No-one begrudges you a few nibbles and glasses of fizz over Christmas and New Year, but now it’s time to stop the rot before you forget what you used to look like before the 65th canapé of the Christmas season.
For help, we’ve turned to Amanda Grieveson and Katy Foggin – best known as the owners of Newcastle’s Believe2Achieve, which is the only clinic in the UK offering the combined body-sculpting benefits of Hollywood favourite Laserliposuction along with personal training, sports massage and – very importantly – nutritional advice.
Katy and Amanda are known for breaking clients’ binge-eating patterns by teaching them how to think and eat like a thin person. Here are their top 15 slim rules, plus some recipes you can enjoy without feeling guilty.
1. Drink smart
So is that bottle of Evian you carry round purely for decoration or are you actually going to drink it? Keeping hydrated boosts your metabolism, and drinking water ice-cold uses energy because your body has to warm it up (who knew?). Make it a habit to drink 2-3 litres a day and if you’re out on the town, match every alcoholic drink with a glass of water.
2. Cut carbs
Okay, this is easy – ban carbs after lunch. Carbs are forms of sugar and sugar cues the pancreas to make more insulin, which triggers appetite, which means those late-night toast binges are even more tempting. During the day, carbs produce glucose in your cells and you need them to function, but choose good carbs like brown rice, wholewheat pasta and wholegrain bread.
3. Spice of life
Spicy food increases your heart rate and can boost metabolic rate by 50% for three hours afterwards. Make chilli, get slim!
4. Exercise smart
Resistance training (like adding weights to lunges) hikes metabolic by up to 15% because it increases muscle, which burns nine times more calories than fat. Interval training (3 mins fast cycling, then a minute of easier pedalling) boosts metabolism too.
5. Sleep tight
Just one night of skipped or disrupted sleep slows calorie burn by 5-20% the next day. Make 10pm your bed-time and get up earlier.
6. Big breakfast
Your metabolic rate is highest in the morning, so eat a good and healthy breakfast to boost metabolism by 10% for the rest of the day. We recommend porridge (oats are better than any other cereal), eggs (low cal, high protein, zero carbs), and plain Greek yoghurt (thicker and more satisfying, great with berries and nuts).
8. Ditch daft diets
Crash diets play havoc with your metabolism, sending your body into starvation mode and making it hang on to every calorie. Eat regular, small amounts six times a day.
9. Read labels
Label readers consistently eat better than the rest of us, so get your specs out! Beware foods claiming to be low-fat or reduced-fat as they are sometimes higher in sugar, artificial flavours, preservatives and sweeteners. Yeucchhhh!
10. Control your portions
Before you pile it on your plate, keep this in mind – a meat serving should be the size of a pack of cards, a pasta portion should be as big as your fist and a serving of cheese the size of a matchbox (a SMALL one!)
11. Eat consciously
sitting on the sofa, ploughing your way through a takeaway in the company of Coronation Street is the road to ruin. Slim people eat consciously – they eat slowly, tasting every mouthful, putting their knife and fork down between mouthfuls. And they never eat on the sofa in front of the telly!
12. Eat natural
Swap white bread, pasta and rice for wholegrain varieties that keep you fuller for longer. Ban processed and convenience foods and eat oily fish, lean meat, fruit and veg.
13. Keep a food diary
This is easier than you think, and a great discipline. Simply carry a notebook and note every meal, snack and drink you have each day. Then, at the end of the week, read it and weep!
14. Downsize as the day goes on
Slim people decrease the amount you eat at each meal and snack as the day goes on, so your largest meal of the day is breakfast, and your smallest is supper (no less than two hours before bed).
15. Fibre provider
Eat 30g of fibre each day. This is amazing stuff, helping to lower insulin levels, keep you full and keep you regular!
Top energy boosters
Your body performs better when you fuel it right, so try these top energy boosters
Spinach – rich in iron and vit C, calcium magnesium and vit K to fuel muscles, also helps to break down glucose into energy and support bone health
Lamb – Lean red meat is an excellent source of protein and iron, helping to improve muscle mass and strength and stabilise blood sugar levels
Banana – The ultimate fast food, easy to digest, with natural sugars and fibre for sustained energy
Beetroot – Beetroot juice may improve stamina and endurance and lower blood pressure. It’s rich in B vits and folic acid, helping to build up red blood cells and prevent fatigue and anaemia
Eggs – One provides 6g of complete protein with zinc, iodine and selenium to support the thyroid and metabolic rate. Also help the body to break down fat
The dynamic duo
Katy Foggin and Amanda Grieveson of Believe2Achieve in Newcastle share some 30 years’ experience in health and nutrition.
Believe2Achieve is the only clinic in the UK offering the combined benefits of Laserliposuction, personal training, massage and nutrition.
Believe2Achieve, The Heaton Clinic, 52 Heaton Road, Newcastle NE6 1SE, email: info@believe2achieve.org.uk
Please view our Healthy recipes:
Hot and Sour Pink Lady Apple and Prawn Stir Fry
