Let me preface this blog post with the fact that I fully accept that I am no expert and this is just what I’ve learned from personal experience.

I have never dieted, and that’s not to say I’ve never had any weight issues or wanted my body to look better. The reason I’ve never dieted is because I just love food too much. I don’t really believe in restricting myself from anything because only the people with the most insane willpower will be able to swear off that ‘great tasting, bad for you’ food that we all love. Why bother stopping yourself from enjoying life when you’re probably going to break that promise to yourself at some point anyway?

All of these diet programmes and food crazes seem to make people miserable, miss what they used to consume and then ultimately give up and have what they wanted all along. What I believe to be the better, healthier and more sustainable plan is to make gradual changes towards a healthier lifestyle that will actually stick and become your normal. I could talk forever about this but the fact is that everyone is different and will have their own cruxes when it comes to food but here are some quick tips that might help.

1. Treats have to be just that, a treat. Don’t have over-indulgent snacks/meals/desserts etc. unless it’s a special occasion so that you truly value that chocolatey goodness.
2. Don’t get all caught up in thinking about weight or calorie counting. I get that it can be a solid numerical marker for your progress but weight can be misleading, especially if you’re exercising more as gaining muscle can make you heavier. Instead judge how you feel based on how your body looks, or how you’re fitting into your clothes.
3. Excercise loads! Firstly, being active will release your lovely little endorphins which will make you happier and secondly, you’ll find that you have so much more energy. Plus the amount you exercise should balance up to the amount of fuel you’re putting into your body.
4. Make simple switches that you’ll barely notice, such as switching to skimmed milk and wholemeal/brown bread, rice and pasta are a simple place to start.
5. Love your veggies! If you fill up your meals with a higher proportion of protein and veg to carbohydrates you’ll still be just as full but will get so many more vitamins into your body!

This may seem like you’re not doing very much but if you make small healthier changes and regular exercise your norm you will naturally feel better and have a healthier body without being fixated on weight loss. It’s a win-win!