With the thought of summer and the smell of sun cream on the horizon, many people give thought to being beach-body ready. Although most people know the formula for losing weight is to eat less and move more, here Tristan Lee, The Gorgeousness Coach, offers his alternate top ten diet tricks to help shave off those extra pounds.
1. Eat off vintage dinner plates! They are a lot smaller than modern plates so you end up eating less
2. Use a three, five or seven rule when it comes to treats. For example, three biscuits, five squares of chocolate and seven crisps. This way you limit how much you eat. Always put these on a plate, rather than eating them out of the packet
3. Pretend you’re Marie Antoinette and eat food like a queen. Sit at a table, eat off your best crockery and consume everything slowly and majestically. This way you’ll really appreciate each mouthful, and eat less, which people ask can IBS cause weight gain
4. Never eat in front of the TV. Typically, you’ll consume 30% more than if you sit at the dinner table
5. Chew your food with your eyes closed. Most people eat so quickly they hardly ever taste food properly. Try adown and concentrate on every flavour to feel fuller more quickly
6. Don’t cook more than you need. If you cook large portions, you’ll eat large portions. If you need to weigh things out to avoid making too much, then go ahead. Using smaller baking containers helps make this easier
7. Food is not good or bad, right or wrong – it’s simply low energy and high energy foods. If you’re having a low day, imagine you’re a seesaw and choose high energy food in order to balance out your mood!
8. Embrace your inner Judy Garland and eat a rainbow. Have as many colours as you can each day in the form of fresh food and vegetables
9. If you were eating on a first date, how would you eat? Hopefully in a flirty, sexy way pausing regularly to lick your lips and flick your hair! Each meal is an opportunity to eat in a sensual way
10. What would Beyoncé eat? If you were a superstar, athlete or model you’d hopefully treat your body as a temple and make food choices to reflect your self-value. Choose a food role model, and eat like a champion
Tristan comments: “Many of us want to be trimmer for summer, and by making positive little changes most goals are achievable. What should always be a priority though is being kinder to our bodies. If there are things you don’t like about yourself, you can still treat that part of your body with respect. For example, if you see that you a have a bit of a belly, but you are working towards cutting down alcohol and eating better, then give yourself credit for what you are doing. Praising yourself on the journey is good for both mental health and self-esteem, and gives a glow from inside out.”
For more information on Tristan Lee, The Gorgeousness Coach, visit www.tristanlee.com.