Surprising Tactics for Getting Gorgeous

It’s not possible to lose a lot of weight quickly and then keep it off. Set achievable, realistic goals. To maintain your ideal weight, you’ll need to make changes for life.

Match every excuse to a solution

For example, do you generally skip breakfast (and so feel the need to snack mid morning) because you’re in a rush? The answer is to take your breakfast to the office. Or, get up 15 minutes earlier every day and make more time for yourself. If you do this for two weeks you’ll find you’ve formed a new and very good habit.

Modern life is sedentary

It’s not enough to spend one hour in the gym if you’re a slug the remaining 23 hours. Incorporate activity into your entire day.

Most people confuse thirst with hunger when they feel twinges. Drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes to see if the pang passes. Water is an essential nutrient which helps your body metabolizes fat. Cook at home so you can control what’s done with the ingredients and monitor your meal’s fat content. Feel free to snack... especially on fresh fruit and vegetables. They’ll fill you up and help you tick off your recommended five fruit and veg portions.

Take an honest look at what you’re eating. A packet of potato chips or a bar of chocolate isn’t a crime if you’re doing everything else right. Write down everything you eat for a week, then show this food diary to a friend. An objective point of view can often pinpoint problems you’ve missed.

Snack Pack

Always carry healthy snacks, such as raisins or a low fat cereal bar with you.

Eating Out

Drink a glass of fruit juice before going out, to take the edge off your hunger. Avoid filling up on bread - save yourself for the main event. Ask for two starters instead of a starter and a main course - and make sure one is vegetable - or sea food based.

Always get things in the right proportion. Ideally your meal should contain modest amounts of protein (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, beans), large amounts of vegetables or salad and a filling amount of rice, pasta, potatoes or noodles (with little or no added fat).

Ask for your sauces to be served on the side, so you can regulate how much you add to the meal. If you fancy something on the menu that is fried, ask for it to be grilled without added fat. Salad bars can be minefields - choose fresh, unadorned foods such as sliced vegetables and exotic salad leaves. Don’t be shy to request changes, such as new potatoes instead of chips, when the waiter goes through the menu. Think through your meal before you get to the restaurant. Think yourself into a fish and vegetables mood. Then stick to it.

Slim from the head down - in other words, use your powers of visualization, and what you see is what you’ll get. Your brain works with pictures, so envision yourself as you want to look. Use an old photo of yourself that you like.

Slow down. Most overweight people gobble and miss the brain’s satiety cues. Set down your knife and fork between mouthfuls.

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