News!!!!  No matter how healthy your food choices are, if you are eating too much you will gain weight.  If people are overweight, it’s usually because they eat and drink more calories than they need. 

 

Don’t be taken in by the hype!!!!…..Fashionable diets and exercise plans often promise super fast results, the reality is that our bodies do not like quick changes.  Big changes in lifestyle take approximately 12 weeks to become a new habit so expecting too much too soon will only demotivate you.  Understand the goals and be mindful of the realistic time frame and you will enjoy success.

 

Small changes can make a big difference. One extra biscuit a week can lead you to gain 5lb a year – cut that biscuit out of your diet and you'll lose the same amount. You are also more likely to stick to, say, swapping full-fat milk for semi-skimmed or making time for breakfast each morning than a diet that sets rules for all foods. 

 

Energy needs and weight loss

 

Your body uses food for energy. It stores any excess energy as fat. This means if you eat more food than your body needs for daily activities and cell maintenance, you will gain weight. To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat. The most effective way to do this is to:

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•  Reduce the number of calories you eat 

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•  Increase your levels of activity.

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This is why we should talk about weight loss in terms of diet and exercise. You should think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating and activity habits. While weight-loss goals are usually set in term of weeks, the end game is to sustain these changes over months and years.  

 

Antony’s simple nutritional tips 

 

•  Eat with smaller plates and bowls. You’ll have a smaller portion and still feel satisfied. 

 

•  Aim for two portions of veg on your plate. This helps to cover your plate with low-calorie filling food, leaving less room for higher-calorie ingredients. 

 

•  Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you’re full. When you eat fast, it’s easy to overeat. 

 

•  Buy unprocessed foods, ingredients and meals

 

•  Dining out, don't be afraid to ask for something that isn’t on the menu

 

•  Leave enough time for your last meal to digest before bedtime.  

 

•  Fill up with fiber - Eating food with lots of fiber will help you feel full for longer, so you’re more likely to stick to your calorie limit. 

Increase your fiber intake gradually, though, as a sudden increase can cause cramp and constipation. And make sure to drink plenty of water - aim for 1.2 liters a day - to avoid cramp and constipation. 

 

•  Eat your fruit and veg, way more filling than juice

 

•  Don't shop when hungry and don't allow yourself to get over hungry at any time.

 

Antony’s physical training tips

 

•  Walk more

•  Change your training regularly

 

•  Mix your physical challenges

 

•  Increase your social circle to include other people who exercise, train and have similar goals.

•  Be strong - Muscles are very good at burning calories. Regular muscle-strengthening activities like weightlifting will give your weight loss a boost. 

•  Sleep plenty, reward yourself for your hard work

• Take up a sport you like watching​

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Reward yourself as you go - non-food rewards to help you celebrate your weight loss progress. 

 

•  New music

•  New clothes

•  A trip to the cinema 

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•  Subscription to streaming service

•  Massage

•  Haircut

•  New exercise gear 

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•  Buy a Ferrari

 

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Did you know? 

 

One extra biscuit a week can lead you to gain 5lb a year – cut that biscuit out of your diet and you'll lose the same amount.

 

Eating food with lots of fiber will help you feel full for longer, so you’re more likely to stick to your calorie limit. 

 

An unexpected benefit of taking on something new like physical activity is increased self-confidence and improved self-esteem. 

 

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Antony’s Secrets to Success

 

Be realistic. Remind yourself that you want to become more active because it’ll help you become healthier and lose weight. 

Schedule it. Plan your exercise at the start of the week and put it in your diary. Planning in advance when, how and where you will exercise will increase your chances of making physical activity a normal part of your lifestyle. Even simple approaches like laying out your running kit or packing your gym bag the night before can help

Set goals. They don’t need to be grand achievements.  

Be flexible. Change physical activities if you’re not enjoying them. 

Remember the hardest part of exercising is getting out of the door – so once you’ve passed that hurdle, it will happen.

A day is just 24 hours, a meal is just  20minutes. Should you have a lapse with food or training, remember, it is only 1 day, 1 training session or even 1 meal, all your hard work is not lost, it's just a bump in the road not a full-on disaster

To avoid temptation, plan your snacks for each day of the week. If you work, take a day’s portion along with you 

Reward yourself. Set yourself non-food rewards for achieving stages along the way.