Keeping it Real
Losing weight doesn’t have to mean staying at home and eating like a rabbit. Much of my work as a nutrition coach involves planning long term eating strategies for my clients.
Having too much of a good time socialising can really be disastrous to the waist-line.
When people are dining out, on holiday, busy at conferences or away on business it’s very easy for them to adopt an all or nothing attitude. At the time it is fun, but the weight gain over the year is unwelcome.
Relax - Here are some easy tips to help handle over eating.
Sometimes all it takes is the realisation that small consistent changes can lead to huge pay-offs. When it comes to weight management, learning to make better choices can really make a massive difference to your waist-line.
Unfortunately when you eat out these days the portion sizes are huge. It is not a waste to leave food uneaten, it is a waste to eat more than your body can utilise. (Especially when you have to carry the excess around on your thighs).
Believe me, it’s much easier to regulate your calorie input, than to try and burn it off with exercise! It would take me two hours to burn off the three glasses of Merlot I drank with my meal last night. Who has time for that? I certainly don’t.
- Many of you may find drinking alcohol stimulates your appetite, if this happens then it’s best to drink soda and bitters or diet lemonade most of the time.
- Don’t go out hungry, have a small snack before you go to curb your appetite. A handful of almonds do the trick.
- Avoid the bread offerings and pass on the bread platter. It’s just too tempting to dip those breads and it’s unlikely that you will keep to “just one piece”.
- Watch out for dressings and creamy sauces which are often part of the dish. Order a tomato-based sauce instead. Read the menu carefully and ask for clarification if you aren’t sure of what comes with the dish or how it is prepared
- Ask for your meat to be grilled or baked, not fried. This can make a 200 calorie difference, equal to walking for forty minutes.
- Ask for vegetables or salad to go with your meals, not fries.
- Ask the waiting staff how the food is prepared and what it comes with, if it isn’t clear from the menu. Don’t be afraid to ask for it to be prepared in a low fat method and accompanied by steamed vegetables.
- Decide before you go out whether or not you will be having alcoholic drinks and then stick to your limit. Drink water to quench your thirst, not alcohol. Keep a jug of water on the table and ask for it to be refilled
- Decide what you will eat before confronting the breakfast buffet. Your choices at breakfast usually dictate the rest of the day. It may be free, but wouldn’t you rather be free of the weight.
- Be assertive, there are good choices to be made in any circumstance. Even the choice to have one savoury instead of two, will save you eating 300 calories.
The underlying message here is that every choice you make can either bring you closer to your goal or further away. It is very simple to manage your weight but not usually that easy. Like everything else it demands some focus and planning, but the pay-off is huge.
