Is your weight creeping up on you each year?  Or perhaps you’re having trouble shifting the weight? 

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the best ways to stay disease-free and live longer. Being overweight and in particular, obese increases your risk of many life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cardio vascular disease, stroke, and some cancers.

When your kilojoule intake outweighs your energy output, fat is deposited on your body. Over a period of time this can cause you to gain weight. According to the ABS, Australia Health Survey, Australian men and women are loosing the battle to manage their weight with over 62% being overweight or obese.

Follow these simple strategies to empower yourself to take control of the bulge.

1. Acknowledge Change

Understanding and committing to change is the first step to taking control. Loosing weight and keeping it off takes effort. Acknowledge that change is necessary to achieve your goal.

2. Make Goals

Take the time to sit down and work out what you want to achieve.  Write down your goals and be as specific as possible.  For example, “wanting to be slimmer” is great but “ I want to fit into a size 10 clothes” gives a more specific outcome.

3. Watch how much food is on your plate

We all know that our potion sizes are getting bigger and bigger. When the amount you eat is greater than your exercise you are in danger of putting on weight.  A simple way to balance the equation is to eat less so be mindful of the amount you eat and how much food goes on your plate.

4.     Give your diet a shake up

Who would love a diet where there was no restriction?  Well get creative and start looking at healthy alternatives to high kilojoule food.  Swapping nutrient poor, high kilojoule meals with healthier options will make you feel fuller for longer and before you know it, you are reducing your kilojoule intake and have started to lose weight. For example, try swapping rice for more adventurous and more nutritious quinoa, couscous, or chia seeds. Or trade your morning cereal for delicious Greek yogurt mixed with honey, flaxseeds, and berries, topped with a little high-fibre cereal. There are many simple changes you can make to freshen up your tastebuds and revamp your diet and all the while reduce your kilojoule intake.

5.     Get More Fibre in your Diet

Research has shown that fibre is protective against weight gain. High-fibre foods take longer to digest, so you’ll feel full longer. Make sure you include foods high in fibre as part of your weight loss plan like fruit and vegetables, oatmeal, whole-wheat pastas and rice and high-fibre cereals.

6. Keep a Food Diary

Keeping a record of what you eat keeps you mindful of your goal.  Reflecting back over your diary is a valuable tool to identify what worked and what didn’t. If you have a bad, high-kilojoule day don’t dwell, rather reflect, learn and improve going forward.

7. Include Exercise

Watching what you eat and reducing your kilojoules is a great way forward but combining it with regular exercise will help you burn kilojoules and reach your goal faster.  Health bodies recommend we strive for 10,000 steps per day, which has been shown lead to positive affects on weight loss.  Use an activity tracker such as a pedometer or fitbit flex and start counting your steps.

8. Get Support

Enlisting support from someone close to you can motivate you to make changes. We are more likely to succeed and reach our goals when we have someone to talk, guide and mull things over with.  They can provide the extra support and energy to stay on track and on top of our goals.

9. Acknowledge Barriers

Self-examination of your potential pitfalls is key in helping you get through them when they arise.  Understanding your barriers prepares you in advance to deal with them so you’re not caught off guard. For example, if snacking before dinner is an issue for you, try removing yourself from the potential hazard like going for a walk or doing an odd job away from the kitchen.

10. Keep Barriers

Achieving your goals won’t necessarily be easy. There will be times when your weight loss stalls or you lose motivation.  This is ok but you need to remind yourself of your goals and reconnect with them.  Sometimes reaffirming your weight loss commitment and changing your routine slightly can give you the edge to stay on track.

Regain control of your weight and take charge by following these simple strategies. With a planned approach and clear goals, you can prevent weight gain and obesity.