Weight Loss – Page 2 – Hello Doctor

How being obese or overweight can damage your heart

January 22nd, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your heart pumps blood around your body around 60-100 times a minute, making it one of the hardest working organs. It doesn’t need any extra work, but if you’re carrying too much excess weight, it puts a huge amount of strain on your heart, which can lead to heart disease or a heart attack. Here’s why it’s so important to keep your heart strong and healthy.

Continue reading “How being obese or overweight can damage your heart”

9 Holiday diet tips

December 14th, 2013 by The Hello Doctor Team

In anticipation of summer, you’ve been eating well and exercising (most days) and you’re finally feeling body confident and ready to hit the beach in your bikini. But come the festive period, even the most disciplined people struggle with the temptations of too much good food and drink – often resulting in unwanted weight gain by the time January rolls round.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a practical strategy to help ensure you enjoy the festive season without compromising your healthy eating plan.

Here are our top tips:

If you’re counting calories, one important meal aspect you need to watch are trimmings and toppings. Nuts, cheese, creamy sauces, gravy and butter are all additions you can do without. And yes, your meal will still be delicious!
It might sound silly, but avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing if you’re off for lunch or dinner. Rather opt for something tight-fitting, this way you’ll be more conscious about keeping your stomach in, and less tempted to overdo it at the buffet table.
When you don’t want to eat, pop a piece of sugar-free chewing gum in your mouth. This works well when you’re trying not to dive into the buffet (again) or when you’re cooking.
As a general rule of thumb; if you don’t love it, don’t eat it! Stick to the foods you really enjoy and don’t often see at a buffet. Remember, you can have sausage rolls and pastries any day of the week! You don’t need to eat everything just because it’s there or free.
Always eat normally on the day of a party. Don’t fall into the trap of missing a meal to “’save” calories, as this often just leads to overeating later on in day.
When you first arrive at a party wait at least 30 minutes before eating, this gives you time to relax, and think about what you want to eat before diving in.
Start by choosing only two items to put on your plate at a time. Each time you go back, stick to the two item rule and put a limit as to how many times you’re going to go back for more.
Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of sparkling water with a twist of lemon. It will keep you hydrated, fill you up and reduce your intake of high-calorie alcohol.
If there’s an opportunity to dance, then go for it! It will help work off the food and drinks.

So you see, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy every moment of the holiday season, it’s just about moderation. Party on!

3 Changes that will help you lose weight

November 25th, 2013 by The Hello Doctor Team

You’ve been exercising regularly and eating all the right things at the right time, but you’re still not losing weight. Sure, your pants are a little looser around the bum and thighs, but the scale’s still saying that you weigh the same. So what’s stopping you from reaching your weight goal? Here are 3 of the most common reasons why you’re struggling to lose those extra kilos.

1. Don’t eat more calories than you’re burning

The basic principle behind weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. So, eat a bit less, and exercise a bit more. It should be simple, right? Except, all too often after we’ve had a good workout, we feel we can get away with over-eating or drinking – because ‘we’ve earned it.’ The problem: what normally happens is that you just end up eating back all the additional calories you’ve burned off at the gym. We also tend to overestimate how many calories we burn off versus how many we’re eating. You might burn of 500 calories in an intense gym workout, but then choose a creamy pasta dish at dinner, so you land up eating double the amount of calories you’ve burned off.

2. Don’t think you can outrun a bad diet

Regular exercise certainly helps you lose weight, as it helps create a calorie deficit whereby you burn off more calories than you consume. But exercise alone is not enough to help you reach your goal weight and shape. You also need to drop your calorie intake and take on a healthy diet that’s high in protein, fresh fruit and vegetables and fibre. Cut out any ‘bad’ health habits such as smoking and drinking. The truth is, a healthy diet AND regular exercise are what it takes to help you reach your goal. Sadly, no amount of exercise can make up for an unhealthy diet.

3. Consistency, consistency, consistency!

Healthy eating, exercising regularly, and avoiding ‘cheat foods’ is great. But, if you only stick to it for a week or two, then fall off the wagon for a few days before kick-starting your healthy living programme again – you aren’t going to lose those extra kilos. Consistency is key when it comes to losing weight, and keeping it off. Aim for a realistic personal weight loss programme – one that you know you can stick to until you reach (and are able to maintain) your ideal weight.

Like with any major life change, start small and stay steady. Do one change at a time – like increasing exercise or dropping sugar – and let it become a habit, before tackling the next goal. You can really do this!

Joanne Hart for HelloDoctor.com