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A weight off of your mind
Nowadays faddy diets can take the place of common sense but the good news is that you can still lose weight the sensible way as three health professionals point out. “Sadly women do not burn fat as quickly as men so the simplest way to kick-start the arduous task of losing weight is to cut down on calories and boost activity levels” says Hazel Harrison of Curves ladies gym in Chippenham. She said: “Our bodies store any excess energy as fat, this means if you eat more food than your body needs for daily activities 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 exercise and turn that flab into muscle.” Mrs Harrison a fitness technician and trainee nutritionist says circuit training is the most effective way to increase muscles and tone your body. She said: “It’s amazing how much slimmer you can be just by toning your body and changing the fat to muscle. “Muscle takes up less room than fat so if you work to boost your muscle you will slim down.” As well as exercise a healthy diet is essential to keep weight loss healthy. Slimming Consultant Annette Walsh of Slimming World Chippenham says losing weight with a friend can help you shed the pound quicker. Mrs Walsh who runs the weekly slimming group, said: “If you lose weight with a friend or in a group you have that support structure to help you. Everyone is in the same boat and committed to losing weight so it’ll make the process less painful. “Confidence is a big part of slimming, if you feel you are in control of your weight you are more in control of your life.” Slimming clubs normally help you decide a target weight to reach and then help you choose a healthy eating and exercise programme to kick-start the weight loss. Mrs Walsh said: “Never set yourself a ridiculous target because when you don’t lose it your confidence will be shaken and it can make you feel like there’s no point in trying. “By setting healthy, do-able targets your confidence will be at a constant high and your energy levels will be high too.” “I would never recommend quick fix diets because they can shed the pounds to start with but you will just pile it straight back on or worse damage your long term health. Dietician Donna Williams says there’s no secret method of losing weight over a short period of time. She said: “Be sensible, cut small things out of your diet like sugar on your cereal and butter on your bread. “It may even be an idea to look into a healthy menu for your wedding reception, after all healthy doesn’t mean boring. “On the subject of the all-important wedding reception, stick to a small glass of wine, beer drinking brides may bloat and be left feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the night. “Last but not least, don’t starve yourself, eat everything in moderation and that will see you a lot slimmer, not just your wedding but for life.” Another problem that comes with being overweight is excessive sweating. – which can be a nightmare for a summer bride Dr Ellen Goedbloed of Hathaway Medical Centre says brides need not worry about sweat ruining the big day if she has underarm botox injections. Dr Goedbloed said: “It’s a simple procedure available through private clinics and can stop excessive sweating for up to four months. “It just takes away that extra worry on your big day.” Diet dos and don’ts • Cut down on salt. Most people eat at least 9g a day, most of which comes from processed foods, breakfast cereals and bread. Bringing this down to just 3g daily means you can lose up to 1.5 litres of excess fluid, which equates to 2lb–3lb in weight. • Eat slowly. This reduces the air swallowed that gets trapped in the intestines and causes bloating. • Avoid chewing gum and drinking fizzy drinks, which also lead to gulping down extra air and introduce unwanted gases. • Fish and poultry are full of protein – essential for great-looking skin. • Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins, such as vitamin C, and supernutrients, such as the red and purple pigments in berries that help circulation. • Broccoli and mange-tout are great for lutein, a yellow pigments skin from loss of elasticity. |
