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This is not a diet — or a rigorous exercise program. (Nobody can stick to those for long.) Instead, it’s a simple way to make weight loss a natural part of the life you already live. And guess what? It’s fun! You don’t have to give up the foods you love or join a gym. It’s about balancing calories in tiny ways that add up to big benefits. You just adopt some tricks naturally lean people do. Pick the ones you like, stick with them, and you’ll slim down and tone up for good!
Learn to stop
LEARN to listen to your body and stop munching when you're full. Try drinking a glass of water before you eat, to make sure you haven't mistaken thirst for hunger. Then eat your meal slowly so that you'll recognise when you've had enough - the brain needs 20 minutes to receive the full signal.
In a restaurant, place your napkin on your plate once you've had enough. At home, squirt some washing up liquid on to your plate so you won't be tempted to have another nibble.
Graze, not gorge
A GOOD skinny trick is to eat little and often. Several small meals a day keep your metabolism running smoothly so you won't be tempted to grab an unhealthy snack or over-indulge at mealtimes.
Slim girls may seem to eat more with the grazing method, but by having constant nourishment and never skipping a meal they keep burning calories all day.
Don't deprive yourself
IF you ban all your favourite treats, you'll only want them all the more and end up bingeing. Instead, have a little of what you fancy to keep control of your cravings without feeling guilty and bloated.
Save calories with a healthier version of your usual indulgences. For example, fruit sorbet contains half the calories and a 10th of the fat of an ice cream.
Proper portions
TRIM women have a keen eye for a sensible portion. Learn the tricks of not over-cooking. A fistful of cereal for breakfast or a cupful of pasta for dinner is ample.
Balancing your meals is also essential. Vegetables or salad should comprise half of your plate, a quarter should be protein - beans, fish, eggs or meat - and the final quarter should be carbs such as pasta, rice, bread or potatoes. In just five days your belly will shrink accordingly, making the smaller portion an ample size.
Plan it
TAKE a peep into a skinny girl's handbag and you can guarantee she will have some healthy snacks stashed away.
Pop a banana in your bag, some nuts or seeds in your desk drawer and some chopped raw veggies in your fridge to ensure there's always something healthy to hand. Grab a healthy snack before a buffet or restaurant meal to take the edge off your hunger.
Brekkie is king
THE old proverb is true: your meals should decrease in size over the course of the day to help you achieve a skinnier self. Having a big breakfast is a good way (especially one with slow-release carbohydrates, such as winter-warming porridge) to kick-start your metabolism.
Follow up with a healthy protein-rich lunch (chicken or fish with salad) and a light dinner. Skinny girls never go to bed bloated on an over-full belly.
Drink and think
SLIM women prefer a 50-calorie gin and slimline tonic to a calorie-laden creamy cocktail. Stick to this on a night out and you can save calories while still enjoying a drink or two.
Don't drink to excess. Alcohol creates food cravings.
The burn-off
YOU don't have to be a stringent calorie-counter, but if you are busy make sure you eat the recommended 2,000 calories and 70g fat a day and provide your body with plenty of energy in the form of wholewheat pasta, porridge and bananas. If it's a lazy day, don't eat as much. Stick to healthy foods and do not consume more than 1,400 calories and 50g fat.
Stay active
SEE that skinny girl power-walking to work while you're sat on the bus? Or the size-8 lady tackling the stairs instead of the escalator?
It's no coincidence. Never take the easy option. If there is a more active way, choose it. That way, you'll burn more calories every day without having to make any big lifestyle changes.
Be a menu guru
YOU don't have to be boring and stash a calorie-converter in your handbag to be a skinny girl; just make wise choices. At every restaurant or supermarket there are always healthier options.
Enjoy exercise
SLIM women tend to work out to keep trim and toned, but the key to exercise is finding a sport you enjoy. Then you're far more likely to stick at it. Team sports or exercising with a friend are good, as you will spur each other on.
Moderation
DON'T cut out major food groups such as carbs or dairy products to lose weight. Although a few pounds will drop off, the diet is simply not sustainable.
Develop long-term healthy eating habits instead. Banish those bathroom scales. Your weight naturally fluctuates from day to day and even hour to hour. Continually weighing yourself will lower your self-esteem and encourage you to comfort-eat.
Love yourself
EVEN Kate Moss has lumpy bits she would love to change, but you'll rarely hear a skinny girl whinging about her problem areas.
Create a healthy body image by focusing on what you like about yourself, and a healthy attitude to food - and a healthy figure - will soon follow.
5 TOP TIPS
IF you tend to pile your plate, use a smaller plate.
BUY food in portion-sized packets.
EAT sweet treats with a teaspoon: a small portion will last much longer.
DON'T eat directly from packets, jars or tubs.
EVEN healthy foods contain calories, so control portion sizes. Stick to the guidelines on the packet.
