Author: Elaine Egan

Do you have an internal voice which says: “I’ll never lose weight because I’m lazy” or “I have no willpower”. If you keep thinking this way, your weight loss targets will be much harder to achieve. You need to keep a positive outlook on your weight loss journey.

Negative thoughts and emotions become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you keep telling yourself “I can’t lose weight” – you won’t. There are several ways that you can be more positive about your weight loss:

• Put your mind in control – instead of just reacting instinctively, try to be logical
• Concentrate on what you can eat, instead of bemoaning what you can’t
• Don’t think of exercise as a drag – think of the health benefits it gives and focus on how good you feel after exercising

Don’t Pigeonhole Yourself

If you keep thinking of yourself as being addicted to sugar/biscuits/cakes etc. this will make it harder for you to lose weight. Instead, think of yourself as someone who enjoys a healthy diet, and who is progressing towards a healthy weight. Don’t put yourself in a box. Think about how you would like to be, and start thinking of yourself in that way. Take control of your life and define how you want to be.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Weight loss is a journey, and every journey has it’s ups and downs. Maybe you stood on the scales and your weight had increased a notch, or maybe you ate junk food or skipped your exercise class. If you fall off the wagon in this way, don’t beat yourself up – look upon it as a minor stumbling block and resolve to try harder next time. Don’t focus on perceived “failure”.

I often work with clients who feel down when they don’t achieve every single weight-loss target. People get downhearted because they didn’t complete every single exercise session planned for the week, or because they caved in and ate a biscuit or two. When this happens, I try to put things in perspective. The client who skipped a few exercise sessions? Until recently, he hadn’t exercised in almost 10 years – in this context, skipping a few sessions is no big deal. And the client who ate a few biscuits? A few weeks back, they were consuming nothing but junk food. Try to put your slip-ups in context. None of us are perfect, and so long as you are going in the right direction, you’ll achieve your target weight.

Now it’s Your Turn!

Write down 5 things which interfere with your weight loss goals e.g. “I don’t have enough time to exercise” or “I have a sweet tooth”. Then write down 5 ways you will overcome these obstacles. Keep this and refer to it when you find yourself beset by negative thoughts!

Stay positive – you’ll achieve your weight-loss goals!

If you’re in the Shannon area and need help with weight loss, find out more about our services, or give us a call on 087 930 7575.

Eating out should be a pleasurable experience – definitely something to look forward to! However, eating out doesn’t need to ruin your weight loss targets. Here are a few strategies that will help you keep to your diet.

Before You Go Out

Don’t starve yourself before you go out – this is a recipe for disaster, as you’ll end up overeating. If necessary, have a healthy snack before you go and drink some water to ensure that you’re well hydrated.

Think about your weight-loss goals before you go out – this will help you to stay in control. Visualise how you’ll look and feel when you achieve your weight-loss goals.

Restaurant Eating

If you are going to a restaurant try to get a look at the menu before you go out – it’s easier to make healthy choices in the comfort of your own home. Ask the waiter for extra vegetables or salad instead of the pasta or potatoes. Chances are they will only be too happy to oblige. Good options include:

• Tandoori mixed grill with salad & side vegetables (avoid rice and bread)
• Kebabs with plenty of veg – no pitta bread
• Meat with salad and vegetables (avoid potatoes)
• Omelette (with filling of your choice)

Steer clear of pasta or rice based meals and focus on meat and vegetables. Avoid bread – particularly during your starter. Needless to say, forgo dessert if you’re serious about achieving your weight loss goals – sugar laden puddings are a disaster if you are watching your weight. Go for a cheese board instead, and go easy on the crackers.

Avoid fruit juices and fizzy drinks – water is the best option. If you’re drinking alcohol, go for a couple of glasses of red wine.

Eat mindfully when you’re eating out – eat slowly, chew your food, and stop eating when you are pleasantly full. Just because you’ve paid for the food doesn’t mean you have to finish absolutely everything. Most restaurants will be happy to wrap surplus food for you to take away.

Eating Out at Social Events

Make sure you aren’t too hungry before you go. If you’re going to be waiting a long time before you eat, take some fruit or mixed nuts as well as a bottle of water. Avoid bread and breaded products such as chicken nuggets. Fill up on fresh salad and steer away from potato salad and pasta salads.

Avoid dessert – if necessary take a small piece to be polite and eat it very slowly. Keep half of it on your plate as a way of deflecting people from offering you more. Plan how many alcoholic drinks you will have and stick to it. Drink water in between every alcoholic drink – you’ll feel better the next day when everyone else is suffering!

Watch Your Alcohol

You don’t need to drink loads to have a good time. Alcohol contributes to weight gain, so you should moderate your alcohol intake. Set yourself limits before you go out – and stick to these limits!

Hopefully these guidelines will help you to enjoy eating out without wrecking your weight loss goals. Enjoy your food, take your time eating, and focus on the foods that you can have rather than the ones you can’t – dishes with meat, fish, vegetables, salad & cheese. Bon Appétit!

Need more help? Check out our weight loss services!