You need to think about a personal mantra to say whenever you are tempted to eat something you don’t need to eat. (When you are offered a chocolate or some cake, say your mantra to yourself). It will help you to have self control and it will also give you a good feeling rather than feeling deprived or sad.
Nothing Tastes as Good as Being Slim Feels.
or
I Only Eat Healthy Food.
or
I Only Eat When I Feel Hungry.
or
I Can Say No to Food and Feel Good.
or
A Moment on the Lips Means a Lifetime on the Hips.
or
I Am Healthy and Confident. I Don’t Need Comfort Food
You don’t have to say this out loud. Just say it to yourself. It will give you the confidence to say NO to food you don’t need.
Some people find talking to food helpful. Look at a packet of sweets and say — “I don’t need you — I know what you are and you just want to make me fat.”
I find that saying a mantra when I say no to a chocolate or biscuit makes me feel good, and not deprived.
Join Me in My Weekly Task
Try to restrict tea and coffee to four cups or less a day.
Why? Tea and coffee contain caffeine that acts as a diuretic, drawing fluid from the body.
How? Try to keep tea and coffee for set times during the day, and replace some of your intake with water and fruit juice.
Tip of the Week
Controlling The Fat
Now it is easier than ever to control the fat in your diet. There are numerous books on the market that list nutritional values, even for name-brand foods. Some books will even give you formulas for finding out the number of fat grams that you need to lose or maintain your weight. When shopping, read the labels to find the fat content of almost any food. There are many new fat-free foods on the market, but be careful, though. High-sugar foods, even if they are fat-free, can sabotage your weight loss program. Enjoy fruits, vegetables, and grains daily.
Recipe of the Week
Basil Parmesan Pasta with Lemon Peel
Serves 6
Ingredients
340 g orzo pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 g fresh basil, finely chopped
40 g grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp. lemon peel, grated
Method
Cook orzo in boiling salted water 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, covered. Stir in remaining ingredients and pepper to taste.
Ask Alva
I really appreciate all the health information you are tackling in your column. I am 12 years old. My weight is 49 kilos, my height is 153 cm, and I would like to know my BMI. I do a lot of exercise like swimming and jogging but I haven’t even managed to lose a single kilo. I do not eat a lot of junk food. I have big hips, waist, and thighs, and my friends tease me by calling me a fatty even though I am not too fat. I am planning to try Actrim to lose my weight or join a slimming centre. Is it OK for me at this age? If it isn’t then please advise me what I should do. Sweety who’s desperate.
Your BMI is 20, which means that your weight is absolutely right and you do not need to lose any weight. Unfortunately, you may just be genetically predisposed to have large hips and thighs, but my exercise tip this week is to help get thinner thighs. At your age, you should certainly not be considering taking a slimming supplement, as it is important for you to develop good dietary and exercise habits. I have a healthy eating guide which I can send you by email if you write to me at [email protected].
