Dear Colonics Queen,

I can’t believe it! Today I stood on the scales and thought OMG are they lying…?!! I’m sure they must be broken, as I can’t weight that much…. But if I do, how did this happen? I want to scream, or cry (or both) and am currently lying in a heap on the bathroom floor! I can’t start a diet, as I can never keep it up – I’m always starving! HELP! Is there a way to lose weight without dieting?

Desperately seeking advice,
Mrs O. V. Waite.

 

Well, let me first tell you that you are not alone! This happened to me just before Christmas, which was the best incentive I had NOT to over indulge during the festive period! It was also a kick up the bum about what bad habits I had got into.

I knew I wasn’t eating that badly, but I took a step back and thought hmmmm a biscuit with that hot chocolate in the afternoon really isn’t a good idea, plus a sneaky glass of vino midweek along with a packet of the kid’s crisps is not ideal either. Add coming in after work at 11pm and eating a toasted bagel – well they had all accumulated, even though I work out 3 times a week, something needed to change!

They don’t say “a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips” for nothing!

So having now reassessed the situation and admitted to myself that it has got to come off, I have devised some easy tips to lose weight without dieting, that won’t stress you out and will become second nature in no time.

So pick yourself up off the bathroom floor and take note!

 

  1. Serve vegetables first. Yes, they are important and only a few weeks ago did the Government suggest we should eat up to 10 portions of fruit and vegetables to reduce the risk of ill health. So if we eat them first we get that portion ratio up, plus we fill up on all the good stuff and allow less room for those snacks.

 

  1. Use a plate that is 9-10 inches wide – we eat less when we use a smaller plate. It’s a psychological fact that we make inaccurate estimates of serving sizes depending on the size of the plate our food is served on. If it’s on the plate, we do tend to eat it all!

 

  1. Sit at a table, with the TV off and no mobile phones! You eat more without noticing when distracted – up to 25% more! Plus, how many times have you looked at an advert on TV and though “mmmm I’m a bit hungry” when you’re not really. It’s put a thought in your head! If you sit at a table to eat, then you also make it more difficult keep topping your plate up with more food, as you’ll have to make an effort to get up and go back into the kitchen…. this is where the portion control comes in too …size does matter!

 

  1. Drink a pint of water 30 minutes prior to every meal. It’s proven that this method fills you up so you are less likely to over indulge, as you feel fuller quicker. Plus the added free benefits of drinking water mean you’ll also have better skin and more energy. Bonus.

 

  1. Chew your food! Every day in my clinic I see, or should I say I don’t see, evidence of chewing food. Some of my clients must literally hoover their food as I just see chunks of undigested food coming out of people. Their hunger switch of “I am now full” won’t kick in because they have eaten so quickly, they will carry on until it does! Your colon doesn’t have teeth and you need to chew up to 30 times. Chewing your food properly allows more time for your stomach to receive the messages from your brain that you are full, meaning that you will eat less before it gets that signal.

 

  1. Plan your shopping and your meals. I love internet shopping (of all kinds to be honest), but for food it’s brilliant as I sit there, order the food I need (as opposed to getting carried away with buy one get one free and other stuff that I don’t need) and it gets delivered to me…easy peasy! There is very little waste and I stick to a budget too! Something that doesn’t happen very often when I am clothes shopping I can tell you!

When you plan your shopping list in relation to the healthy meals you will make that week, you’ll never be stuck with only a takeaway to save the day and you’ll be choosing from a selection of lovely healthy dinners that feed your body from the inside out.

So, like me, you should be far better prepared now.

You are stocked with ultra-healthy food, but more importantly you are eating enough of the good stuff that will help keep your metabolism and energy up. Hopefully this will mean less midnight snacks and our digestion will work better too.

All in all a happy and a few pounds lighter girl!

For more Colonics Queen advice, send your questions to helen@completehealthclinic.co.uk

 

Do you readers have any good non-diet healthy eating tips? I would love to hear from you too – comment below!