Guide to help with weight loss

With so much focus on extreme dieting and unhealthy eating habits in the media, it can be difficult to know how to lose weight the right way – safely and sustainably. This guide will give you some helpful tips on how to manage and understand your new weight loss regime, and explain why it is so important to lose weight safely.

• Prepare yourself for change: Starting a healthy diet and exercise plan should be a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Remember that weight loss doesn’t just affect you physically, it also affects you mentally. The process of losing weight takes a lot of mental strength and willpower, and you may find it very emotional at times. Focus on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to help you through the tougher times.

• Set realistic goals: Expecting to lose a vast amount of weight in a short time is unrealistic, and overwhelming if you don’t reach your target. Be realistic and set yourself an achievable target of one to two pounds a week. It’s much safer, easier to achieve and will help you to stay motivated.

• Join a team: Try out an interesting new team sport, or pick up one you used to enjoy. You could also join a dieting group, and exercise with other members from your group. Being involved in a social activity will mean you have a greater support system around you, and will keep you exercising.

• Keep active indoors: Not enough free time to join the gym? There are many easy exercises that you’ll be able to do at home, including activities such as hula-hooping, yoga and weight lifting. There are readily available exercise plans, advice and tutorials online that you can easily follow.

• Stay safe: It’s important to exercise safely, especially if you are starting a new regime or exercising more frequently than before. Using accessories such as ankle-high compression socks will help support muscles and joints throughout your workout, helping to prevent any injuries. They also provide extra comfort for your feet, and ankle socks can help relieve everyday aches.

• Don’t go to extremes: Fad diets are fad diets for a reason; even though they may promise results, they often have nasty side effects or the lost weight quickly comes back. The same goes for crash diets; it’s impossible to get all the nutrients your body needs from severely cutting your calories or sticking to one type of food. A healthy diet is all about balance.

• Healthy snacking: Replace any high fat snacks with fruit, vegetable sticks with hummus, or small portions of seeds and nuts. Fruit and vegetables have many essential vitamins, and hummus, seeds, pecans and walnuts are full of healthy omega fats.

Remember that your weight loss journey is all about balancing a healthy diet with plenty of exercise. Prepare yourself to undergo many lifestyle changes, but don’t pressurize yourself, keep all your goals realistic and maintainable. Always exercise safely, and surround yourself with lots of support and positivity.