If you are one of the 1.6 billion people the World Health Organisation estimate as being overweight, this is a great time to start getting in shape – not just in time for Summer but also for your long-term health! If you’ve tried dieting before, you probably know that excluding entire food groups, taking diet pills or trying to live on lettuce leaves doesn’t really work in the long term. If you want to make real long lasting changes to your diet, to lose weight and keep it off and change your shape for good, there are a few sensible lifestyle guidelines you should follow:
- Eat a balanced nutritious diet - your daily food should provide all the nutrients the body needs to thrive, including plenty of protein, at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, 25-30 grams of fibre and 8 glasses of water.
- Eating three healthy meals and 2 to 3 snacks is key – if you skip meals entirely or leave too long between food you can actually slow your metabolism, end up with low blood sugar levels (that leave you feeling lethargic) and increase the risk of snacking on high sugar foods with low nutritional value.
- Your snacks should ideally include protein as this will reduce erratic blood-sugar levels and reduce cravings. Soy protein is an excellent choice as it’s low in both fat and calories and also has a low glycemic index. (This means your blood sugar levels will not have huge peaks and troughs). Soy protein helps reduce hunger and gives you a full feeling for longer and research suggests that eating 25 grams of soy protein per day, with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Be prepared! Carry some healthy snacks with you if you are out and about – this will help you to reduce the temptation to eat snack products that are high in fat, sugar and salt and low in nutrients. (Try our soy-based Healthy Snacking products!)
- Watch your portion sizes – use smaller plates or fill up larger plates with colourful salads and vegetables rather than with more calorific foods.
- Drink plenty of water – your body needs to wash away toxins, replenish lost fluids, prevent constipation, and reduce water retention or bloating so you should aim to drink around 2 litres a day – ideally sip it little and often throughout the day.
- Reduce your fat intake – cut back by using non-fat dairy products, fat free salad dressing and lean meats wherever possible. Limit fried foods, cream sauces, butter and gravy and rich desserts by eating them only on occasion.
- A little of what you fancy (in moderation) can actually help you to stick to your healthy eating plan – if you feel deprived you are more likely to go back to your old habits!
- If you will be eating out or know you will be having a meal high in fat, you should plan in advance – you can have a mini protein-shake before you go out to help curb your hunger, or take Fibrebond before eating a fatty meal which will help the emulsification of fat for digestion by attracting saturated fats.
- EXERCISE!!!!! Exercise helps to boost the metabolism, tone the body and build lean muscle mass. It can also help reduce stress and release endorphins (the feel-good hormone!) You don’t need to join a gym or go to an exercise class if you don’t want to – brisk walking, gardening, vigorous housework and swimming are all great ways to exercise. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.
Our Herbalife weight management programmes combine all of these elements to give you a simple, easy-to-follow plan which you can follow to get great results. You can see the before & after pictures and ongoing progress of some of our clients by clicking on the Results tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about any of our products or programmes, you can contact us directly or visit the online store by clicking on the logo below:
