Despite losing over 100kg I have never counted calories, nor have I used scales as in incentive to work harder at weight loss. Instead, I chose to change my lifestyle. I wanted to slowly absorb any changes into my life.
Most weight loss programs are like winning the lottery. We purchase a ticket each week, hoping for a windfall. We want the easiest way to get money. Weight loss is usually treated the same way. We look for the perfect diet which will change our lives in an instant, or at least in the shortest time possible.
But any healthy weight loss program means that WE must change, not just what we do. Personal change is a much slower mechanism to use, but it’s worth it. Absorbing changes into our lifestyle means that we can maintain our program.
Below is a small list of tips to help you on your way. They are only little changes, but each one on its own is maintainable. When you have absorbed one into your lifestyle, then move to the next. Over time you will find that you have dramatically changed your life!
Find healthy food substitutes.
Sugar: Substitute spice for sugar. Cinnamon in tea is a great substitute for sugar. Use a low glycaemic brand of honey. Honey is a denser source of sugar. Used in moderation can be a great alternative. Tests on Manuka honey have found that the GI is low to medium. Eucalyptus honey also has a lower GI. Check it out for yourself.
Fats: Fat carries flavour. When you next cook in a frying pan, spray it with oil instead of covering the base. Increasing spices is a great way to enhance flavour in your food. My favourites are garam masala, cumin, curry, onion, garlic.
Salt: is another way to enhance flavour, but too much is unhealthy. Try slowly reducing your intake by incrementally reducing how much you put on your food over time.
Food is medicine.
Learn to view food in a different way. What we eat can help or hinder our health. Instead of avoiding certain foods because they are bad, tell yourself that eating healthy food is good. Try adding more vegetables to your diet. I enjoy mashed vegetables with grated cheese melted through. The salt in the cheese enhances the flavour. Eating food as a form of medicine improved my health dramatically.
Eat the rainbow.
When you plan your daily or weekly meals, think about adding as much colour as possible. Try green, red, white, and orange foods together. Or black fruits such as blackberries.
Focus on your health rather than your weight. I have never weighed myself or counted calories to lose weight. Instead, I made healthy decisions about my lifestyle.
In love, Jenny
