In order to lose weight and get fit and healthy, you need to train your mind to be on your side. If you say, “I can” — you will. If you say “I can’t” — you won’t. In you inner dialogue, feed your brain positive messages. Accentuate the positive and you will succeed.
Losing weight is such a personal issue — that you need to be strong for yourself. If you really want to do something, you can!
Some people have a block, or a fear, which holds them back from making changes. Fear of failure — Lack of self-belief — What others will think of you if you change.
Many of these thoughts are to do with our childhood, and messages we received as vulnerable children. Parents feed their children messages, but not all parents are perfect. In a perfect world, good parents would bring up children to enjoy life, love themselves, have confidence, and be able to take risks.
We cannot change our childhood, but the future is ours — what is past is past. If your past approach to weight management has not worked — fine. Now you are taking time to formulate a new approach based on knowledge and strength. If you start by loving yourself, you will take good care of yourself. Only when you take good care of yourself are you able to take good care of everyone else. Nobody has the right to make you feel unattractive — unless you choose to give them that right. You have the ability to change.
Start by taking small steps. Set small and achievable goals. Look and walk tall and tell yourself you are going to succeed.
Visualize your success!
You will get fit — healthier — and slimmer.
Healthy people are self-assured — they have a sparkle and a spring in their step. They radiate, and others are drawn to them. Decide to stop worrying about other people’s opinions on what you should or should not do.
Recipe of the week
Greek Lemon Chicken
Serves 6
Ingredients
45 ml olive oil
45 ml lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano, or 25 g fresh, chopped
1/4 tsp. pepper
680 g boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 lemon slices
1 tsp. parsley, chopped
Method
Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound lightly with a mallet or other heavy flat object to flatten slightly. Transfer chicken to a dish. Add marinade and refrigerate 30 minutes. Turn on broiler. Place breasts in a shallow baking dish. Brush with half the marinade. Broil 4-5 minutes. Turn, brush with remaining marinade, and broil another 4-5 minutes, or until browned. Serve with pan juices. Garnish with lemon slices and sprinkle with parsley.
Ask Alva
I am so desperate to lose another 15 kilos to reach my ideal weight. I always read your column and it gave me courage to consult my problem. I am 40 years, height 5’3” and weighing 70 kilos. My diet consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, and chicken without any fat. No carbohydrates in my diet and still I am having a plateau weight. — Depressed Lady.
You sound as though you have been on a low-calorie diet that is too low. These rigid low-calorie diets do not work in the long term because they slow down your metabolism, which is the rate at which your body burns up calories. Your body feels there is a famine and reacts by slowing down the metabolism so you burn fewer calories. This is the result of crash dieting — the body feels under stress. Follow these guidelines and you will gradually lose weight and become healthier and stronger without suffering. And what’s more, the changes will become part of your daily routine.
• Begin a program of exercises for 20 minutes every morning — start slowly and do a little more each day. Send an email to [email protected] for a free copy of my 20-minute Mini-Morning Workout.
• Try to walk, swim, or skip a rope every afternoon.
• Follow these eating guidelines:
Breakfast: Banana and a piece of toasted bread. Or Low-fat yogurt. Or skimmed milk with cereal. If you like to have an egg, eat only the white part of a poached egg with bread. Drink fresh juice.
Lunch: Boiled rice with grilled meat or fish, and vegetables or salad.
Supper: Salad. Or Sandwich and fruit.
Cut down on fat. Do not eat fried food.