Now is a time when we are all thinking about losing weight and looking good for the holidays. Once you decide to lose weight you need to have positive thoughts on the subject to help you.
Prepare to make changes
Choose an appropriate time to start. When you are really busy or have visitors is not always the right time to make changes. Choose a time and you have the space and energy to work on yourself.
Start by looking in the mirror and love yourself as you are now. Say, “I love you as you are now but I am going to get healthier”.
Don’t worry about dieting during this preparation week. This week is to get rid of all your battles with food. Eat at the regular meal times: A healthy breakfast, one main meal and one light meal. Give yourself two treats too.
Make a list of your small treats and choose from the list and decide when you will have them, and stick to that time. For example, “I will have a biscuit at 10 a.m. and one scoop of ice cream at 4 p.m.”
Take time to really enjoy your food. Make it a rule to sit down to eat because eating is best enjoyed sitting down. Never stand to eat.
Forget about dieting but drink lots and lots of water. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses a day.
Being organized is vital for preparation for change.Making changes in your eating and exercise habits means taking time from your already busy schedule so that you can give yourself some priority time.
Wardrobe
To give yourself extra time in the day you need to be able to decide what to wear quickly and efficiently in the morning.
Try these tips: Toss out any clothes that are too small or too tight; only keep in your main wardrobe clothes for the current season; and for extra speed, have three sections: Casual, work and evenings.
Avoiding extra snacks
A good idea is to have 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.
Try these tips:
Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.
I only eat healthy food.
I only eat when I feel hungry.
I can say no to food and feel good.
A moment on the lips means a lifetime on the hips.
I don’t need comfort food.
I am not hungry: I will feel guilty if I eat this!
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.
Plan exercise time
Spend time working out how you will build exercise into your daily routine. For example: 10 Mini-morning workout every day — E-mail for a free copy: [email protected]; daily brisk walk or jog; gym once per week; swimming once per week or games with your children.
If you exercise at a set time as part of your daily routine, then it just becomes part of the fabric of your life. In times when I have been very busy with children and work I have always given the best part of the day to myself and have spent the first 10 minutes after I wake up exercising with the mini-morning workout. It has kept me flexible and toned because I do it every day.
Write down your plan
You can start at whatever level you feel comfortable with. You are your own best guide but plan to start with at least 10 minutes each day. If you are very overweight, start with a low level workout — but do it every day. E-mail me for my chair exercises: [email protected].
Healthy eating is the best way to lose weight long term. Remember nothing tastes as good as feeling slim feels.
Ask Alva
What is the value of drinking Soya milk?
— Maya
Soya beans are the only vegetable protein to contain all essential amino acids, making them important for vegetarians. They're high in calcium, low in saturated fats and cholesterol-free. They can be ground into flour or made into "milk" as well. Soya milk is a good alternative milk drink and for use on cereal and in puddings. There are also some very good Soya based yogurts on the market also.
— Alva
