Don’t shop when you’re hungry!

When you are hungry your blood sugar levels will be low, therefore you will naturally crave sugary foods. If you enter the supermarket while you are in this state, no matter how much willpower you think have, those sweet foods will be in your shopping basket, before you get to say ‘fat cow’ 

We suggest eating before you go to the supermarket, and making a shopping list so you do not get distracted.

Do not skip breakfast!

Are you always running around in the morning, never finding time to sit down and eat a good healthy breakfast? Breakfast, meaning ‘break the fast’ really is the most important meal of the day. By missing breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto all excess fat it can. By eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking, you will start your metabolism for day, meaning more fat will be burnt.

Set your alarm 20 minutes earlier in the morning and make sure the night before you have all the food prepared for when you get up.

Don’t give in to cravings!

In today’s world, there are food temptations everywhere. Studies show that an average craving usually lasts only 10 minutes. So next time you get sucked into the sweet shop, stop, ask yourself ‘do I really need this’ and get out as quick as you can. Have a big glass of water and get some fresh air. Ten minutes later, your craving would have passed.

Do not ban everything you love!

When I first started out as a personal trainer and wellness practitioner, I preached to my clients about giving up sweets and alcohol (all the things they loved so dearly). What I quickly found, was that banning anyone from anything will only lead them to wanting more. Instead of banning (a negative goal), try and reinforce positive goals such as eat vegetables with every meal. I found that this was a fantastic strategy and my clients were full from the fibrous foods therefore did not crave the sweets and chocolate like they had in the past.

Do not avoid Fat!

You need good fats to burn off bad fats. It is essential for the body to get adequate supply of healthy fats. Healthy fats are responsible for keeping hormones happy. The best sources of Vit A, D, E and K are found in good fats such as butter and animals (don’t feel guilty eating that chicken skin or pork crackling). Contrary to conventional belief, there are no conclusive studies showing that saturated fat will lead to heart disease.

Don’t eat too many carbs!

Did you know that all carbohydrates are a form of sugar? Eating a diet which is low in carbohydrates is a natural way of eating. From an evolutionary stand point, we have been eating meat, fish, nuts, eggs, leafy vegetables and the occasional bits of fruit for 2.5 million years. It has only been in the last 10 thousand years we have introduced processed grains into our diets and within this time, we have gotten fatter and diseases are at an all time high.

Limit your carbohydrates to vegetables and the occasional pieces of fruit and increase your protein and good fats. This will allow your body to burn fat as its most efficient fuel keeping you at a healthy weight.

Follow these tips to have the body of your dreams.