10 Healthy Ways to Weight Loss

The battle of the bulge seems to be a never-ending struggle, however the following 10 tips will help us to lose weight, or at the very least, maintain our weight in a healthy fashion.

I am on this struggle at the moment and I have found that these 10 things definitely do work.

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day - firstly, it is the amount of water our bodies need, secondly it makes us full, and thirdly we are so busy trying to take in our allocated amount that it doesn't leave space for us to drink fattening drinks.

2. Eat loads of fruit and vegetables - the recommended amount of fruit and veggies are 5 portions a day. Once again, they keep us full, they are healthy and nutritious and they are water based foods which will not cause us to gain weight.

3. Eat low GI foods - low GI foods keep us full for longer and are always the healthier option. These days they are well labelled in the stores too.

4. Eat smaller meals throughout the day - this keeps our metabolism busy, but does require some planning. Have a light breakfast, a mid morning snack, a light lunch, a mid afternoon snack, and a small dinner.

5. Don't skip meals - every time I get into the habit of skipping meals due to busyness, I gain weight.

6. Find healthy snacks - instead of giving in to the craving for chocolate or crisps, find healthy alternatives like popcorn, biltong, dried fruit, and crudites. Be imaginative.

7. Eat slowly - the faster we eat, the more we eat. Taste the food and enjoy it. Chew the food properly to slow down. The longer we take to eat, the sooner we feel full.

8. Use a smaller plate - we tend to dish ourselves portions which are too large, but a smaller plate will make the portion look bigger than it actually is.

9. Fun exercise - find a way of exercising which is enjoyable. If we enjoy the outdoors, walking will be a better option than gym. If we enjoy something, we are more likely to make it a habit.

10. Always choose the better option - in different situations where our healthy eating may be compromised, just choose the healthier option available. For example, when eating out and we cannot choose our menu, turn down the starter or have a smaller portion of dessert.

All of these tips need to be incorporated into our lives as a lifestyle, rather than a "once-off". The more we do them, the easier they become. And they really do help.

Do you know of any other healthy weight loss tips to share with us?