Monday, June 22, 2015

Five things to start doing NOW to lose weight

A toffee apple driving a ride on lawnmower


It seems, when I am not chowing down on all the wrong foods, I am trying to lose weight. It's a never ending cycle for me, always has been.

After finding out another person in my family has been diagnosed with diabetes (I had gestational diabetes), I need to do something about my widening girth.

Most of the clothes in my cupboards are not fitting me, and quite frankly, I look like a giant toffee apple. A big round top with stick legs! I have to also accept that I am getting older, and the weight seems to creep on much easier and is harder to get rid of.

Here's five things I am now trying to implement to get myself back in my own pants, and some ideas that can help you lose weight too.

1. Drink more water. Get yourself a large bottle to use for water. I have a 1.25 litre bottle on the kitchen bench. I know that I have to drink that whole bottle during the day, at least. 

Having a large bottle makes it easier to measure how much water I have drunk over the course of the day, rather than relying on filling up a smaller bottle several times.

I have a smaller bottle I take with me if I am going to be out of the house for a while, to drink in the car, or to put in my bag.

2. Change habits. When I do put on weight it is because I have let go of any healthy eating and drinking. Yes this means lots of wine, biscuits, cake, chocolate and coffee. I have never been a big coffee drinker, but when I fall of the healthy lifestyle wagon I find I turn to it. My guess is because I am overweight and tired and coffee just seems like the logical answer.

I've stopped drinking coffee, and started drinking my black (no milk) tea. Mostly green and herbal tea.

If you can't get through the day without your coffee, start buying a lower fat milk. You'd be surprised how much of a difference this can make.

3. Plan your meals. It is so easy to make bad food choices when we are rushed, and hungry. Having a plan for meals and doing some forethought helps to keep on a healthy eating track.

Think about what you are consuming through the day. If it's cereal or toast for breakfast, sandwiches or pasta for lunch and meat and veggies (potatoes, a starch) for dinner, you might be having too many carbs.

Opt for a carb breakfast, and stick to protein and veggies or salad, for other meals. Eating a piece of fruit before meals adds to you daily dose of fruit and vegetables, and helps fill you up.

You could have fruit and yogurt for breakfast, or an egg with grilled veggies(mushroom, zucchini, spinach and tomato for example), and have a carb meal for lunch(wraps or pasta), and meat and veggies/salad for dinner.

Knowing what I am going to eat during the day, and when, helps keep me on track, and stops me from impulse eating.]

my downfall

4. Slow your eating. Keeps portion sizes reasonable and take your time when you eat. My husband eats like a bull at a gate, I am forever reminding him to chew his food because his stomach doesn't have teeth.

Chewing your food properly lets you enjoy the taste your food. It aids digestion and improves the absorption of nutrients from the healthy food you are eating.

5. Move. Be realistic about how much exercise you do. If you are sitting most of the day, it makes sense that you would need less food for energy. The highest energy foods are usually the white ones; sugar, bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. If you don't move much, eat less of these foods.

Any exercise will help with your weight loss. If you can't get out for a walk or don't want to join a gym, find some exercise you can do at home. I do like walking for exercise. It doesn't have to be far or fast, just and amble around the block is good enough.

Things that have helped me is stepping. Get yourself a step or find something you already have that you can use as a step. Five or ten minutes in front of the telly and it's done.

I've also had an exercise bike in the lounge room before too. You don't have to go hard, as long as you are moving a little more than you were before.

What changes do you make when your pants start getting tight, or not fitting at all?!


24 comments:

  1. My metabolism is changing (like getting old isn't bad enough???) so I really need to cut the junk out, but I'm so slack!! Getting thick around the middle, so need to make some changes...:(

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    1. Getting thick around the middle is something I can relate to. Even more important I don't binge on the bad stuff x

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  2. Great tips. Unfortunately I have a few health issues that make weight loss near impossible. Doesn't mean I've thrown in the towel. Just focusing on trying to be the healthiest I can be and take the emphasis on the weight that is pilling on thanks to the meds.

