Swap your tea
Green tea is packed with health benefits. Because it contains caffeine,
drinking it regularly will boost your metabolism and therefore aid
weight loss – not to mention that it's packed with antioxidants,
promotes heart health and has major anti-cancer benefits. In trials
carried out at the Arizona Cancer Centre, US, catechins (antioxidant phytochemicals) found in green tea were shown to boost the production of
liver enzymes that neutralise carcinogens.
Breakfast like a king
Then lunch like a prince and dine as a pauper. When you're trying to
lose weight, it's important to eat a hearty healthy breakfast every day
because it boosts your metabolism. Your metabolism will slow throughout
the course of the day, so it's better to eat a greater percentage of
your daily intake earlier in the day.
Snack through the day
Make sure you eat healthy snacks throughout the day – there’s nothing
wrong with snacking mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Studies show that
savvy snackers save calories in the long run and it will keep hunger
pangs away and prevent you from bingeing at meal times. Infrequent big
meals cause a sudden increase in blood sugar, which encourages fat
storage.
Practice portion control
It's easy to overeat at meal times – so keep portions small and only
have seconds if you're still genuinely hungry. You should wait 20
minutes before you convince yourself that you are still hungry because
this is the time it takes for your stomach to tell your brain you're
full.
What to do: when serving up your
meals, your hand can be a great way to measure your food intake.
Proteins, such as meat or fish, should be the size of your palm. A
single serving of carbohydrates should be a slightly open palm and
vegetables and salads should fit into two closely cupped hands.
Spice it up
Capsaicin, which is found in hot peppers, may aid weight loss by
suppressing the appetite, boosting the metabolism by raising your heart
rate and body temperature, inhibiting the formation of fat cells and
aiding digestion.
Protein
Researchers have produced evidence supporting the view that high-protein
diets help you feel fuller for longer, reducing hunger pangs and
keeping your appetite under control – therefore helping people lose
weight. High-protein foods also help repair and build muscle tissue,
contributing to a faster metabolism for weight loss.
What to do: eat a balanced diet,
which includes protein. Good sources of protein include lean meat, eggs,
beans, nuts and soya products. Try sardines on wheat-free bread for
breakfast or lunch. They're packed with protein, and they are a great
source of omega-3s, which not only strengthen the cardiovascular system
but also are helpful in boosting your mood.
Drinking water
Water is essential to any weight loss plan. Dr Roger Henderson, GP,
explains: we need around half a cup of water for every 100 calories we
burn. Also, when you are dieting, your body produces more waste products
because you begin to metabolise your stored fat. The kidneys need a
steady supply of water to allow them to help you flush out the waste
products and keep your metabolism ticking over.
What to do: make sure you are not
confusing thirst with hunger, so drink water throughout the day. Also
drinking before food helps to fill the stomach and increases the chance
of weight loss by making the person eat less.
Iced water can help burn
calories because your body has to work to heat the water up to your
body's temperature.
Grapefruit
Being high in fibre and having a low glycemic index (GI), grapefruit may
be able to help you lose those extra pounds. They contain pectin,
which curb your appetite by expanding in the body and making you feel
full. As an added benefit, grapefruit contains cancer-fighting compounds
like liminoids and lycopene. Red grapefruit has been shown to help
lower triglycerides.
What to do: eat grapefruit for breakfast and as an afternoon snack.
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