We all know how tough it is to lose weight, but here at Wave Sport and Fitness we reckon the first step is believing in yourself and truly understanding how small changes over a period of time offer considerable results. As the old adage goes, “slow and steady wins the race”, relatively speaking that’s true. If you compare it to learning how to drive a manual car, your first lesson revolves around simply moving the car from a stationary position. By the time you take your test, that aspect is well and truly automated, you're more aware of other cars on the road and being cautious about pedestrians and cyclists. Other factors become a much bigger part in driving. Why should it be any different with your health? Consider slowly improving your habits / routines and how that increases the likelihood of them being sustainable. Rather than making drastic changes to your lifestyle, think of the following tried and tested hints and tips as a selection of small incremental changes you can make to fit into your day-to-day, be that morning, noon or night!

NB. We don’t suggest making them all at once. 

MORNING

"Snooze you lose"

We’ve all done it, woken up just to want that extra 5 minutes in bed and hit snooze on the alarm clock. Science tells us regularly hitting the snooze button signals sleep deprivation (to which there is a direct correlation to weight gain). Who would have thought it? We recommend trying to go to bed earlier until you wake up before the alarm goes off! No one said it would be easy!

The other thing to bear in mind is that when your alarm does go off, actually get out of bed.

 

"Water and hydration"

Dehydrated is something the human body doesn’t interpret well. Believe it or not your body can easily mistake thirst for hunger, which can easily lead you to overeat at breakfast. Research shows drinking plenty of water before and in between meals can help people lose more weight.

"A nutritious breakfast"

Absorbing good nutrition first thing in the morning is a proven method to get things going. There’s a contentious point about skipping breakfast, but let me be clear - if you regularly practice intermittent fasting then this doesn’t apply to you. Skipping breakfast can lead to binge eating later in the day. Instead, try to adjust your breakfast routine to include more foods high in protein and fiber. Think eggs, tuna, wholemeal toast, overnight oats or if you are really struggling for ideas we have some make ahead breakfast solutions you might prefer. 

"Avoid sweet treats"

Sweet treats in the morning can act as a catalyst to cravings throughout the day. The spike in sugar can lead to that chasing feeling, the more sugar you eat, the more you crave. 

If you indulge in something sweet then I encourage you to make it as natural as possible and not processed. Think a piece of fruit or oats and a small amount of honey / greek yoghurt.

"Morning exercise"

Research shows an increase in fat burning as a fuel source when you exercise before a morning meal. That’s like the holy grail of quick wins, right? Beginning your day with a workout can better support your metabolism, another reason to love your morning workout. 

NOON

"Take a break"

Whether or not you work in an office or not, far too often people can be found eating their lunch in or at their place of work. Set time in your diary to take that window for lunch and venture off somewhere different, be that another part of the building or going to a nearby park when the weather is good. Make sure it is part of a routine, lunch time should be as much about moving around, as eating.

"Mid afternoon snack"

Avoiding snacking for weight-loss is somewhat controversial, as I’ve mentioned in other articles the key to weight loss is being in a caloric deficit, but being hungry can be really detrimental to your weight loss goals. Consuming too few calories can in fact slow your metabolism and increase hunger. Reaching for a healthy mid afternoon snack, think something that is high in protein and healthy fats, will help keep you feeling fuller for longer. 

Where possible try and avoid products full of artificial ingredients and added sugars.

NIGHT

"Late night eating"

As the evening wears on, the pace at which your body operates begins to slow. That includes your metabolism. Eating post dinner can be highly detrimental to your gut health and prevent the body from digesting and absorbing any additional food which can result in the extra calories being stored in the body as fat. If your schedule doesn’t allow for anything but a late meal, try and focus on portion sizes. Keep them small and try to eat a bigger lunch or afternoon snack instead.

"Green tea"

Green tea is well known for its satiating effects as well as it’s ability to help detox the body, but it also has a calming effect that can help you sleep more soundly. Sleep as we know is essential for weight loss.

"Blue light and mobile screens"

Blue light from your devices like your mobile phone, tablet and computer, can mess with your sleep cycle. Reducing exposure towards the end of the day or at least an hour before bed can be hugely beneficial. If you can’t avoid it then we suggest wearing blue light glasses when using a device to try and help minimize those harmful blue rays. If you struggle to get to bed without reading, try reaching for a book.

"Sleep - Quality over quantity"

Sleep is really important when losing weight, allowing 7-8 hours to some can sound like a utopian aspiration, but if you work to a schedule, just like with meal planning, you are more likely to achieve your goal. Getting your target amount of sleep can help you give your body the time it needs to recover and ultimately lose weight. Not getting enough sleep can put a dent in your efforts to lose weight, as hormone shifts cause a surge in hunger and worse still, cravings!

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