2024-05-15 · 5 min read · TP Team
Coming into the Summer you may be thinking, "it's time for me to lose weight, get fit and get back on track with my healthy lifestyle". Well, the good news is, you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight! In fact, there are so many diets and fads out there that lure you into a false sense of hope that after two months of dieting you will be slim forever, frankly it doesn't work like that (sorry to say).
Without bringing calories into the equation, let's look at some simple and effective techniques that you can implement into your daily habits without feeling deprived.
## 1. Identify your daily eating routine
Many days we eat on a schedule – one we aren't even aware of! Take an inventory of what you eat and when you eat for 5 days. Use a journal or food diary to keep track.
## 2. Make subtle changes to start
When you're making a lifestyle change, it can't be done quickly or all at once. Accept and be aware that you'll be making this lifestyle change over an extended period of time. One way is to make subtle changes every week. For example, instead of having three eggs for breakfast, have two. Instead of eating full fat bacon, switch over to turkey bacon.
## 3. Make a list when shopping for groceries
Believe it or not, when we shop without a list, we're more prone to just grab things off the shelves that look and sound tasty. However, when we shop with a list, our impulse shopping is drastically reduced.
## 4. Read food labels
Sometimes we don't want to draw attention to ourselves by reading food labels whilst in the store. However, every processed food product has its label available online for easy viewing. Better still, simply go to your pantry and read some labels! You're looking for calorie content, sodium content, and sugar content specifically. Also ensure you're aware of what constitutes a serving.
## 5. Eat more fresh foods
Processed foods, by their nature, are far less healthy and contain many more calories than fresh foods. Sometimes it comes down to a choice: do you want to consume 100 calories of your favourite fresh fruit (about 1 large apple, or 200 grams) or do you want to eat one chocolate chip biscuit (78 grams)? You can get twice as much food in a fresh fruit.
## 6. Find alternatives
Let's say that you know, even though you want to lose weight, you can't give up pizza. You can still eat it – just change your pizza choice. Rather than having a deep dish, thick crust meat lovers pizza (loaded with calorie-laden carbs, soaring sodium, and lots of fatty oils), change to a thin crust pizza with just cheese or all veggies.
## 7. Drop the fizzy drinks
Carbonated sodas and other high sugar drinks are empty calories. Some people choose diet drinks, but the artificial sweeteners in those drinks can cause health issues (headaches, primarily). Just drink water! If you're a caffeine addict, you can still drink coffee – just not high calorie lattes, iced coffees, or frappés.
## 8. Limit alcohol intake
Whilst many of us enjoy a glass of wine or a beer with dinner, both are high in calories. You don't need to abstain altogether. Simply drink less.
By making these simple changes every day, you can cut a surprising number of calories. When pairing these activities with a suitable exercise plan, you can easily get your body to a place of health and vitality.
Why not give it a go this month? Even better, book a Power Hour with us to kickstart your resistance training.
Simply email info@tphealthfitness.com
TP Health and Fitness Ltd
If you want this applied in the studio, book a Power Hour. It is £50, in Harpenden.
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