LEARN to listen to your body and stop munching when you're full. Try drinking a glass of water before you eat, to make sure you haven't mistaken thirst for hunger. Then eat your meal slowly so that you'll recognise when you've had enough - the brain needs 20 minutes to receive the full signal.
In a restaurant, place your napkin on your plate once you've had enough. At home, squirt some washing up liquid on to your plate so you won't be tempted to have another nibble.
Graze, not gorge
A GOOD skinny trick is to eat little and often. Several small meals a day keep your metabolism running smoothly so you won't be tempted to grab an unhealthy snack or over-indulge at mealtimes.
Slim girls may seem to eat more with the grazing method, but by having constant nourishment and never skipping a meal they keep burning calories all day.
Don't deprive yourself
IF you ban all your favourite treats, you'll only want them all the more and end up bingeing. Instead, have a little of what you fancy to keep control of your cravings without feeling guilty and bloated.
Save calories with a healthier version of your usual indulgences. For example, fruit sorbet contains half the calories and a 10th of the fat of an ice cream.
Proper portions
TRIM women have a keen eye for a sensible portion. Learn the tricks of not over-cooking. A fistful of cereal for breakfast or a cupful of pasta for dinner is ample.
Balancing your meals is also essential. Vegetables or salad should comprise half of your plate, a quarter should be protein - beans, fish, eggs or meat - and the final quarter should be carbs such as pasta, rice, bread or potatoes. In just five days your belly will shrink accordingly, making the smaller portion an ample size.
Plan it
TAKE a peep into a skinny girl's handbag and you can guarantee she will have some healthy snacks stashed away.
Pop a banana in your bag, some nuts or seeds in your desk drawer and some chopped raw veggies in your fridge to ensure there's always something healthy to hand. Grab a healthy snack before a buffet or restaurant meal to take the edge off your hunger.
Brekkie is king
THE old proverb is true: your meals should decrease in size over the course of the day to help you achieve a skinnier self. Having a big breakfast is a good way (especially one with slow-release carbohydrates, such as winter-warming porridge) to kick-start your metabolism.
Follow up with a healthy protein-rich lunch (chicken or fish with salad) and a light dinner. Skinny girls never go to bed bloated on an over-full belly.
Drink and think
SLIM women prefer a 50-calorie gin and slimline tonic to a calorie-laden creamy cocktail. Stick to this on a night out and you can save calories while still enjoying a drink or two.
Don't drink to excess. Alcohol creates food cravings.
The burn-off
YOU don't have to be a stringent calorie-counter, but if you are busy make sure you eat the recommended 2,000 calories and 70g fat a day and provide your body with plenty of energy in the form of wholewheat pasta, porridge and bananas. If it's a lazy day, don't eat as much. Stick to healthy foods and do not consume more than 1,400 calories and 50g fat.
Stay active
SEE that skinny girl power-walking to work while you're sat on the bus? Or the size-8 lady tackling the stairs instead of the escalator?
It's no coincidence. Never take the easy option. If there is a more active way, choose it. That way, you'll burn more calories every day without having to make any big lifestyle changes.
Be a menu guru
YOU don't have to be boring and stash a calorie-converter in your handbag to be a skinny girl; just make wise choices. At every restaurant or supermarket there are always healthier options.
Enjoy exercise
SLIM women tend to work out to keep trim and toned, but the key to exercise is finding a sport you enjoy. Then you're far more likely to stick at it. Team sports or exercising with a friend are good, as you will spur each other on.
Moderation
DON'T cut out major food groups such as carbs or dairy products to lose weight. Although a few pounds will drop off, the diet is simply not sustainable.
Develop long-term healthy eating habits instead. Banish those bathroom scales. Your weight naturally fluctuates from day to day and even hour to hour. Continually weighing yourself will lower your self-esteem and encourage you to comfort-eat.
Love yourself
EVEN Kate Moss has lumpy bits she would love to change, but you'll rarely hear a skinny girl whinging about her problem areas.
Create a healthy body image by focusing on what you like about yourself, and a healthy attitude to food - and a healthy figure - will soon follow.
5 TOP TIPS
IF you tend to pile your plate, use a smaller plate.
BUY food in portion-sized packets.
EAT sweet treats with a teaspoon: a small portion will last much longer.
DON'T eat directly from packets, jars or tubs.
EVEN healthy foods contain calories, so control portion sizes. Stick to the guidelines on the packet.
SECRET 10 BEST FOODS FOR WOMEN
- Something's Fishy!Salmon was at one time avoided in favour of white fish or sole, due its higher fat content. However, once we understood the value and benefit of the essential "Omega 3 fatty acids" present in salmon and other oily fish, it was back on the plate. Salmon is also high in protein, low in cholesterol and contains other essential vitamins.Eat one or two fish meals per week for good health. The good news is that FSANZ has found it is safe for all population groups to eat 2-3 serves per week of most types of fish. There are only a few types of fish, which FSANZ recommends limiting in the diet - these are billfish (swordfish / broadbill and marlin), shark/flake, orange roughy and catfish.
