Weight loss: importance of where you are
Is it possible to lose weight wherever you are? Perhaps. But there may be better of worse places. Think about where and when you eat what you want to eat and yet lose weight compared with other places where you have a greater desire to eat the ‘wrong’ foods and your weight sours. In each of the situations listed below it is a common experience for some people to gain weight and for others to lose weight. What happens to you in each of the following situations and what could you do to bring the essence of when you lose weight to those situations when you commonly gain weight?
- on holiday:
You may be staying somewhere where all your meals are included such as a package tour which includes all you want to eat from a buffet. Or maybe you are catering for yourself or eating out in restaurants each day.
What happens? Do you fill your plate with unsuitable foods because it’s all there and you want to get your money’s worth?
Or do you remain conscious of the choices you have even in that situation and choose to have those foods which are suitable such as plenty of fruits and vegetables, low fat protein, wholemeal bread, and avoiding or limiting the amount of cakes and puddings? Remember you always have a choice about what to put in your mouth and it is still possible to enjoy your holiday even if you are a bit more indulgent that you might be at home. Use the holiday time as a chance to eat healthily and come home feeling more healthy than when you went.
- at home:
if you are the main food buyer then make sure you make healthy choices and avoid buying unhealthy foods ‘just in case’ you have visitors. If there are members of the family who want to eat high fat high sugar foods, let them
- visiting friends:
It’s fine to say ‘no thank-you’ when offered something which you don’t want to eat or have had enough. If you like to have a second helping then start small and then you can have more. But watch for the usual culprits: have seconds of the food whicvh is nearest to its natural state.
- going out for the day:
Take some fruit or nuts with you to nibble on so you aren’t tempted to eat too much unhealthy snacks.
Most of all remember that life is a balancing act. so long as you eat reasonably healthily 80% of the time don’t be too stressed if you lapse for up to 20% of the time.