Top Tips – from someone who has actually experienced significant weight loss
I didn’t wake up one day and start losing weight. I went through years of cycling from one approach to weight loss to the next. Throughout my twenties I tried: Slimming World, Weight Watchers, herbal teas, appetite suppressants, Atkins diet, intermittent fasting, Paul McKenna’s book “I Can Make You Thin‘, calorie counting on MyFitnessPal, pescatarian diet, mindful eating, Special K diet, portion control plate, Alli weight loss pills (Orlistat), and probably many more…
Some of these approaches have some value and real benefits, and many do not. I have tried every ‘quick fix’ out there! From years and years of trial and error, I have a real understanding of what works and what doesn’t. I have created a list of my top 10 tops for losing weight that are based on my actual experience, plus over 7 years of being a personal trainer for women.
1. Diet Above All Else
If you have seen any fitness content online, you’ll likely have seen the saying “you can’t out train a bad diet“. This is absolutely correct.
What you fuel your body with impacts everything, from how much energy you have to how well you sleep and how healthy you feel and look. Have you ever noticed when you’re eating nutritious, balanced foods your hair, skin and nails improve?
Diet is everything you eat and drink – it is NOT restricting yourself. I strongly reinforce with my personal trainier clients that it’s actually better to have a moderate amount of your favourite treats, as over restriction can lead to excess eating or even bingeing. This applies to alcohol too!
TIP: Make one small change at a time to your current eating and drinking habits. Once that change has become ingrained (every 4-5 weeks), make another small change. Over time you will clean up your diet and in 6 months you will achieve an overhaul that has become a lifestyle, without feeling like you made major changes! Here’s some examples of what you can try to get started:
- Switch from full sugar soft drinks to diet versions (do NOT drink your calories!)
- Reduce sugars in your hot drinks or, better yet, switch to sweetener
- Restrict takeaways to a once-a-month payday treat or family night
- Switch out sweet treats to smaller alternatives like Freddo bars, Kinder mini bars or Dairymilk little bars
- Switch out crisps for salted popcorn – all the crunch for 1/3 of the calorie intake!
- Alternate every alcoholic drink with a soft drink or water and/or switch out calorie dense drinks (wine, beer, cider) with a spirit and diet mixer
2. Sleep Determines How Good Tomorrow Will Be
Sleep is the foundation of everything that happens the next day – from your mood, energy and concentration to your appetite and metabolism. Sleep is when we heal, recover, store memories and recharge.
I struggled with poor sleep for a number of years – I couldn’t fall asleep and when I did, I got very little deep sleep. The impact of poor sleep on my mental health was huge – I was depressed, lethargic and craved sweet foods and caffeine to get me through the day. There was a deeper impact I didn’t know about – I was holding body fat and was gaining weight but I didn’t know why. My metabolism had slowed down, my hormones were affected, my willpower was lower and I didn’t have the energy to exercise.
TIP: Prioritise your sleep and learn about good sleep hygiene. Over time I learned that I need a cool, pitch black room to get good sleep. I started paying attention to my habits and cut out caffeine in the afternoon. Everyone has different needs but there are a few basics we can all benefit from:
- Limit your screen time at least an hour before bed – TV, social media scrolling or working on your laptop – all stimulate your brain and make it hard to switch off
- Create a cosy, relaxing environment where you feel safe, secure and stress-free
- Avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol too near bed time. Even if you don’t feel the effects at the time, your quality of sleep will be reduced
3. Exercise For Your Quality of Life
Exercise should be part of your lifestyle to celebrate what your body can do, not to punish it for what you have eaten. Exercise is the ultimate way to appreciate the skin you are in – it improves your mood, your heart health, strength and a million other wonderful benefits. Exercise is about so much more than how we look.
