– Write down the reasons why you would like to lose weight. Keep referring to this list to motivate yourself.
– Aim to lose weight steadily, around 0.5-1 kg per week. For most people, health benefits can come from losing the first 5-10% of your weight. This is often about 5-10 kg.
– Low-fat foods are generally best. But remember, some low-fat foods and drinks such as alcohol, sugary drinks, and sweets, are still high in calories.
– Plan tomorrow’s eating today.
– Do not shop for food when you are hungry; after a meal is best. Remove temptations by changing the contents of your cupboards.
– When you are on a weight-reducing diet, try to learn a new healthy recipe each week. When you have reached your goal weight, you should then have plenty of new healthy meal ideas to help keep your weight down.
– Drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit and vegetables to help counter physical hunger. Think about whether your hunger is for emotional reasons.
– After losing some weight, weigh yourself once a week to keep a check on your weight. This way you will see if your weight starts to increase again and you can do something about it early on.