Philippa Talks: October 2014

Christmas. That time of year that everyone looks forward to. Spending time with loved ones, giving and receiving gifts, but most importantly, plenty of overindulging. What is it about Christmas that allows you to eat so much more than any other time of year?

I for one am a big lover of Christmas and the Autumn/Winter period itself. I love nothing more than waking up on a winters morning, wrapping up in the biggest jumper I can find and feeling the bitter cold breeze against my cheeks. And with the colder weather comes the warming comfort food. I for one always dread the Christmas period finishing, no more excuses for overeating and of course the false New Years Resolutions that 99% of people fail to stick to (myself as one of them). This year I thought to myself, wouldn't it be easier to try and slim down in the months coming up to Christmas? That way I won't feel so guilty come January (although may be different in hindsight, we'll see).

So last week I began looking online into different diets. Paleo diet, 5:2 diet, Dukan diet, Atkins diet, Cambridge diet. Where do you start!? I've never been one to diet, mainly because I'm a foodie and refuse to starve myself or cut foods I enjoy out of my diet. And do they really work? After spending what felt like a lifetime reading through multiple diets I gave up. Why should we have to practically starve ourselves to lose weight? So I began to look for tips and tricks, weight loss suggestions, and alternate foods that are 'dupes' for those more calorific.

Here are 10 tips I came across that I am trying to stick to:

1. Kick your day off with a good sized, nutritious breakfast. It's the meal most people skip yet it's the most important as it'll boost your metabolism for the day. Something that will slow release your energy throughout the day is perfect; a great example is porridge with banana and flaked almonds, or some greek yoghurt with granola and fresh berries.
2. Exercise. Definitely the hardest one for me as I am certainly not a natural athlete. This doesn't mean spending £50 a month on a gym membership as many forms of exercise are free. If you're not the type to run, try cycling or even just briskly walking. Exercise is just as important as what you eat with weight loss.

3. WATER. I didn't realise how important drinking water is up until a few months ago and now I am forever battling to drink more and more water. Even just drinking a large glass of water 15-30 minutes before having something to eat. A lot of the time our body mistakes dehydration or thirst for hunger. If you're still hungry after that time then you know it's right to eat!

4. Eat clean (where you can). By that I don't mean to the extremes of diets such as the Paleo diet, but processed foods full of chemicals and e-numbers aren't good for the body all the time. Try and cram as much fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet as you can.

5. Don't overeat. I think everyone is a little guilty of eating more than they need, so try taking your time with meals, chew slowly and stop eating once you feel satisfied. Try putting your dinner on a smaller plate as silly as it sounds, but you'd be surprised at how full you feel.

6. Always enjoy what you're eating. Don't take eating healthily as eating 'rabbit food'. Make your food interesting and flavoursome. Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it has to be tasteless. Experiment and research, don't be scared to try new things with food. Maybe try making your own salad dressings or croutons.

7. Snack healthy. This is without doubt my downfall, as I reach too easily for crisps, biscuits, cakes etc. Try and get into nuts, fresh veg and fruit, granola bars. I have received Graze boxes for around a year now and these are a fantastic company for snacks on the go for such a good price.
8. Brown over white carbs. Brown carbs are less processed than white carbs, and I find far more tasty. Try taking the crusts off a piece of white bread and a piece of brown bread and roll both pieces up into a ball. If you're anything like me, the size difference of them will be enough to convert you.
9. Homemade. There's far too many complaints about people not having enough time in the day to make their own lunches and dinner. Firstly, its cheaper to make your own meal than buy them. You can make them in advance at the weekend and freeze/refrigerate them if you don't have time in the week. Secondly, you can control whats going into them, so less chance for hidden calories.
10. Don't starve yourself. Losing weight should be a gradual process, you know your body better than anyone else so don't expect weight to drop off you at the same rate as it has someone else. Eat if you want to eat, just try and eat the right things.

What are your diet/weight loss tips?

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The Pre Christmas Diet

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