The Fad-Free Diet Plan

People who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

FORGET quick-fix diets - lose weight by simply improving your daily eating habits.

START THE DAY WITH BREKKIE

Breakfast eaters are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Include a source of protein such as an egg or baked beans and a low-GI food such as wholegrain toast or low-fat yoghurt. Protein-rich foods and lower-GI carbohydrates provide important nutrients and also help keep you full for longer.

REDISCOVER HOME COOKING

By learning to cook at home using healthy ingredients you’ll boost your nutrient intake. And studies have shown that cooking stir-fries, roasts and casseroles using protein such as beef and lamb means you’ll put more vegies on the plate as well.

EAT MORE FRUIT AND VEG

Build up to the recommended five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit every day. Fill half your dinner plate with vegies and eat fruit as a snack.

BE PORTION AWARE

Over the past 30 years, the amount of food on our plates has increased - along with our waistlines. Shrinking portion sizes is a sure-fire way to lower calorie intake.

MODERATE YOUR TREATS

Many women say sugary treats and takeaways are their weakness, which makes it more difficult to eat well. You don’t have to cut out any food, just moderate your intake. Cut back to a square or two of chocolate a day or a takeaway once a week.

CHOOSE HEALTHIER DRINKS

Too much alcohol can lead to excess calories and poorer food choices. If drinking, try a wine spritzer or light beer, or ask for a smaller glass.

KEEP A FOOD DIARY

This helps you become more aware of what you’re eating and drinking, and identifies any problem areas. Research suggests this is one of the best ways to change your eating habits and lose weight.

BE A MINDFUL EATER

Pay attention to hunger levels and how much you’re eating. Turn the TV off and focus on the taste of food, as well as how full you feel.

RECRUIT A SUPPORT TEAM

Everyone needs support to maintain healthy habits. Find at least one person - a friend, family member, work colleague or health professional - who will support and cheer you on.

CHOOSE HIGH-NUTRIENT FOODS

Wholegrain breads and cereals, fruit and vegies, lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and low-fat dairy fit the bill.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health-fitness/the-fad-free-diet-plan/story-fneuzkvr-1226620925676

How to Change Your Mindset to Lose Weight

Weight loss is a simple mathematical equation and should be easy. But it's not. Even though the theory is basic, calories in versus calories out, it requires you to change your lifestyle and create new habits. It is a mental battle, not just a physical one. Often people set themselves up for failure before they even begin to try to lose weight by setting extreme goals and expecting to never fall off the wagon. If weight loss was easy, more than 60 percent of the nation would not be obese. To change your mindset to lose weight, start with small goals and create new, lasting habits.

Items you will need

• Scale
• Notebook or journal
• Pen or pencil

 

1. Weigh yourself and record your weight and what size you wear currently in a journal or notebook. Also write down what you were wearing, time of day and the day of the week so you can weigh yourself under the same circumstances whenever possible.

 

2. Set realistic weight-loss goals. Write down the total number of pounds you want to lose, or what size you would like to wear. Then set small weekly weight-loss goals of 1 to 2 pounds each week to slowly get you to your ideal weight.

 

3. Monitor your food intake daily. Write down everything you eat and drink, including the amounts. This will hold you accountable to what you are eating and help you look at times you may overeat. You can also write down how you were feeling at the time.

 

4. Plan your meals the day before, or plan a week at a time. You can do this even if you have a family if you are the one who plans the meals. If you don't, sit down with the member of the family who does the meal planning so you can be involved.

 

5. Make small, healthy changes to your diet. For example, if you don't eat breakfast, start your day with a healthy meal that includes fat, protein and carbs, such as yogurt and fruit or a whole-grain cereal with milk. Make a healthy breakfast a habit and then change another meal.

 

6. Talk to your physician about your weight-loss goals. Listen to his recommendations and what your weight says about your health. Write down health goals as well as weight-loss goals to improve quality of life.

7. Add exercise to your week. Make it an appointment and don't break it. Start with as little as 10 to 15 minutes of walking three times per week and slowly increase your activity. Try new things or classes to make exercise fun and so it becomes a habit.

 

8. Join a weight-loss group, or team up with a friend or family member to lose weight. Lean on each other and talk about your struggles with weight loss. If necessary, consider seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.

 

Tips

• Take one day at a time to reach long-term goals.
• Read through your goals daily to remind you of why you are trying to lose weight.
• See your physician regularly to monitor changes in your health, not just your weight.
• Forgive yourself if you don't meet every small weight-loss goal.

 

Warnings

• Don't weigh yourself more than once a week.
• Don't use food or skipping workouts as a reward.
• Avoid drastic measures that you can't maintain.

 

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/change-mindset-lose-weight-9868.html 

'I'm Half the Man I Was': 'Tubby Teacher' Shocks Pupils by Losing over 11 Stone (153lbs) in Two Years

His dramatic weight loss, where his waistline shrank from 60 to 36 inches, has stunned the same youngsters who used to mock him.

2010: At 25st 11lbs (363lbs or 165kgs)

A teacher shed almost half of his 25st 11lb body weight after cheeky pupils called him tubby.

James Bentley, 25, ditched junk food and took up cycling to drop to a much trimmer 14st 8lb in just two years.

And his dramatic weight loss, where his waistline shrank from 60 to 36 inches, has stunned the same youngsters who used to mock him in IT classes.

He said: “I got some comments from pupils – the word ‘tubby’ was used a few times.

“I took it in good humour because I have a good relationship with the students but things came to a head when I had my picture taken on sports day.

"My body virtually filled the entire picture, which was ­embarrassing and I knew I had to do ­something to change my appearance.

“I looked in the mirror and thought, ‘who is that person?’”

Now: 14st 8lbs (204 lbs or 93kgs)

 

James, who teaches at Oldbury Academy, West Midlands, said his weight ballooned as he lived on fizzy drinks at school and gorged on takeaways later while marking homework.

But he rejected a gastric band in favour of exercise and a healthy diet and has reaped the benefits.

He added: “The weight has managed to keep coming off and now I feel much better.

"When you are used to seeing ­yourself every day you don’t notice the change.

“But I do think it’s ridiculous when I look at photos from a few years ago and get my big trousers out.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/success-stories/tubby-teacher-loses-half-weight-1732565