Eating For Fitness

With all this time at home for the majority of Australians, many of you might think about dieting as we get closer to reopening. Here are 5 tips to help you diet successfully and keep the weight off!

 

Set a goal

If you don’t have a goal weight and a time frame for your diet, your diet will most likely fail. By setting an end goal, a weekly goal and a realistic timeframe, you’ll not only be motivated and accountable, you’ll be able to track your weight loss journey and adjust your diet plan accordingly. If you don’t have a goal, what exactly are you working towards? And if you don’t have a timeframe, how are you going to stay accountable? And if you don’t have a goal and a timeframe, how will you gauge the success of your diet? Always start any diet plan with a clear goal and a timeframe.

 

Be realistic

Always be realistic with your weight loss goals. While setting a big and challenging goal is admirable, the changes of falling short and abandoning your diet also increase. Drastic lifestyle changes, both in terms of food and exercise, are often unsustainable and can even have adverse effects on your health. Always set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) and there’s no harm in dieting in stages as well. For example you can aim for 3kgs of weight loss in 12 weeks, take a break from your diet and see if you can keep up your lifestyle and diet changes, and then aim for say 5kg in 10 weeks.

 

Exercise and diet are just as important

The aim of a diet is for the body to expend more calories than consumed. This caloric deficit is what leads the body to lose weight. While it is possible to lose weight by creating a caloric deficit through dietary changes only, it is always advisable to complement your diet with increased exercise. You’ll burn more calories and if you’re doing resistance exercises, an increase in muscle mass will help you keep weight off in the long term. You’ll also be improving your physical health as well as your mental health – the positive effects of exercise on the mind has been well documented and an important factor during dieting when your will and mood will be tested.

 

Track your progress

Always track your progress with weekly or daily weigh-ins and a food journal. By documenting your changes and progress you’ll be able see what is working for you and what isn’t. It’s also a great way to stay motivated! With technology these days, tracking your journey has also never been easier. Apps such as Myfitness pal and Lifesum allow you to track the calories from all your food, monitor water intake and integrate with activity trackers such as Apple Health, Samsung Health, Fitbits and more. For even more in-depth tracking, you can also get regular body composition scans such as InBody, Evolt and even Dexa.

 

Stay Positive

Weight loss and lifestyle changes don’t happen overnight. There will also most likely be a period of reversal once you stop dieting. It’s all part of the journey in discovering what works for you and your body, and what is sustainable so you can keep the weight you have lost off. Don’t be disheartened if you’re not progressing as fast as you’d like and if you “cheat” on a day you shouldn’t don’t worry – as long as your overall approach is taking you in the right direction you’re on the right track! The most successful diets that lead to long term and sustainable changes are filled with ups and downs, trials and failures, good days and bad days – just like life.