17 weight loss tips to lose it for life

Our bodies are very efficient, they will save every last calorie we don’t use as fuel throughout the day for when we need it next. However, these ‘extra’ calories are saved as ‘extra’ fat, and if we end up doing this regularly, weight gain is inevitable. 

Think of it like this: when we were hunter gatherers, we wouldn’t always have access to food, so when we got it, we had the option to overeat and ‘save’ some food in our bodies for a day when food supplies were low. Now, most of us fortunate to live in a developed country have access to regular food and will rarely have to skip meals, so this function is not so essential. If we overeat – like we are hardwired to do to an extent – our excess fat is more likely to stick around.

Pair this with the popularity of office jobs where we’re required to sit around all day, and it turns out a lot of use don’t move as much as we should! 

Sedentary lifestyles can easily cause us to gain weight because we burn a lot less calories sitting around than if we were on our feet all day. Making sure to include regular exercise in our lives is essential to combat this – very modern – phenomenon.

A muffin top is a sure sign your extra weight is stress-induced; the liver turns excess sugar into fat, and the liver’s first port of call for storing fat is around the middle.

Plus, if you build muscle, you’ll also boost your resting metabolism – the rate at which your body burns calories at rest. You’ll also boost production of the feel-good chemical serotonin, increasing your happiness levels, making overeating less likely.

HIIT training: high-intensity interval training is one of the best things you can do to burn fat and lose weight. It requires you to work at a high level of intensity and use a wide range of muscles for a short time and is followed by a brief rest period. Try this 15-minute HIIT workout plan you can do at home. 

Weightlifting: building muscle often produces fat loss and some people prefer weight training to cardio – who doesn’t want to feel strong?! You can start off with light weights and increase them when it you’re used to them and they become easy to lift. Here are some of the best exercises to lose weight.

Remember: if you are weight training or starting a new exercise regime, your body will likely cling on to some water weight, at least in the beginning, which can make the scale go up. Building muscle doesn’t always result in weight loss either – but you may lose inches. This is because 1lb of muscle will take up less room than 1lb of fat, yet they weigh the same. Try taking measurements of your waist, hips, chest and other areas so you have non-scale ways to track your progress.

You can start to make healthy choices like including more complex carbohydrates, healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables and other known weight loss foods, as well as cutting down on alcohol and ‘treats’, and exercising more. 

Then, if you aren’t losing weight, fat or inches by doing this, you may need to actively reduce your calories or exercise more. Both of these measures make sure your body is burning more calories than you’re eating a day.

Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is calculated as follows: (0.0621 X your body weight in kg + 2.0357) X 240 This figure is then multiplied by an activity level to create your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure): 

Stock your kitchen with portioned foods in serving containers ahead of time, so you’ve always got food to hand that’s ready to eat in the right-sized amounts when you’re hungry. You could also invest in some food scales to help you better understand the portions you should be eating, and the nutrition contained in them.⁷

Try to eat intuitively to an extent: eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. If that means having your dinner at 8pm, do it. As long as you’re burning more calories than you’re eating, you will lose weight / fat / inches.

Make sure you include them in your everyday diet to bulk up your meals and see if they can replace your unhealthy snacks. Dried fruits are great for snacking on and convenient.

Did you know? There is a water-soluble fibre used to help people lose weight called glucomannan, which expands in the stomach to help people feel full. You can take it as a drink or as diet versions of your favourite carbs like rice.

Did you know? It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain its full, so eating slower could be key for your weight loss.

There is no reason you can’t have an occasional treat if it fits into your daily calorie allowance. It’s better to indulge in the foods you love every so often instead of banning them and then binging on them.

So, go on and enjoy that dessert or takeaway when you want it. It’s all about creating balance between the food you eat and the activity you do.

Keep a little stock of popcorn, fruit juice, fruit, oat cakes, rice cakes and other healthy snacks on hand instead for when the munchies hit.

So, it’s smart to keep this in mind when you’re trying to lose weight. Alcohol is unlikely to help and just adds to your daily calories in a big way.

However, if you do fancy a drink, stick to clear spirits for a lower-calorie option. G & ‘slimline T’ anybody?

The best thing to do is try to stay hydrated all day so we don’t confuse the two and overeat when a glass of water is what we really wanted.

The caffeine in cups of coffee may help you to lose weight too. Try swapping your lattes and cappuccinos for americanos or filter coffees to cut down on calories while still enjoying the energy boost and potential weight loss benefits. Get sipping and see what weight loss coffee benefits you discover!