Weight loss made easy

Introducing our first weekly guest blogger, nutritionist Sarah West, who will today be talking about making weight loss an achievable goal.

What’s your goal?

When embarking on a weight loss programme you should start by asking yourself what your purpose is. Whatever your reasons, write them down and keep them to hand. Then when frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

It is also important to use tools that help you track your progress. Keep a food journal and measure yourself regularly, keeping track of each inch lost. By closely monitoring your weight loss efforts, you’ll see the results in black and white which will help you to stay motivated.

Move it to lose it:

In order to achieve the body shape you dream of, you may have to add something new to your life: exercise! Dieting without exercise can result in weight that's lost from your muscles rather than body fat. This can actually reduce your resting metabolism and stall your progress.

A combination of cardiovascular and resistance exercises (using weights) will make the biggest improvement to your body shape in the shortest possible time- try a Body Pump class to easily combine the two. Seeking advice on suitable exercise programmes from a personal trainer can also help keep you motivated and ensure that you get the best results from your gym visits.

Healthy swaps:

Dropping the pounds can be as simple as making small adjustments to your daily food choices. You should always aim to choose foods that provide the maximum amount of nutrition for the least amount of calories. Try these easy food swaps to help things along:

Breakfast

• Swap sugary cereals (such as cornflakes, rice cereals and anything honey-covered) for fibre-rich wholegrain alternatives such as porridge, low sugar muesli or Shredded Wheat. Not only do highly-refined breakfasts add to your overall calories, but they can lead to a mid-morning sugar slump which will leave you craving more.
• Pour a little less cereal into your morning bowl to make room for some blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. You’ll still enjoy a full bowl, but with a lower calorie count (plus one of your five a day!)

Lunch

• Swap shop-bought sandwiches for pre-prepared sushi, to get a healthier balance of carbohydrates and protein as well as many additional vitamins and minerals.
• Swap normal baked white potatoes for baked sweet potatoes. These are more nutrient-dense and in spite of their sweetness have a lower glycaemic index, helping keep you fuller for longer.

Dinner

• Add more vegetables to your favourite main courses to make your meals go further. Dishes such as curry, pasta and stir-fries are more diet-friendly if they’re less heavy on the carbs and more focused on lean protein and vegetables.
• Swap creamy or cheesy sauces for homemade tomato or vegetable-based sauces for more nutrients with less of the calories. Try adding lentils or beans for a fibre and protein boost.

Treats (because we all need the odd treat)

• Swap milk chocolate for dark chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa. Dark chocolate has less saturated fat, less added sugar and is much richer, so you’ll be satisfied with a smaller amount.
• Swap a bottle of beer (160 calories) for a small glass of white wine (97 calories) on a night out. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water will save even more calories and also lessen the hangover!

One step at a time, focusing on improving your behaviour rather than the outcome, will get you to where you want to be.