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    1. Trying to be the healthiest most of the time is all we can ask for. You can't help the meds pilling it on for you. When I started the anxiety meds I was the lightest at had been for months. It's been since then I have stacked it on. Catch 22 :/

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  3. Good luck Alicia! I am still breastfeeding so nothing will budge for me until I stop. Great steps! I don't eat that much because I am naturally petite but chocolate is my downfall. I need to drink more water too.

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    1. Breastfeeding is gold for keeping it off. I struggled after that too.

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  4. Great reminders of what I need to do Alicia! Have popped a bottle of water onto my desk at work!

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  5. Those cycles are crazy aren't they! I totally relate... for me it wasn't food, it was swinging between wanting to find that special partner and working on improving self and being the best I can be! When I let go of the former and focused purely on me... that special someone popped into my life :-) You're on the right track... fabulous advice regardless of one's size♥

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  6. Great tips there Alicia! I've had to take some radical steps to get some weight off because my health issues were worsening and it was starting to get scary! Since I got back from Tasmania I have lost 7.1 kg so far! That is great but I have lots more to lose yet. How I am doing it I might reveal on my blog one day. It's not easy - but it is working! Good luck to you! It is so much harder in winter! ;-)

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  7. Portion sizes are my biggest issue...in the interest of fairness I always serve my husband and I the same size meals, this I need to stop doing! Meal planning is the best thing I have found to make sure I eat a balanced diet and also save money by having leftovers to take for work lunches! Good reminders for us all :)

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  8. When things get right on me... I try to avoid carbs for a few days... Usually brings me back down to earth cause I end up starving... Lol

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  9. My biggest pitfall is unhealthy eating. I'm with you on the planning meals part --- when I plan my meals, I eat well. Else, it's crap. Currently being on holidays, my eating and exercise have gone out the window. I'm too scared to go back home in a couple of weeks and weigh myself. I know I have put on weight and am not looking forward to it. I'll have to get back on the healthy wagon once I get home.

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    1. Doing some healthy cooking tomorrow so I don't fall back on shite food. Have to have healthy alternatives ready to go!

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  10. I love biscuits too. After dinner and the kids are in bed is my big downfall. Cup of decaff tea and a treat. I feel I need it. Good luck with dropping an extra few kgs.

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  11. These are great tips ... I need to do something about my health at the moment but I seem to be on a downward spiral and always have an excuse in my head. I guess it is time to put down that packet of maltesers and do something about it.

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  12. I've just recently started doing big batch cooking and freezing meals so I stop relying on frozen meals when T does night shifts and they've been great for lunches {stopping me from buying takeaway or eating crap}. I really need to drink more water though. I reckon if I just ate like bub does I'd be super healthy because she lives on fruit and veggies pretty much.

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    1. Living on lean meats, fruits and veggies must be the key. Especially as I am getting older. I am guessing I need to be having more calcium rich foods too. Good thing I like yogurt.

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  13. I had to laugh at the toffee apple comment but you are too hard on yourself. I too am trying very hard to move more, plan better and eat slowly - I'm just so used to wolfing down food. Great post x

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  14. Oh, I hear ya! I've just found out that I have high BP and cholesterol so I have to get my life in order to keep on enjoying it!
    Am currently monitoring the BP with a machine and that stresses me out with each reading because it just wont come down, even if I have been sitting for half an hour, watching tv. I forsee medication in my future and I hate that. I'm nearly 51 and don't take anything.

    Yes, the toffee apple shape is me to a tee too! Good tips, I think I need to get moving (Huz and I pinky promised to start walking in the mornings), drink more water, eat less cheese and cut back red wine consumption and go easy on carbs. Its going to be cold getting out of bed Monday morning at 6am!

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    1. Oh you have me checking my resting heart beat. It was so foggy on sunday morning! I hope the mornings aren't too cold for you. Good on you for getting up so early and walking.
      Hopefully WW starts up again soon, I need to go!

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