Diets don't work! Change your lifestyle!

It's pretty much a well known fact that the majority of diets simply do not work. They're a quick fix and people pile the pounds back on again as soon as they stop - why? Because they need to make lifestyle choices and changes for life.

I've lost over 6kgs and it's not been through crash dieting, it's been through changing the way I look at food, making healthy choices (you'd be surprised at how many people think they're making a healthy choice, but actually aren't). It's been simple things like cutting down on portions, eating brown rice and pasta instead of white processed varieties. Virtually cutting out bread, reaching for a piece of fruit instead of the chocolate bar or biscuit. To be honest I eat more these days, but it's more good food.

One of the major things I've done, is virtually give up alcohol, which is probably one of the biggest contributors to peoples inability to shift the bulge. I might have one or two glasses of wine or a beer at the weekend, but that's it.

I've upped my water intake by a substantial amount, as I never drank enough water in the first place. Also getting lots of sleep stops snacking and overeating. Did you know that when you're tired your body stops producing appetite supressing chemicals?

Moving more - instead of vegging out, I've been running here there and everywhere at the moment, plus getting in a bit of exercise, but not much I have to admit, apart from the mammouth wakeboarding sessions at the weekends. But that's all about to change as I've just joined a gym, so it's back to regular workouts to tone up, now the weight is shifting.

But these are changes I'm making for me and they're long-term. I do feel so much better these days as healthy living really does suit me. I've never been a huge person, far from it, but carrying a few extra kilos makes me feel bad. If you're going to shed some weight and get into shape, then the one person you have to do it for is you.

The GM diet and detox

So after umming and ahhing for a while, the other half and I decide that we need to loose a few pounds and give our bodies a break from all the rubbish food we've been eating of late. A friend said she was going to do the GM (General Motors) diet and detox, which you do for seven days at a time. Having had a look at it, it seems perfectly do-able and I know of several other people who've had good results.

Now, anyone that knows me will tell you I am normally absolutely against diet fads, because in general they don't really work and are a short term fix, to what should be a long term lifestyle change. However, that's what I intend to use this for. Because it advocates eating healthily, so I figure I can use it as a good starting point.

You can find a few variations of the GM diet online, but they're basically advocating the same thing, lots and lots of fruit, vegetables, water, lean meat, low fat and low carbs.

The boy and I went and shopped for the whole seven days, so we're pretty much sorted, apart from a few fresh things that we'll need to buy on the day we need them.

So day one we're allowed to eat as much fruit (except bananas) as we want, nothing else during the day, just fruit and mostly melons if you can and drink lots and lots of water. I love fruit, so I've stocked up on my favourite of water melon, sweet melon, apples, kiwi fruits, tangerines, grapes and strawberries :-)

http://www.fitnesstipsforlife.com/gm-diet.html

Food as fuel, not an over indulgence

Now, I did promise waaaaay back to blog about health and fitness, which I wasn't very good at keeping up with, but I aim to rectify that now. Before I start I must make it clear that I am no expert in this field and the information I impart is from my own experience and research that I have done.

Before I get onto exercise, I want to start with food. So many people complain about having gained a few pounds and are struggling to lose them. Weight loss is basic mathematics, calories in versus calories out. On the majority of food packaging it states that the average daily calorie in-take for women is 2,000, and 2,500 for men. However, this can vary wildly depending on your lifestyle. If you have a sedentary job and don't do much exercise, then the calories you require would be less, whereas on the flip side, if you're a sports and exercise junkie and constantly running about your calorie requirement would be higher.

I mainly think that it's the attitude many of us have towards food that needs to change. Many people just eat anything and everything and then wonder why the pounds pile on. I like to view the body as an engine, you only need to give it as much fuel as it requires to function at optimum level, no more.

I'm a firm believer in the grazing approach to eating, little and often. It keeps your metabolism ticking over, without the spikes and slumps that sporadic eating can give you. Portion control is also important. I know very well when I've eaten too much, as I instantly go into a food 'coma', feel sluggish and sleepy as all my body's energy has been diverted to digestion, rather than normal functions.

'Diet' is a term that I really don't like with regards to weight loss, as your diet is daily and necessary. I believe that everything in moderation is the key, restricting many foods only leaves to cravings that cause binge eating and all that good work is undone in an instant, there's nothing wrong with little treats here and there.

I have so much ground to cover on this subject, that this is just a basic overview of some of my thoughts and I shall continue in the next blog.