Hello lovely followers,
So some of you may know that since becoming 40 a few years ago I have been trying to be a more healthy person. It’s not as easy as it sounds! In 2015 I managed to get 7lbs away from my goal weight which was still a whole stone away from my ‘healthy recommended weight’ but that was fine by me I would be out of the ‘obese’ category, however, I never actually made it. At the beginning of May I realised that I was heavier than I was a year ago (only by a few pounds but it’s still a depressing fact), so I have given myself a mental shake and decided that I need to re-focus my efforts! I still belong to My Fitness Pal and continue to join ‘challenges’ to help me maintain a higher level of activity but I have also kick-started my journey by doing the NHS Choices 12 week weight loss plan again because it really helped me last year to physically write a log.
Anyway, I bought a few suppliments from Holland & Barrett and I found this article and I thought that I would share it with you.
Feel free to leave a comment
If you want to lose weight, get weight loss tips, flat stomach exercises and easy ways to stay slim for life, all at Holland & Barrett.
It’s not unusual to want to lose weight, but – as a nation – our waistlines are out of control. The NHS says 26 per cent of British adults are now obese, and this figure looks set to increase. But you can uncover the best weight loss tips and step off the scales for good.
Do I need to lose weight?
The easiest way to find out is to calculate your BMI. Simply divide your weight (kilograms) by your height (metres), then divide the answer by your height again. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25, overweight is between 25 and 29.9, and anything over 30 is obese. Being overweight or obese has serious health consequences; you have an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
What’s making you fat?
Lack of exercise, processed foods, and poor sleep have all been linked to weight gain. In the past decade, technology has also had a big impact on our lifestyle habits – computers, mobile phones and games consoles all give us fewer reasons to get up and move around.
Our busy lives are also very stressful, a major cause of weight gain. Within a few minutes of being stressed the body releases cortisol, which leads to blood sugar cravings, insulin resistance and weight gain. A muffin top is a sure sign your extra weight is stress-induced; the liver turns excess sugar into fat, and the liver’s first port of call for storing fat is around the middle.
One reason we’re not putting on weight is a slower metabolism as we age; it’s a myth. The fact is, as we get older we tend to be less active and eat more, and that’s why we put on weight.
Top five weight loss tips
Why not combine the five golden rules below for the quickest way to lose weight?
- Exercise is key. One of the best ways to lose weight is to exercise every day. Plus, if you build muscle, you’ll also boost your resting metabolism – the rate at which your body burns calories at rest. You’ll also boost production of the feel-good chemical serotonin, increasing your happiness levels so overeating is less likely.
- Get lean with coffee beans. Research has revealed those taking a green coffee bean extract lost just over a stone, or 10 per cent of their body weight! It’s thought a compound called chlorogenic acid, found in the unroasted beans, may influence glucose and fat metabolism.
- Stop guessing portion sizes. Eating too much is guaranteed to make you put on weight. Stock your kitchen with portioned foods in serving containers ahead of time, so you’ve always got food to hand that’s ready to eat in the right-sized amounts when you’re hungry.
- Sip green tea. Numerous studies have shown green tea can help you lose weight. It’s thought the fragrant cuppa could help the body burn calories and fat. What’s not to like?!
- Eat mindfully. Mindful eating encourages us to focus on what you’re consuming. Pause for a few moments to focus on the experience of eating and your sense of satiety. This helps switch off the appetite centre in the brain when you’re full, so you can lose weight more easily.
Want more ways to shape up for summer? Find more diet and weight loss tips today.