Weight Loss Tips

Need some help with your weight loss? Below are some great weight loss tips to help you that extra bit, these weight loss tips offers pointers for pratical, effective weight loss tactics. Tips include healthy eating advice, support, exercise, preparation of food and much more. Enjoy!

1. To make a delicious low fat mayonnaise simply combine one teaspoon Dijon mustard or one teaspoon satay sauce with low fat yoghurt.

2. Avoid skipping meals. Eating increases your matabolism, thus skipping meals can 'trick' your body into slowing down its metabolism in an attempt to conserve calories during a period it perceives as a situation where limited fuel is available.

3. Stuffing vegetables such as capsicum and zucchini with tasty fillings of mince chicken, meat or tuna are easy to do and very healthy and low fat.

4. Pita bread roll ups or wraps with salad fillings, are great for picnics, school lunches or to take to work.

5. Exerise, exercise, exercise! Exercise increases your metabolism and burning off excess fat. When is the best time to exercise? Our metabolism slows down about 8 hours after we wake up, so 30 minutes of exercise in the evening, before dinner will increase your metabolism for about two to three more hours just when it was starting to slow down. This produces a significant increase in fat burned off, even after the exercise is over.

6. Adding alfalfa or mung beans to your salad brings in extra iron.

7. Good cooking and healthy eating begins with learning about nutrition and how to prepare healthy recipes.

8. Plan the week's family menus in advance and just purchase those ingredients at a once weekly shopping trip.

9. Be positive! The more you feel good about yourself the easier and faster it is to lose weight.

10. Learn how to make over family favourite recipes by cutting out fats, salt and sugar. Substitute non fat yoghurt for cream, stir fry minus oil and use herbs and spices instead of salt for flavour.

11. Please consult your doctor before beginning an exercise or weight loss program.

12. Eat slowly and chew each bite completely to decrease your appetite

13. Eat three small meals and two snacks daily instead of two or three huge meals.

14. It's a myth that you need oil to stir fry! Use chicken stock instead and cut down on hidden fat.

15. There is more fat in a plate of toasted muesli than a plate of bacon and eggs! Purchase non-toasted muesli instead.

16. Avoid removing the skins of fruits and vegetables - most of the nutrients are concentrated just under the skin.

17. Hot water with a squeeze of lemon before breakfast get the metabolism going for the day, helps prevent constipation and is excellent for the skin.

18. The best source of vegetable protein is from soya beans or tofu. All legumes provide some protein, so include lentils, lima beans etc into casseroles and soups.

19. Find a weight loss "buddy," club, or support group. This will help you stay with your weight loss program.

20. Though difficult, try not eating 3 hours or more before bed time.

21. I cut up a whole watermelon and leave it in the fridge to snack on over a few days. it is sweet, juicy, yummy and filling. it really has helped me because when i go to the fridge looking for something when i see the watermelon it stops me having something more calorie laden. having it handy so that it is just as easy to eat as a biscuit or whatever makes the world of difference. eating at night time is my downfall too. i cant just not eat at night so i allow for it in my daily eating. i have those 97%fat free rice crackers and/or fruit or air popped popcorn. for me i just cant not eat at night time. i find i dont sleep very well if i go from dinner time to breakfast without anything. although we do eat dinner very early (around 5.30) because we like to eat with the kids. i think it is best to know your weaknesses and try to work around them. also, i dont think it can be said too many times - drinking water makes all the difference.

22. Make pasta your fast food choice - you can prepare a pasta meal and salad in 10-12 minutes.

23. Chilli helps to speed up metabolism - even the milder varieties.

24. Omelettes can be made just using egg whites! A dramatic reduction in fat.

25. Limit salt in cooking. Other names for salt include baking soda, baking powder, MSG and soya sauce.

26. For low fat gravy, drop ice cubes into the baking tray. Fat will stick to the ice cubes and can then be removed.

27. Chew sugarless gum. It speeds up the digestive system, burning more calories, and sometimes kills a craving.

28. Drinking hot water as appose to cold water can increase the speed of your metabolism and burn more calories.

29. Make casseroles the day before use. Refrigerate and skim fat from the top before re heating.

30. Always eat before you go food shopping and always prepare a shopping list. Only purchase food which relates to your weekly menu plan and don't be tempted to buy goodies.