When I went through my massive weight loss, I didn’t start exercising straight away. I introduced exercise once I felt motivated, comfortable and able to do so. I was still obese when I joined the gym, but I was on a mission. That mission wasn’t to get skinny and look great – it was so I didn’t get out of breath walking up the stairs or struggle to bend over and tie up my shoelaces. My quality of life was negatively impacted by my weight and that wasn’t okay with me. Looking good does matter, but being healthy matters much more.
TIP: Start with walking more. Walking is the easiest way to introduce exercise into your life – it’s free, accessible to most of us, and requires no equipment or financial investment. Try these ways to add more steps to your day:
- Walk to run errands nearby instead of taking the car. If it takes 5 minutes or less in the car, you can walk it!
- Park the car a little further away from your destination instead of trying to find the nearest spot (as long as it’s safe to do so, especially at night)
- Set a step goal that challenges you – forget 10,000 steps, find a number that fits your lifestyle, whether less or more than 10K
4. Mental Health Matters
The simple truth is your mental health affects your physical health. If your head is not in the right place, no diet or exercise effort is going to feel manageable or sustainable. Wanting a change is not enough – you have to be mentally strong enough to be able to put in the work and make sacrifices.
The first and most importance step in undertaking a new weight loss effort, is the mindset shift. This takes work – internal reflection and understanding of yourself. What drives you to continue your bad habits and what will motivate you to make a lasting change.
TIP: Ask yourself some important questions. Be honest with yourself and dig deep:
- “Why am I eating this?” – are you eating because you’re bored, stressed or upset? Are you physically hungry or is there an emotion driving your food choice?
- “How will my life look when I’ve reached my goal?” – visualising your outcome is a great way to understand what you are looking for, as well as what is missing or lacking now. Maybe you avoid socialising because you find it hard to find nice clothes or want to wear a bikini to the pool.
- “What am I willing to give up to hit my goals?” – success requires sacrifice. Are you willing to give up some luxuries, like calorie dense coffees or the late night snacks in front of the TV? Can you let go of bad habits that feel good, for new habits that make you feel 1000x greater?
5. Temporary Solutions Are Only Temporary
I know, it sounds obvious, but let’s look a little closer. If you “go on” a diet – that comes with an implication you are going to “come off” that diet – what happens then? You take the latest pill, potion or herbal tea – are you going to keep buying it for the rest of your life? You read a book and follow the steps, then the books gets put aside and you forget the rules – do you pick the book back up? For the vast majority of us, these quick fixes or new trends aren’t going to be the big game-changers we want them to be.
My strong opinion is that the weight loss market targeted at women is a multi-billion pound money making scam. We are sold any number of promises about the latest solution to the biggest shared problem women face – we struggle to love our bodies.
TIP: avoid these weight loss ‘solutions’ – focus instead on the basics, healthy diet and exercise:
- Weight Watchers, Slimming World or any other weight loss ‘club’
- Waist trainers – seriously, they don’t do sh*t 🤣
- Weight loss teas, appetite suppression pills or any dodgy ‘supplement’ you’re sold online – they’re often unregulated and potentially harmful
- Social media influencers talking about a product that “changed their life” – they are paid to SELL product that they receive money for
- Online workout plans from unqualified, poorly qualified or drug-supported trainers – do your due diligence before handing over your hard earned cash
- Diets like the Cambridge diet, Keto or Atkins diet which enforce restriction – of either calories or macros – aren’t healthy or sustainable long-term
In Conclusion
Having a fit, healthy body is not a luxury it’s an essential – but it is not easy to achieve, otherwise everyone would be strutting around looking and feeling like the bees knees. Sadly, the minority are the fitties we see on social media and the majority are normal people trying to find a way forward.
If you have tried everything and can’t achieve the changes you need, please reach out to me for advice. I offer a free personal training session to give women the key that unlocks the door, that’s blocking them from becoming everything they are capable of becoming.
It is possible to lose weight and look amazing – I did it, now it’s your turn.
Note: Any advice is anecdotal and for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with your GP or healthcare provider before starting any new medication or exercise programme.
