Fighting the fat 10.0 – my sensible weight loss tips

My sensible weight loss tips

OK, so I’m really beginning to sound like a broken record now, but once again, I am embarking on a fitness kick in a bid to be healthier.  Plus from a totally vain perspective, fight some fat that has slowly but surely squatted in my body.

I mentioned that I tried a version of the Kenzai diet, and it worked well, a little too well in fact. Cue lots of gasps from my mum and other elders that I’d lost too much weight too soon.  The problem I have is that the weight tends to drop from my face, the last place I want to lose it.

Anyway, I did what any sane person would do, which is eat more to compensate from the sudden weight loss.  And I’ve put the weight back on, with a vengeance.

So you’re probably wondering, why yo-yo so much? And the answer is simple – willpower. Or a lack of it. The following statement might annoy/offend/upset you, but to be honest, I’ve always been the skinny one.  Too skinny, some might say. So I never really had to worry about dieting, or kill myself at the gym (and before you hate me, it runs in the family, so blame my parents).

But that meant that I was deficient in the key weapon in any fit person’s arsenal – willpower. So for years I’ve been in my skinny oblivion, eating what I want, when I want. But it was never going to last.

You see, my weight gain is the scary sort. I’ve not gone up a dress size, nor have I suddenly tipped over the scales.  This type of flab is the sneaky kind. It’s the discreet type that slowly gathers while you’re blissfully unaware. Clothes are little bit snug, and my problem area (my stomach) is now the star of the show with anything I wear.

Anyway, it became a ‘thing’ when my own dear mother mentioned that I’m getting a little on the belly-licious side (trust family to be so honest). But in truth it was the wake-up call I needed.   Hubby hasn’t noticed, as he sees me everyday, and neither have my friends (or at least they haven’t said).

But nonetheless, I have a paunch, and I’m making it my business to get rid of it.

Fighting the fat…

Swapping carbs at night for vegetables

Something my hubby has been telling me to do for months, but I’ve chosen to turn a deaf ear until now.  I’ve come to learnt that stodgy food at night-time isn’t really conducive to a flat stomach.  So instead of rice, pasta, and potato, I’ve been embracing a new world of ‘courgette’ pasta, salad, chicken and fish. One night I had chicken mince bolognaise with grated courgette and carrot in place of  spaghetti.

It sounds disgusting, but it actually works! You can get my raw courgette ribbons recipe here.  No it doesn’t taste like pasta, but it’s a damn good substitute and kept me feeling full but not bloated.

I eat breakfast and lunch as normal – poached egg on toast or porridge in the morning and something heavier for lunch. Essentially, I’m working to the centuries old rule of eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.  It’s surprisingly easy to do, considering I’ve been done the exact opposite my whole life.

Not feeling guilty about the odd indulgence          

The problem with committed, strict dieting –like Kenzai or Atkins – is that it is fundamentally unsustainable. As soon as you begin eating normally, the lbs come back on.  So rather than being overly strict about my diet, I will have the odd treat, and I don’t punish myself for it. Yes, I had the Pattiserie Valerie Brownie you see pictured, and I feel justfine about it).  This make my journey to a flat stomach longer, but it should hopefully lead to lasting results as it’s a way of eating I can continue for life, rather than being on an endless cycle of yo-yo dieting.

Keeping my treats (relatively) OK      

 

Yes, I have Fox’s biscuits, but I’ll also have the Coconut Collab desserts, which have coconut milk thrown in to balance any naughtiness.  And I haven’t had a Lola’s cupcake for months. In fact, one day I had a super craving, which I quashed by eating fruit. I surprised even myself on that front.

Swapping the lift for the stairs   

Given the fact that I’m sans gym membership, sans exercise class and sans commitment, incorporating exercise into my life where possible is a must. So I’ve recently started taking the stairs instead of the lift where possible.  So that’s one flight of stairs at work, and four flights to my apartment.

 

Doing yoga at home   

When it comes to exercise, I have major commitment issues. I’ve signed up for classes but never got past the first term.  I took up badminton, pilates and even contemporary dance, but never stuck to anything for the long haul.  The problem is purely laziness, anything that involves getting into my gym gear and travelling to a class is hard for me to stick to. Work gets in the way… life gets in the way… I get in the way.

Also, to make a real impact on my fitness I need to adopt something more than a weekly class.  And I don’t quite have the lifestyle of the celebrities in LA who travel everyday yoga classes, with their mat rolled under their arm.

So an ideal solution for me is doing yoga at home. I’ve started doing Shilpa Shetty Yoga. Her workouts are on YouTube, they’re super easy to follow and boy do they give you a stretch. The best thing is, I can do it several times a week, at any time of the day, so there really is no excuse or reason to not do it.

Running and power walking   

 

OK, so this is a relative new addition for me, but I found that nothing quite clears the head (and works the jelly belly) than a run in the park. I’m hoping to do this on a weekly, or twice weekly basis, so I’ll let you know of my progress.

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