- Crank Up the Calcium!
- Women of all ages need enough calcium in their diets to build and maintain strong bones. Milk and yogurt are 2 ways to get your calcium. Calcium-rich foods that are also good sources of magnesium (and other nutrients) go a long way to supporting bone, and heart health. Magnesium is the nutrient that plays an important role in the creation of new bone; so think about seeds and nuts as healthy additions to a wholegrain cereal. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are alkalising minerals.If you feel you need to supplement with calcium, remember that calcium should be taken with magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. This is because calcium and magnesium require each other for proper absorption, and utilisation in the body. So, if you supplement with 500 mg of calcium, you need to take 250 mg of magnesium at the same time. eVitamins has the best range of vitamins and supplements and a very comprehensive website to help you determine your needs.
- Green Power!
- Broccoli for example is not only a good source of calcium, potassium and B vitamins; it contains plant substances called sulphurophanes. These plant chemicals are cancer-protective and help the liver process and clear any excess oestrogen. Excess oestrogen causes weight gain, hormonal imbalances, night sweating, and presents an increased risk of fibroids, breast cysts, breast cancer and endometriosis.
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- Water me please!
- Water is a nutrient and the fact is we need it... and plenty of it. Certainly, water may be one of the best tools in the weight loss game. It not only suppresses the appetite, but helps the body metabolise stored fat. Water keeps the body's tissues well hydrated, so if you want smooth, line-free skin for as long as is naturally possible... drink up!
- Soy Good!
- Soya foods (including beans, tofu, Soya milk & yogurt, soy sauce, Tamari and Miso) are the richest food sources of phytoestrogens (and of course soy protein). The natural plant substances - phytoestrogens - are now thought to be beneficial in maintaining bone density. Tofu, milk, and yogurt are also great calcium sources. All these foods can help a woman significantly lower her bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL) cholesterol. Tofu is a great source of low-fat, vegetable protein, best used in a vegetable stir-fry with soy sauce, and brown rice. Slim Secrets bars are also a great source of soy protein and taste great!
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- Iron it out!
- Women need to eat more iron-rich foods. Getting iron from food (as opposed to a supplement) is by far the best way to get the correct amount of iron the body needs and can absorb. Lean red meats and dark poultry are the ideal food sources of iron. Unfortunately that doesn't help much if you are vegetarian or one of the many women who avoid red meats. In this case, think about eating more of the following iron-rich foods... lentils, dried apricots, beans, spinach, enriched wholegrain cereals, pumpkin seeds, and oysters! If you do need to take a supplement please go to eVitamins for the best supplements on the market.
- Flax those muscles!
- Flax seeds (or linseeds) and flax seed oil have so much to offer women. For starters, flax is full of "essential" Omega 3 fatty acids (EFA's), which help to balance women's hormones, protect a woman from heart disease (the leading cause of premature death among women) and the pain of arthritis. The dietary fibres in flax are called lignans, which contain phytoestrogens, currently being researched and showing promise in cancer prevention. Lignans are also thought to have antioxidant properties. The best way to get the benefit of the flaxseeds fibre and oils is to grind them in a clean coffee mill, used just for this purpose. Alternatively use a pestle and mortar, and sprinkle them onto cereal in the morning or add them to a bowl of natural yogurt and fruit. The essential fatty acids are very fragile, unstable, and liable to oxidation if exposed to light and air. Within the whole seeds, the oil is protected. So buy fresh, organic seeds if at all possible. You can eat them whole; just chew them thoroughly!
- Orange Aid
- Orange vegetables such as orange squashes (and tubers) like pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes are a girl's best friend when it comes to nutritious, comforting food. All these foods are filling, low in calories, and rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which will work plenty of its antioxidant magic in your body. Antioxidants are important in the anti-ageing process, helping to repair and regenerate skin and other tissues. Beta-carotene is also thought to help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
- Kale who?
- Kale is an often-overlooked vegetable that happens to be loaded with folate (folic acid), an important B vitamin for women. Having a deficiency in folic acid during pregnancy may cause neural-tube defects in babies. Kale is also an excellent source of vitamin C and calcium, too.
- Well BeanBeans and pulses should be included in everyone's diet, but for women they are especially important. They are highly nutritious, low in fat, and an excellent source of vegetable protein. A fibre-rich diet is one of the first components to colon cancer prevention, and with more women dying of colon cancer than breast cancer every year; it makes sense to eat plenty of beans. This group of foods also contains phytoestrogens, the natural plant hormones, which are also protective against cancer, as well as being important for bone health. Bring on those beans!
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