The key is to adopt sustainable strategies that will do no damage to your metabolism long term. So what are you waiting for, let’s blast those extra kilos away for good via the following very easy techniques.
1. Make your breakfast bigger
Forget a couple of slices of toast or a quick bowl of cereal – the bigger your breakfast, and the earlier you eat it, the better it is for your metabolism. Aim to include a protein rich breakfast into your day before 8am. Good choices include eggs or baked beans with a slice of wholegrain toast, a protein shake or some thick Greek yoghurt with berries.
2. Get rid of the milk coffee
A cappuccino or latte may not seem to have that many calories but they do add up especially if you consider a single Latte contains as many calories as a slice of toast. If you are drinking more than one coffee with milk a day, try a week or so with just green tea or plain black coffee and notice the difference.
3. Get lunch right
A common scenario in busy lives is that we eat lunch too late and do not make it a substantial enough meal to keep us going for another 3-4 hours. Lunch should be consumed by 1pm at the latest to help manage sugar cravings later in the day, and a salad or sushi roll does not cut it. Aim for a substantial 350-400 calorie lunch of leftovers, stir fry, salad and a wrap or soup and crackers and notice how much more satisfied and in control of your cravings you are mid-afternoon.
4. Halve your dinner
As many of us are eating our last meal of the day much, much later than we did 20 years ago, and as it remains often the largest meal of the day, it is not surprising many of us are gaining weight. If you are eating regular meals and snacks, aim to keep your dinner lighter in calories simply by sticking to a small piece of lean meat or fish and team it will lots of fresh salad and vegetables. A light, small meal at night will ensure you wake hungry for a big breakfast, and will support you in achieving a calorie deficit and weight loss as a result.
5. Replace 1 meal with a soup or salad
The low calorie content of vegetable based soups and salads, means that you could literally eat as much of these foods as you like without weight gain. Put simply, when we eat lots of low calorie, nutrient rich foods such as vegetables, there is less room for other high calorie foods! One of the easiest dietary strategies you can adopt when trying to shift a few kilos quickly and safely is to replace a meal with a soup or salad. Whether you choose a rich vegetable soup for dinner or a leafy green or roasted vegetable salad for lunch, your total calorie intake will be significantly reduced when you bump up the vegetable content of your diet.
Susie Burrell also has some tips on surviving a party with your weight intact! Click here to learn more
Susie Burrell is one of Australia’s leading dietitians and the founder of her online weight loss program Shape Me. Susie is especially known for her practical, easy to understand approach to diet, nutrition and wellbeing.
