The nutrition industry has an unsung hero: the great principles of weight loss that everyone refuses to believe in. Energy restriction coupled with increased calorie burn, truly does equate to weight loss. You just need to believe the facts, practice and stick to it.
The trousers
If you are
wondering what inspired me to write this blog post, I tried to get into my
white jeans this weekend. Sure they
zipped up, but my rebellious curves made me look like a pumpkin that someone
tried to squeeze through the middle. Not
pretty. Christmas is under 3 months away
so my instincts told me, “I should BE ABLE to get into these comfortably before
the party / festive season hits!”
If you too
have mastered the laws of nutrition but simply lack the practical tips to put
together a healthy eating plan for weight loss; then dare to give this a
go. If variety is the heart of healthy
eating, then I’ll be lovingly filling myself with fruit and vegetables for the
much needed mineral and vitamins.
I’ll be
trying vegetarian recipes and eating my favourite foods such as salmon for
essential omega 3 fatty acids and proteins. I will also be filling up on plenty of slow releasing
or low GI (glycaemic index) carbohydrates to fuel my runs. I love carbs and would not be able
to survive more than 8 hours without it (and that’s when I am asleep of
course).
If you
have been following me on A Light Perspective’s facebook page www.facebook.com/Alightperspective
then you may have noticed that I have been posting pictures of the food I eat. Feel free to join in and post pictures of
your breakfast or lunch meals on the fan page.
So what’s
next? I’ll be posting 1500 calorie
eating plans for a few days each week. I have chosen 1500 calories as I believe that an average woman normally eats around
2000 calories a day. To facilitate weight
loss, you need to cut back by around 500 calories per day for weight loss of
500g at the end of the week. If you want
to eat more, then earn any extra calories by burning it off through exercise.
Quality
control
It’s just
like anything else, if you want to maintain a beautiful dress, you get it dry
cleaned and store it carefully to ensure that it lasts beautifully over the
seasons for a timeless piece. Your body
works the same way. For a high quality
living product, fill it with high quality foods packed with nutrition. Remember to exercise it regularly for a toned and beautiful exterior.
Regardless
of whether you want to LOOK good for your age or improve your risk factors for
disease, you will enjoy feeling lighter and healthier after shedding a few
pounds if overweight. Or maybe like me, you may just be aiming to shed a few pounds to simply look good in your clothes. Remember, as long as your weight loss goals also envelope the principles of healthy eating, then you will be on the road to a slimmer and healthy you.
So let’s
get started.
Breakfast
1 cup of reduced
fat milk
½ cup of
cooked oats
½ small banana
sliced or ½ cup strawberry halves
125g fat
free yoghurt
Use this portion of milk to make a cup of tea or coffee.
Mid-morning tea
20 grapes
Cup of tea
made with reduced fat milk
Lunch
Sandwich –
make your own using 2 slices of wholegrain bread that’s high in fibre.
Aim for >5g/100g or see my article Are You Carb Smart?
Fillings
60g mozzarella
Tomato slices
30g
avocado to spread
Fresh / dried herbs OR salad leaves
Plus
120g
pottle of reduced fat yoghurt (or save for later)
1 large
orange
Cup of tea
Mid
afternoon snack
Cup of tea or use the orange or yoghurt from lunch if you have saved this.
Dinner
1 serving
of fruit salad (for recipe ideas see Lazy Fruit Salad.
Plus
Extra
vegetables on the side if still hungry such as green beans, broccoli or a
simple salad of tomato and cucumbers.
Drink –
plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Purple Tip
These are only tips to give you ideas of what a 1500 calorie eating plan looks like.
Don't forget to fit in at least 30 minutes of exercise such as walking, jogging, cycling or sport. Whatever you choose, enjoy, have fun and remember the successful dieter continues the principles of healthy eating for a lifetime.
What are your tips for weightloss? Do comment below lovely readers, I do love hearing from you.
