‘Screw the diet!’ – it’s a phrase you will have uttered or at least heard many times before. Like many celebrity marriages, diets often seem doomed to fail. In fact, less than a quarter of dieters actually achieve their goal, according to research by XLS Medical, who found that the most common reason for quitting is lack of motivation (41 per cent), with boredom following shortly afterwards. However, their experts have provided some crucial weight loss tips that might help you break the rut.
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Jodie Relf, weight management and sports dietitian at XLS-Medical, explains why many of us need the extra support to lose weight: ‘The word “diet” is the problem when weight loss is what matters. Diets are transitory; weight loss is a long term lifestyle choice that should involve healthier eating and exercise, as well as someone to help you through the bad days and encourage you on the good ones. We face many barriers when it comes to weight loss, living in an obesogenic environment is one of these barriers and these are challenging to overcome.’
She recommends the following realistic weight loss tips to help you buck the trend and achieve the healthy weight loss you want:
Five guiding principles for weight loss success
1 Adopt the “flexible restraint” approach – where occasionally allowing oneself higher fat, calorie or sugar foods in modest portions and without guilt – as this is more likely to help you keep the weight off in the long run. Life still needs enjoyment.
2 Pick the right time for a change in healthy eating lifestyle, and write down your reasons and motivations for wanting to lose weight before you start on any plan.
3 Put in place the right support team to help with motivation and sharing successes and slip ups – it could be a friend, partner, health professional, or website to keep you inspired and help you through.
4 Choose a method or approach to weight loss that fits your working patterns, time or lack of it, and ease of adoption into the everyday. Less barriers are more likely to lead to success, which is why using a clinically proven slimming aid such as XLS-MEDICAL alongside a healthy balanced diet can accelerate sustainable weight loss without disrupting your daily routines.
5 Set realistic goals – losing just 5-10 per cent of your weight has massive health benefits. A weight loss of up to 2 pounds (lb) a week is a safe and realistic target as well as motivating one.
XLS-Medical is a range of clinically proven slimming aids that support weight loss alongside healthy lifestyle changes.
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