Every year we might participate in the tradition of promising ourselves a new goal or aspiration because of the new year. Have you had a thought as to what you’ll promise yourself this year?

One of the most common new year’s resolutions is ‘I will lose weight this year’. 29% of UK adults are classified as obese (BMI 30-34.9), which is a 3% increase on the previous year. You can see why it’s one of the most common new year’s resolutions. However, where do you go to for good advice on healthy weight loss?

Look no further, and what better time to do than now with the new year just around the corner!

Reasons to lose weight

There are many reasons why people give to lose weight some of these might include:

●  A recent poor health diagnosis (diabetes, arthritis etc)

●  Improving mental health

●  Fitting in clothing/reduce clothes size

●  Their BMI

●  To improve sleep

●  Improve confidence

Often the best methods are those that have visible results, i.e improvements in health, numbers on the scale, or decreasing clothing size. Whatever the reason, we suggest prioritising your health above anything else.

Obesity

According to Body mass index (BMI) being out or normal weight range is considered, overweight (25-29.9), obese (30-34.9) or morbidly obese (>35). Obesity, by is definition is excessive body fat and overweightness. Obesity increases the risk of some diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hormonal cancers (breast, ovarian, testicular), fatty liver disease, coronary heart disease and stroke.

If you’d like to know more about Obesity and its link to diabetes please click the link ​HERE

How to lose weight?

If we knew the definitive answer then no one would be overweight/obese and diseases such as type 2 diabetes may be a thing of the past. There are numerous faddy diets such as the Atkin’s diet, ketogenic diet, cabbage soup diet, 5:2 diet etc. However, we have categorised factors that contribute to a ‘healthy weight’ below:

Nutrition

This is the most asked question that I ever get, ‘what should I eat to lose weight?’. Some

make the mistake of eating nothing - this will not help. Eating small and regular meals, that are pre-planned and well thought through will stimulate weight loss.

Your diet should be based around fruits and vegetables. I’d suggest in each meal this is the first thought you come to. Prioritising 2-3 vegetables/fruits in every meal. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, and high in water and fibre. These will bulk up your plate and fill your stomach without the calories. I’d recommend favouring vegetables over fruit because fruit does contain natural sugars.

Then focus on protein, meat, fish, seafood, lentils, legumes or tofu. Protein is required to keep muscles strong, repair the body and is the most satisfying of the macronutrients. Studies show that above carbohydrates and fat, protein is most likely to keep you fuller for longer. Therefore, you’ll not be reaching for high energy-dense foods.

Aim to reduce carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are great sources of energy, but when eaten in excess, or the wrong kinds are eaten they can cause increased fat storage. Aim to avoid simple, carbohydrates such as sugars found in processed foods like confectionery, fast foods, cakes, and pre-packaged sauces. Try to choose unprocessed complex and starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, grains, oats, wholegrain pasta, rice and bread.

Don’t be afraid of fat and dairy. Although dairy does contain natural carbohydrates (lactose) I recommend continuing to drink dairy for micronutrients (calcium, magnesium, manganese etc). Fats are an excellent secondary energy source. When you start to reduce carbohydrates, you exhaust the body’s stores of them. Once these are depleted, fat will begin to burn for energy. This fat can be taken from food or body stores. Great healthy fat sources include fish, nuts, seeds, avocadoes and vegetable oils.

Lastly, eat only until you are full, and eat only when you are hungry.

Exercise

Let’s clear up one myth about exercise - exercise does not directly cause weight loss. However, exercise teaches your body how to manage fuels (carbohydrates and fats) better and increases muscles mass. Therefore, it indirectly causes weight loss. The best exercise for this includes:

●  High-intensity interval training

●  Weighted exercises

●  Weight lifting

Therefore, exercise should be supported by a healthy and balanced diet to achieve results.

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Supplements

Supplements can be taken to support the process of weight loss. Our T5 fat burner has been specifically designed by a Nutritionist to aid weight loss. It contains bitter orange, caffeine, taurine, green tea, guarana, vitamin B1, B2, B6 B3, B12, iron, capsicum, and zinc.