Ok, so we all know that the fad, fast and furious diets don’t work in the long run. Yes, you might lose a lot of weight initially but that’s not the point! The question is whether you are able to keep the weight off months after! The secret to long-lasting weight loss is to lose it consistently (slowly but surely) over a period of time. Doctors have said the safe weight loss range is approximately 1-2lbs a week which averages out to 4-8lbs a month.
So the truth about weight loss is that it is a calorie counting game. If a woman eats 2000 calories a day she is sure to maintain her current weight. If she eats more than 2000 calories a day she’ll put on weight and lose weight if she eats less than 2000 calories a day. This is not a prayer it is a fact! A real scientific fact! As sure as the earth is round – if you consistently eat less than 2000 calories a day for a prolonged period of time you will lose weight.
So… with that said here are a few facts on how you can lose up to 8lbs a month:
CALORIE MANAGEMENT
Start where you are, cut out 1000 calories from your current calorie intake and try and exercise for at least 30 minutes each day to start your weight loss program. Ideally though to lose up to 8lbs a month try and keep your calorie intake to just 1200 calories a day and watch your waistline return! Learn to read and think calories – pay attention to the calorie information on the packet of what you eat and learn to weigh and memorize the calorie content of your regular foods.
RIGHT FOODS
Learn to eat the right foods for you. Swap your diet for green vegetables/salads, lean proteins, and select fruits. Avoid sugars and carbs throughout the month and if you must keep them down to taster portions.
TRACKER
Money, time or calories…if you don’t track it, you won’t know how you spent it. Keep a record of how many calories you are entitled to each day and how you consume these calories. It will help you make the best choices for your daily calorie allowance.
GET COOKING
Truth be told until you really are what you eat so until you cook your own food you really don’t know what you are eating. Try and cook your own foods and learn to cook with healthier substitutes to keep your calorie count down. Instead of palm oil try cooking your soups without the oil or less oil. Instead of frying try baking or grilling. Cooking your own food allows you to get creative and wiser with your food and calorie choices.
WATER
This is the month to stick to water. Say NO to alcohol (or just a glass of red or white wine on occasion if you must), sugary drinks and fizzy sodas. Use this month to quit your coke or caffeine addictions. Also, find clever and calorie freeways to drink water like sparkling or soda water, unsweetened black teas, flavor your water with lime, lemon or ginger. If you put your mind to it I bet you can find a way to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and not get bored!
EXERCISE
My personal belief when it comes to the exercise is that everyone has a particular type of exercise that they are happy to commit to. For me, it’s running and swimming anything more and I feel tortured. Find your comfort exercise there are many to try out like skipping, walking, aerobics, dancing – just find what works for you and commit to at least 30 minutes of it each day and you’ll soon lose that 8lbs and best of all get the body shape you’ll love.
Don’t forget when it comes to weight loss 70% of what we achieve is up to what we put in our mouths, the other 30% is what we sweat out of our pores. So focus on your diet and support your weight loss with exercise.