Millions try diets each year and fail due to their restrictive and unstainable eating rules, but there are simple tips which can see you shed the pounds in the long term and keep them off. In 2021 the Health Survey for England estimated that 25.9 percent of the country's adults were obese and a further 37.9 percent are overweight but not obese.
With over 35million Brits classified as overweight or obese, its no wonder weight loss is at the forefront of people's minds. Long term success can often be hard, but fitness experts at Total Shape have provided a handy guide for women looking to lose weight for the summer and beyond.
A woman's guide to successful weight loss
Cut back on sugar and carbs
Learning to read food labels is key to losing weight, with many items working out their calorific content with a recommended portion anyone very rarely eats.
Total Shape says: "Sugar and carbs are a key part of a weight loss journey and will prevent you from losing weight if too much is consumed."
"Also, be mindful of the fact that many processed foods labelled low or non-fat often replace it with sugar; which of course will become love handles after you eat it."
Be careful not to cut out carbohydrates altogether though, instead get them from wholegrain sources.
Increase protein intake
Increasing your protein intake to eat least 60g per day has been shown to significantly decrease hunger, keeping you fuller for longer. Some great high-protein foods to include in your breakfast include:
- Eggs
- Turkey bacon
- Nut butters
- Greek yoghurt
- Protein powder
By having a high protein diet, you are more likely to see weight loss sustained over a longer period of time and decrease your chance of caving into cravings.
Increasing your protein intake should go hand in hand with a rise in the consumption of fruit and vegetables. As they are rich in nutrients and fibre, they also keep you full and less hungry over the day.
Be smart about saturated fat
Total Shape says fat has a bad reputation these days, but: "Low-fat items in the grocery stores are the main culprits to an explosion in obesity rates."
This is because: "Animal fats have been traded out for refined sugars and carbohydrates to make up for the lack of taste that occurs when the fat gets taken out."
You can avoid this buy getting your fat from healthy sources such as fish, olive oil, seeds and nuts. Health expert Dr Michael Mosley recommends buying full fat options over their low fat counterparts, as the likes of cheese, milk and yoghurt all boast health benefits in their full fat form.
Natural animal fats like butter are always better for you than heavily processed items like margarine.
Avoid drinking your calories
Total Shape says the calories in drinks add up quickly. Even fruit, when it's turned into a fruit juice and stripped of its fibre, can lead to blood sugar spikes and weight gain.
Drinking unnecessary calories can also be seen in some coffees, packed with syrups and sugary flavourings. Beer is also no friend of weight loss, as it is usually packed with carbohydrates and calories.
Stay active and get rid of the 'diet mentality'
Key to weight loss is getting active, with NHS recommending doing at least at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles. Finding an activity you like doing is crucial to success, as you do not want it to become a chore.
This, combined with avoiding quick-result fad diets, should set you up for sustainable weight loss. Lifestyle changes need to be implemented with months in mind, not a couple of weeks.
