½ kilo /week- you need to burn off approximately 3,500 more calories than you consume.

Practical Lifestyle Changes

The easiest way to drop weight without deprivation is to make some small practical lifestyle changes.

You Don’t have to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight!

Step 1:  Develop Awareness

 A. Make yourself a priority by taking full responsibility for your behaviours.

It’s your body and you are responsible you’ll get out what you put in!

• If you want to change your body composition, you need to take full responsibility for what you eat and how much you exercise.
• And this will require you to put a greater emphasis on behaviors that will help you achieve that.
• You may want to adjust your schedule to create time for you to make the necessary changes.
  

B.Learn the difference between hunger and thirst

Often when we feel hungry, we’re actually thirsty.

• If you’re feeling hungry, try drinking a large glass of water to see if that satisfies you.
• If after 20 minutes you’re still not feeling satisfied, chances are, you’re hungry!

C. Eat slowly and mindfully

• Eating slowly makes you feel fuller and boosts weight-reducing hormones
• You will also eat less as a result

D. Choose Wisely

To make better food choices, you can start by eating more satiating foods.

For example:

• Eat at least 80% of your calories from whole, minimally processed foods,
• Eat enough protein, fruit, vegetables, and fiber.

 E.  Become aware of your eating habits

Pay attention to how much you are eating.

For example:

• Eat without engaging in any other activities
• Eat mindfully by focusing just on your meal
• Develop your own comfortable pace.
• Experiment with eating out of smaller bowls, using smaller utensils, and serving smaller portions.

Step 2: Tweak Your Diet

By following the steps below:

A.Reduce Your CHO intake:

• By reducing carbs and lowering insulin levels, you change the hormonal environment and make your body and brain “want” to lose weight.
• This leads to drastically reduced appetite and hunger, eliminating the main reason that most people fail with conventional weight loss methods.
• Increasing your protein intake

B.    Increase Protein intake:

Increasing your protein intake is a good strategy to increase satiety, increase muscle mass and speed up your metabolism resulting in better weight loss.

·      This is due primarily to the role protein, especially the amino acid leucine, plays in inducing muscle protein synthesis and, to some extent, in increasing satiety and reducing cravings

·      Research suggests that ≥2 g protein/kg body weight/day may be required to maintain LBM (lean body mass)during a calorically-deficient diet

Here are some suggestions:

Have a high-protein breakfast.

Eating a high protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day

C. Eat soluble fibre.

Many studies have shown that soluble fibres may reduce fat, especially around belly fat.

Consume 80% of your calories from mostly whole, unprocessed foods. 

• Base most of your diet on whole foods.
• They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.

D. Adjust your cooking methods:

• Grill, Bake or steam your meats, fish and vegetables.

Irena Geller

Emotional Eating Coach

BSc (Biomed), Cert IV (PT), Wellness Coach (Level 3))