Permanent Weight Loss - Ten Top Tips to Success

1. Portion Control

Research suggests that portion control is one of the single greatest predictors of successful weight loss (Logue et al. 2004). Eating only a single helping, using a smaller plate and resisting the urge to clean the plate are also factors. It is also beneficial to get into the habit of reading the nutrition labels on the back of products in order to be fully informed about their nutritional content. For example, the sugar content of a product is often overlooked in favour of the fat content. More than 5g of sugar per 100g is classed as a high sugar product: See under carbohydrates (of which sugars).

In terms of fat content, it is more important to look at saturated fat content, rather than the overall fat content, which also includes the poly and mono-unsaturated fats.

2. Mindfulness

Being mindful means being fully present while you are eating. The whole process of both preparing and eating food is a sensory one. During the preparation of a meal get into the habit of focussing on the food - its colour, odour, the actual physical sensation of chopping up the ingredients, etc...

Try and avoid emotional eating by asking yourself if you are truly hungry, or simply having difficulty coping with some emotion, such as sadness, anger, stress or simply boredom. By facing this question you may come up with another solution to vent your emotions, such as taking a quick walk or doing a few yoga stretches to relieve stress or some deep breathing. Very often the simple observation of the emotion itself may help us realise that it is not actually hunger that we are feeling. This realization alone may be enough to help us bypass the fridge.

3. Downing tools

Watching TV, reading, answering emails, etc, prevents us from being mindful whilst eating. If you are busy watching TV while you eat you will not be conscious of how much food you actually consume. This will lead to overeating. Engaging in another activity whilst eating may also impair digestion and absorption, both of which can lead to weight gain. If you are not wholly engaged with the process of eating, your sensory organs may switch off. Mere exposure to the sight, smell, taste, and textural attributes of foods elicits myriad digestive, endocrinologic and thermogenic responses,priming the body to better absorb and use ingested nutrients.

4. Royal breakfasts

Yes it's true, people who eat breakfast like a king are less likely to not only be overweight but also have fewer chronic diseases than those who skip breakfast. Furthermore, proper blood sugar balance is critical for maintaining a balanced weight. After fasting all night it is important to balance the blood sugars by eating a good breakfast high in complex carbohydrates (whole grains) and a little protein. Eating breakfast will make you less likely to grab a mid morning sugary snack.

5. A little protein with every meal or snack

Because our bodies store more fat and carbohydrates than protein, they tend to be the least satiating of the macronutrients. Fat in particular provides a weak signal that fails to result in a prompt termination of eating. (Kirkmeyer, S et al. 2000). As a result, including a little protein with every meal can keep us more satiated for longer.

6. Regular exercise

The regularity of the exercise is key. Rather than 2 hours of intense exercise once or twice a week, it's better to exercise more moderately, for example, by walking 45 minutes every day. Finding a way of incorporating exercise into your daily routine will also make it more likely for you to maintain on a regular basis. Establishing a minimum baseline, such as 30-45 moderate walking a day is a good place to start. You can always add in extra workout sessions during the week in your preferred activity. For example, swimming, going to the gym, horse riding, playing football, yoga or other exercise classes, basically whatever you enjoy doing.

7. Food diary

This need not be a tedious, time-consuming activity. A few simple lines in your diary at the end of the day will suffice. Basically, the idea is to help increase awareness of the kinds of foods you are really putting into your body. This awareness alone has helped many people modify the amount and types of foods they eat on a daily basis.

Studies carried out with amnesiacs have shown that when the participants were encouraged to recall what they eaten for lunch, they were less likely to snack in the afternoon. (Higgs S. 2005). This suggests that memory for recent eating has a role to play in controlling everyday eating.

8. Making a list and checking it twice

Not just for Santa! Making a shopping list, checking it and sticking to it will ensure that you get the right foods in and will avoid the pitfalls of regular take-aways, frozen pizzas and snacking on junk foods. Making a shopping list will also force you to plan your meals for the week. This alone will help prevent over eating certain types of foods. For example, if you've had chicken on Tuesday, you don't really want or need to be eating it again on Friday. This will ensure a greater variety in your diet.

9. Eating out - avoiding the pitfalls

Dining out can be difficult, especially if it is a regular feature or part of your work. Choose carefully from the menu and opt for fish or seafood rather than meat. Ask for any sauces to be kept on the side so you can control the amount you take in. Load up on vegetables and keep the potatoes, rice, pasta, etc, to a maximum of 2 small tablespoons or one medium-sized potato. Where possible, start with a green salad and a light dressing, such as a French dressing of mustard, oil and vinegar. Or simply olive oil and lemon juice with black pepper. Other good starters include homemade vegetable soup. Having a vegetable based starter will keep you from over eating your main meal and make you less likely to want a dessert.

10. Try and try again!

One bad eating day doesn't bring you back to square one! As long as you are generally going in the right direction a few lapses here and there won't make a difference. The 80-20 rule is a good one to adopt. 80% of the time spent in good eating practices with 20% allowed for breakouts and treats. However, the more you practise eating well, the more firmly this habit will become established as part of your routine. As your palate adapts to healthy whole foods and moves away from refined and processed foods, the less likely you are to crave the latter in the future.

REFERENCES

1. Higgs, S. 2005. Memory and its role in appetite regulation. Physiol Behav. 19,85(1): 67 -72
2. Kirkmeyer, S. V., Mattes, RD. 2000. Effects of food attributes on hunger and food intake. International journal of Obesity 24:1, 167 - 1, 175.
3. Logue, E et al. 2004. Longitudinal relationship between elapsed time in the action stages of change and weight loss. Obesity, 12 (9), 1499-508
4. Mattes RD. 1997. Physiologic responses to sensory stimulation by food: nutritional implications. J am Diet Assoc. 97 (4): 406 -13
5. Timlin, M.T., & Pereira, M. A. 2007. Breakfast frequency and quality in the etiology of adult obesity and chronic diseases. Nutrition Reviews, 65 (6). 268-81

Linda Hickey BA(Hons) Dip NT, MNTOI, Dip Reflexology MIRIL
Consultant Nutritionist and Reflexologist
Clinic location: 9, Eglinton Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Web: http://www.pembrokehealthandwellbeing.ie

Blog: http://pembrokehealthandwellbeing.blogspot.com

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