DESPERATE TO LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY

When you think about losing weight, do you think about dieting? It's well known that some diets cause people to gain weight, instead of losing it. If you are on a diet you may end up eating like a pig because you're so damned hungry! Most diets deprive people of food that they love which leads to undue stress. This in turn causes you to gain weight.

The first step to losing weight is to watch what you drink. Most people who feel hungry may actually be dehydrated and are therefore more thirsty than hungry. Water is important in weight control as your body is 66% water so drink plenty of water. Your body needs up to 8 glasses of water per day. Water will flush all the toxins out of your body and make you feel healthier. Drinking water regularly starts to make you feel fit and this will give you the incentive to lose weight, although never drink excessive amounts of water.

Here are some tips help you start your weight loss:

• ü As soon as you wake up drink a glass of water. This prevents you becoming dehydrated and will cause you to eat less for breakfast. If you drink coffee, have a glass of water afterwards as the caffeine will dehydrate you.

• ü Drink a glass of water immediately before each meal. This will fill you up and make you eat less.

• ü While you eat your meal, drink a glass of water as well. You will feel fuller if you take a sip after each mouthful. This will also help your food to settle quicker and make you feel fuller.

• ü Stay away from soda pop type drinks which contain sugar. Even diet soda is not recommended as this contains chemicals that are not good for your body. Cola type drinks contain caffeine and you should avoid that. Even decaf colas contain a little caffeine and a lot of sugar.

• ü Packaged fruit juice has a lot of sugar. Use freshly squeezed fruit juice instead as this also contains fresh vitamins.

• ü If you drink tea or coffee try to use less cream or best of all, drink these black. It's the cream (milk) and sugar that add the fat. A cup of coffee or tea with cream and sugar is the equivalent of eating a slice of cake every time you have one.

• ü Try to minimise alcohol intake. White wine has more sugar than dry wine. Try to avoid drinking more than two glasses per day.

• ü Eat fresh fruit and not processed fruit which has artificial sugar content. Choose fruit and vegetables with a high water content such as watermelon, tomatoes, grapes and kiwi. Eat juicy fruits which contain as much as 95% water and are extremely good for you. You will see your health improve and they won't add on unwanted weight.

• ü Set your meal times and then keep to these. Avoid eating just one meal a day. This creates fat as your body thinks it is starving. You could eat 5 small meals a day instead of two big meals. Believe it or not, this will help you reduce weight.

• ü Don't give up sweets if you've a craving for them. Just don't feast on them and cut sweets down to just a few a day.

• ü Chocolate is a fat containing and producing food. Cut out chocolate to two small squares per day. No more. Better still; eat chocolate only on alternative days or not at all.

• ü Do not eat more than one egg three times a week.

• ü If you must snack, eat fruit instead of candy bars or potato chips.

• ü Cut out fried foods as oil is absorbed into the food which becomes unhealthy and fattening.

• ü Avoid pies as the pastry contains a lot of fat especially saturated fat.

• ü If you are offered food outwith meal times (which you must adhere to) politely refuse it. Let the other person get fatter, not you.

• ü And remember - drink a glass of water to determine whether you are hungry or just thirsty. This really works! You'll be amazed how a glass of water can make you feel 'full'. But never drink excessive amounts of water as this can be dangerous.

Take care and live well.

Paul Gee