Health – Preparing for ‘the new you’

It’s that ‘Oh My Goodness’ time when some of us finally stand on the scales and get an idea of the true “scale” of the problem. 

Research shows that winter itself can be a cause of weight gain, since those colder months disincentivise exercise and cause us to lift our calorie intake.

So, if you would like to lose weight, now is a good time to take stock and make a plan for reaching your weight goal. 

However it turns out there is a lot more to losing weight than just diet and exercise. There are three main steps you need take before starting a diet to make sure you get the best out of the weight loss journey. 

• Get good quality and adequate sleep – studies show that restricted or low quality sleep can hamper your ability to lose weight. You are more likely to snack and choose bigger proportions of high carbohydrate snacks if you have slept for less than eight hours. Getting high quality and an ample quantity of sleep before starting your diet is a good plan.

• Lower inflammation in your body, as it can lead to insulin resistance. This increases glucose in your blood which, in turn, encourages fat storage. Chronic inflammation can also disrupt the signals that let you know when you are full, which means you may just keep on eating. The Mediterranean diet is considered a low inflammation diet and may help decrease inflammation. Dietary supplements such as omega three or turmeric can also help to lower your body’s inflammation.

• Decrease stress levels. Stress creates a ‘fight or flight’ scenario for our bodies which cause them to release a natural stress hormone, cortisol. In a ‘fight or flight’ scenario it makes sense that your body will need some energy and cortisol provides just that. Increased cortisol stimulates your fat and carbohydrate metabolism, releasing large amounts of energy into your body. Unfortunately this also increases your appetite along with cravings for sweet, fatty and salty foods. To make matters worse, any weight gained from increased cortisol is often put on around the tummy area.

Of course, decreasing stress is easier said than done, but why not try meditation, going for walks (this will help with weight loss too) or dietary supplements such as L-theanine.

Once you’ve taken these steps to prepare, you’ll be ready to begin your diet and a pathway to the new you. Bring on Summer!