insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 11 - January 2016 | Page 63

HEALTH+WELLNESS
WEIGHT LOSS for

good cont.

you, will lead to frustration, irritation,
and a feeling of deprivation, which
in turn will lead to the dreaded
binges.

starches – potatoes, corn, beans, or perhaps rice or lentils. And the final
quarter is for your protein. Ta da, one healthy, satisfying plate of food!
Another top tip is to get smaller plates. Seriously. Many dinner plates are
huge, and people do tend to fill them up. Rather than putting less food on
a larger plate, use a smaller plate and fill it to the brim (if plates have brims).
It may be no different in terms of portion size, but psychologically it’s huge.
Or small. Depending on which way you look at it.

And just because you’re trying (and
succeeding!) to lose weight doesn’t
mean you have to become a hermit
and stay inside for months or years
at a time just in case someone offers
you something a bit naughty. Be
proud of what you’re doing – you
are, after all, taking your life and
your health seriously, and really
doing something about getting rid
of those unwanted pounds – and
let others know. They’ll understand
that you won’t (necessarily, although
as we’ve said before you can treat
yourself on occasion) want to go
over for a big old barbecue or pizza
takeaway, and they will be able to
make sure there is something for
you to eat too. Plus, the more
people who know what you’re
doing, the more people you’ll have
looking out for you, cheering you
on, and helping out.

TREATS & EATING OUT

As for going out for meals, again,
don’t worry about it – enjoy yourself.
Why not share a starter (assuming
you even want to have one) instead
of having one to yourself? Why not
ask for extra vegetables instead of
fries or pasta? It’s your meal, make
it good for you.

Having a treat now and them won’t kill you, as long as ‘now and then’
doesn’t become every day; it’s good to allow yourself a reward for all your
hard work. A day may even come when you just don’t want a cake or
chocolate bar, when you couldn’t stomach the idea of a full fat fizzy fix. But
even if that day never comes, even if your sweet tooth or sugar craving
never entirely goes away, that’s not a bad thing either. The thing is, deliberately
staying away from your ultimate favourite food, even if it’s terribly bad for

63

MAKING MISTAKES
Lastly, don’t berate yourself too
harshly when you make a mistake
or give in to cravings, especially at
the beginning of this long-term
journey. You are changing the habits
of a lifetime, habits that have been
ingrained for decades, perhaps even
since childhood (who hasn’t gone
to their grandmother’s house and
come away full of food and treats
because she wanted to make sure
you were looking after yourself, for
example?), and that takes time,
patience, willpower, and confidence
that you are doing the right thing.
Telling yourself off, punishing
yourself (even if it’s only in your
mind) will do psychological damage.
You might not realise it, but you will
subconsciously begin to equate
your new healthy eating regime with
feeling inadequate or wrong in some
way. So don’t do it – congratulate
yourself for every pound lost, pat
yourself on the back every time you
eat a fruity snack instead of a
chocolate one. Tell yourself you’re
doing a great job whenever you kick
temptation to the curb. Because
you are. It’s hard. But it’s worth it
in the end.
*http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/