THE holiday season is coming to an end and, naturally, holidays are a time to relax, enjoy, and recharge your batteries. Hopefully you are all feeling refreshed and ready to go!
Now is a good time to tackle weight loss with a fresh outlook and the most important steps are to respect yourself and be patient. Losing weight successfully means taking time and being intelligent. When you respect your body, you have a good chance of losing weight and keeping it off. The media exposes us to an image of perfection that is beyond our reach. I have a mummy’s tummy because I have three beautiful children and I refuse to hate it just because magazines try hard to persuade me that even as a woman I should have narrow hips and a stomach that resembles an ironing board.
Preparation
Ask yourself — do you really want to lose weight? And why? Do you have a goal conflict, in that you want to lose weight but are not prepared to change your eating habits? Appreciate that some days you will eat more than you would prefer, but that does not mean that you have failed. It means you must keep trying, learn from mistakes and avoid buying tempting food.
Timing
Choose a good time to start losing weight. If you are stressed, tired or upset, it is probably not a good time to start making changes.
Plan resources
Most important goals in life are achieved, not by luck, but because you are organized. Plan your meals and plan your two snacks. If you are a person who likes to eat healthy, have plenty of fruit and vegetables around. Losing weight is not a test of willpower — it is good planning. If you find chocolate tempting, don’t have it in the house.
Be strong
Everyone at work may be eating donuts, so let them enjoy. You have a long-term goal that is worth working toward.
Patience
Losing weight and establishing new eating routines take time and your body likes gradual changes. Diets that promise a flat stomach in just five days are dreams. You want to organize your eating routines so that you maintain a steady weight. Losing weight has nothing to do with starving yourself, and everything to do with routine.
Recipe of the week
Chicken Piccata
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
55 g unsalted butter
1 tbsp lemon peel, grated
Lemon slices
Method
Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper and pound lightly with a mallet or other heavy, flat object to 1.3 cm. Melt half the butter in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken about four minutes per side until just cooked throughout. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm. Stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze skillet. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and remaining butter until butter is melted. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with lemon slices.
Ask Alva
I am a woman of 43 and, recently, I have noticed that the skin on my hands and legs is becoming dry and rough. Applying cream, Vaseline, oil did not help. I had nice and soft skin before. Please can I have your advice on this matter? Is it happening due to hormonal changes?
— Name withheld by request
I am assuming that it is just dry skin that is the problem, and not eczema. If the skin is very dry, you need to exfoliate gently to remove dry skin so that you can feed your skin with natural vitamin E oil or cream. I would recommend vitamin E oil as it is a good skin food. You should always wear gloves when doing the dishes and housework as household cleaners can make the skin hard and dry. Also drinking insufficient water in this hot weather can make the skin dry. I would also recommend that you take Permea Plus tablets as this supplement is particularly suitable for women (and men) living in the harsh Gulf environment. If you think that your condition is serious, then I would advice consulting a doctor.
