Rosemary Writes

There is no quick fix, there are no miracle cures. If you want to be slim you have to make some lifestyle changes and keep them in the long term.

Losing weight isn’t easy. It should be because it is only a matter of physics - if we eat fewer calories than our body uses as fuel – we must lose weight. So why is it difficult?

First time dieters usually do extremely well. They read the diet instructions, shop a little differently, cook without added fat and eat fruit as recommended instead of Mars Bars. They buy some trainers, go for walks, swim, exercise in a class and within a month they have lost the best part of a stone, depending on how much weight they had to lose in the first place.

But what about those who are such ‘experts’ at dieting that they have almost obtained a degree in the subject! They have been on more diets than they care to remember and could write their own book on how to lose weight. Dieting is their specialist subject!

Yet when it comes to their own weight loss progress they feel they have done well if they lose half a stone for their holiday – the same half stone they lost last year!

The ‘serial dieter’ is disappointed. Not so much with the diet, whichever one it is, she knows that if she stuck to it, it would work. No – she’s disappointed with herself. Frustrated, impatient, and fearful that she will always be fat, will always be struggling with craving to eat more and fighting with her desire to be slim. It is indeed a difficult balance.

If these words describe you, please take a few moments to read and inwardly digest the following:

1. You didn’t become overweight because you ate some magic food that made you fat. You got there by eating the wrong foods and too much of them over a period of time! Rule No.1. Accept that there is no magic pill, potion or products that will make you slim. The only way to lose weight is by eating less, eating healthily and by being more active.

2. You didn’t become fat overnight, and you can’t become thin instantly either. Rule No.2. Accept that getting slim will take time.

3. Physical activity is tough when you are very overweight so you end up doing even less; it is perfectly understandable to feel lethargic and exhausted. Work out how overweight you are, put that amount of weight in the form of books or whatever into a suitcase and weigh it.

When the weight on the scales equals the weight you have to lose, lift the case and walk about with it for a few minutes. Then put it down and realise how much better you will feel when you lose that much weight. No wonder several of our top slimmers end up running marathons – they feel as light as a feather and their energy is limitless!

Rule 3. Start exercising. Go gently at first, but even a five minute walk three times a day will make a real difference. If you don’t exercise presently, consider joining one of our classes where we specially cater for people with excess weight. Walk the dog more (if you have one), use the stairs more, mow the lawn – anything!

Aim to do 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week at a level of exertion that makes you only mildly breathless. We are not talking exhaustion here. Exercise helps to burn calories, increase your metabolic rate and helps your skin tone up while you slim down.

4. Realise that the fat that we eat is stored on our body as fat. If you want to lose fat from your body, eat low fat foods. Rule 4. Select only foods with 4% or less fat – with the exception of oily fish, which is healthy.

5. Eating regularly is important. It prevents bingeing and helps you to re-train your eating habits. Rule 5. Eat three times a day. Cook without any fat and do not eat between meals.

6. Alcohol in moderation is fine providing you keep within your calorie allowance.

7. Calories do count. A quick way to calculate your calorie allowance is by converting your weight into pounds (lb.) then adding a zero (0) to the end. For example, if you weigh 10 stone that becomes 140lb, add a ‘0’ and it becomes 1400. Your calorie allowance would be 1400 calories a day.

Rule 7. Stick to your calorie allowance and do as much physical activity as you can. If you are more active, you will burn your fat faster.

There is no quick fix. There are no miracles. If you want to be slim you have to make some lifestyle changes and keep them in the long term. Forget the word dieting, instead think about healthy eating. Forget the past – that’s history. Let’s look forward to an exciting, slimmer, healthier future. You can do this but don’t expect it to have happened yesterday. Be patient.