A nutritionist has lifted the lid on what actually works when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, saying there are 'five basic rules' that must be followed.
Losing weight and sticking to a healthier lifestyle can be tricky, because it's often difficult to maintain and often people find they end up putting the pounds back on once again.
But Guna Bilande, who specialises in helping overweight people undergo total lifestyle transformations, says simplicity is key for living a healthy and balanced life.
She explained: “Most people generally know how to live healthily, but life gets in the way. This is why we need to keep things simple.”
Here are her five top tips for losing weight and keeping it off, as reported by Nottinghamshire Live.
Sticking to a ‘healthy eating plate’
Guna's first piece of advice is to make sure every meal follows the same guidelines, starting with 25 percent of the plate being lean protein like chicken or eggs.
Half should be dedicated to vegetables, and the rest can be made up of complex carbohydrates such as potato, rice or pasta.
She added: “Lean protein is really important in the diet because it helps to build and repair muscle, and keeps you feeling fuller for longer, therefore promoting fat loss.”
Meal prepping
It's easy to just order a takeaway after a long day at work, especially if you haven't got any food in the house.
But doing some simple meal prepping ensures that there's always something healthy to tuck into, according to Guna.
She said: “If you are making a dish of food, always prepare more than you need. That way you can box up the leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer for another day. This works with everything from salads or soups for lunch to casseroles or at least stock for dinner.
“This will stop you from reaching for ‘convenience’ foods which can be packed with salt and sugar.”
Slow down your mealtimes
Guna specialises in helping patients who have undergone bariatric surgery at Weight Loss Riga to change their approach to food.
However, the same rules apply to anyone attempting to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
In many cases, people aren't eating and chewing slowly enough, which can impact their weight loss journey.
The expert explained: “People now are used to doing everything very fast, and preferably yesterday."
“The same goes with eating food. It’s important to slow down and ditch all screens including TVs and phones at mealtimes. As well as making it more enjoyable it means you are more likely to stop when you feel full. Taking smaller bites and chewing properly can help with this.
"It’s especially important for patients after surgery because the body cannot tolerate large amounts of food."
Keeping hydrated
Drinking plenty of water is vital when it comes to suppressing hunger, according to Guna.
She explained: “Most people live with others in their home and if they don’t eat the same ‘healthy’ diet as them it can be difficult because the ‘other’ foods are still around.”
“When you feel hungry, first drink a glass of water. I say the same thing to women who find they reach for sweet treats when suffering from PMS. If you keep well hydrated and if you stick to a high level of protein in your diet, you will keep hunger away.
“Then if you still want to snack after you’ve had that you are much more likely to go for less food than if you went for it straight away.”
Exercising for half an hour every day
Making time in your day for just 30 minutes of exercise can do wonders for your weight loss journey.
Guna said: "You don’t have to go to the gym every day but it really matters to keep active for 30 minutes.
“That could be walking, yoga, pilates, swimming, or whatever works for you. Some people have arthritis or disabilities which means certain things aren’t possible. Find something that works for you and stick with it. The small things matter.
“It’s almost useless to go for a two-hour hike at the weekend, especially if you then ‘reward’ yourself with a big meal after. Instead, do a 30-minute walk every day or night. This will be more beneficial.”
When asked about ‘fad’ foods and crash diets to lose weight, Guna said: “The only magic is there is no magic. The magic only happens when you get up from your couch.”
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