just one?

Despite the way it feels, losing weight isn’t a mysterious process. It’s a matter of burning more calories than you eat. Right? But, if it were really that simple, none of us would have a weight problem. Would we? For some, weight loss can be such a struggle that we start to think we have to do something drastic to see results - diets, pills or those flaky fitness contraptions on infomercials that promise immediate success. Supplements, powders, vitamins - all of them are overpriced and have been proven to be mediocre sources of nourishment.
The answer to good health rests not in a magic potion solution, but in an integrated approach to good baseline nutrition.
Healthy eating habits give you not only the energy you need to enjoy your life and also the best chance of warding off illnesses.
Every living cell in your body is made from the food you eat. If you consistently eat junk food, then that’s the fuel you are utilising to create your body. Eat more of the right foods more often. Foods rich in water, lean protein and fibre. These foods are digested slowly so they fill you up quickly and help you stay full for longer. They are also lower in sugar, salt and fat.
Make sure you spend time with your meals. Be conscious of every mouthful and don’t simply scoff food down between tasks. By slowing down you also give yourself enough time to properly digest your meal. And enough time (usually 20 minutes) to realise you’re full. Many people eat so fast that they continue eating long after their stomachs are at capacity.
One of the biggest challenges with eating clean and lean for most people comes in the ability to be prepared. Organising your food in advance is vital to staying on track. Prepare your food the night before, or weekly if you excel at organisation - it helps to ensure you stick to your healthy regime. With a plan you are less likely to stray when you rush in the door after a hectic day absolutely ravished and reaching out for the nearest sugar fix you can find.

Eliminate the excess. Once you do, you really won’t miss it. An average chocolate bar is around 400 calories. If you were to consume just four each week, that’s only one every couple of days, it would equate to approximately 83,200 additional calories (or 10.8kg worth of excess stored fat) per year. Does that shock you? It does me, I used to love the self-justification of the concept, ‘it’s only one’.
What would seven do? Just one chocolate bar a day adds an extra 146,000 calories a year. Can you see how ‘just one’ adds up? Many people think one a day of anything, doesn’t make a difference - but how quickly, how easily, that inclusion totals higher. What other small things add up? Do you also add in just one biscuit a day? Just one slice of cake? Just a handful of chips?
Think about what you eat, think about the results you are trying to achieve for yourself, think of the benefits gained in making consistently smarter choices.
Consider the healthy changes you will create for your body. Understand how the calories quickly rise with those little extras that are easily removed from the everyday. Cut the excess and make a difference. You certainly aren’t going to go hungry because instead you are going to be planned, and nutrient dense, in your food choices.

Is there just one unnecessary extra you can choose to eliminate this week? Make small changes each and every day and you’ll slowly (but surely) lose those extra kilos. The key is to forget about instant results and settle in for the long run. Body change is a process, not a protocol.

Keep your body and mind healthy! Get clear on your goals, and follow a solid program designed to achieve them. Sustainable results will be yours but you need to learn, practice and master new skills - over time. It’s well worth the journey.

Cheers to a healthy, focused week ahead - eat right and exercise regularly! Ann


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Questions/thoughts to annparrott@optusnet.com.au • 0412 753 899