1. Don’t go on a crash diet...successful slimming is more likely to be achieved by subtle changes in your eating habits and lifestyle. Changes that you can live with and come to enjoy.
2. Eat slowly and you’ll eat less...put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, sip water with your meals and take smaller bites. It takes a while for your body to recognise that it’s had enough food - the slower you can eat, the less you’ll want. Don’t feel like you have to ‘clean your plate’ especially when you’re eating restaurant-sized portions.
3. Don’t ban any foods...slimming plan - especially things you like. Enjoy a small portion from time to time. Banning foods is a sure-fire way to make you crave them.
4. Visualise how you’re going to look...when you reach your slimming goal. What will you be doing? How will you feel? What clothes will be in your wardrobe?
5. Never give up...on a goal because of the time it’s going to take to get there - the time will pass anyway.
6. Keep a food diary...preferably calorie counted. It will enable you to identify which foods or drinks you need to have a bit less of; times or circumstances when you’re likely to over-eat, and whether you’re getting a varied diet with enough fruit and veg.
7. Don’t go shopping...when you’re hungry - if you buy it, you’ll most likely end up eating it. Most of us hate throwing food away.
8. Be nice to yourself...if you have a bad day, don’t beat yourself up. Congratulate yourself on how many good days you’ve had and realise that one bad day isn’t going to spoil it all.
9. Get some exercise...successful slimmers tend to make exercise part of their plan. It doesn’t have to be hard - even 20-30 minutes of fairly brisk walking a day will pay dividends.
10. Reward yourself...give yourself a treat for each pound and stone you lose. New clothes make a great incentive when you’re slimming - you could put €x per pound lost into a secret stash
For information on the Tone & Slim weight loss programme at Whelehans Pharmacy tel (044 ) 9348337.
