Lose a Stone in a Month – Diet Plan

It is possible to lose a stone in a month quickly and healthily. You just need to know the right tips and tricks alongside a healthy eating diet plan. The very thought of dieting and healthy eating can sometimes feel like such a chore, but losing weight can be done without feeling like you’re on a really restrictive diet.

Look at what you drink

Fizzy drinks, beer, wine and coffee are loaded with calories, fat and sugar. In some instances, many people can save up to five hundred calories a day simply by cutting out these sorts of drinks and switching to pure water or herbal tea. This can really help to kick start weight loss because you’ll become better hydrated.

Many people often mistake the feeling of dehydration for hunger, so eat something when really what they need is a drink of water. Next time you feel peckish; have a small glass of water or herbal tea. If the feeling passes quickly, you were dehydrated.

Don’t cut food groups out, eat little and often.

Typically, someone on a non-weight loss eating regime needs to eat 2,000-2,500 calories per day for maintenance. Someone on a weight loss plan needs to eat around 1,500 to lose a steady amount of weight safely – anything less than this and you run the risk of feeling weak and not being able to function at all.

Don’t deep fry foods, if you can’t resist the taste of fried foods then switch to a healthier option such as the Tefal Actifry Plus which significantly reduces the amount of oil needed to cook your food. But if you can resist fried foods then grill, poach or steam everything and add no fat. Use herbs and spices to give high taste rather than salt, which can bloat you. Consider eating five small portioned meals a day rather than three large ones, this will keep you stable and less inclined to snack.

You need to eat:

Lean protein: Chicken, white fish, turkey and red meat only once or twice a week. Keep your portion size to around 100g or less; trim off any excess skin and fat before cooking. Look to alternative sources of protein too like beans and pulses.

Carbohydrates: Eat small portions of the wholegrain versions and sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. In your general cooking think about adding in more legumes and beans, for bulk and sustenance. You’ll feel fuller on smaller portions and your blood sugars will not spike

Fresh fruit and vegetables: These should make up 50% of your plate at any meal time. Load your meals with fresh vegetables and salad instead of going carb/protein heavy and you’ll find as well as getting more nutrients you’ll feel fuller on less.

Exercise Regularly

Walk wherever possible, instead of taking the car or bus. If that’s not possible, then instead of just getting home from work at night and sitting on the sofa, change into comfortable clothes and take a long walk nearby. It’s likely to give you more energy and stop you snacking and thinking about food.

Around an hour of walking, depending on how fast you go, can burn as much as two hundred calories. Half an hour of swimming back or breast stroke at the local pool could also help you burn off three hundred calories. Exercise like this two to three times a week alongside the food and drink tips here could well see you on your way to losing a stone in a month easily.

Learn to Cope With Stress

While stress is the silent killer, it is also the culprit for the bulk of that pesky fat that is found around the midsection. Although scientists are still uncertain as to the mechanisms behind this specific type of weight gain, it is clear that higher levels of stress are not only dangerous to the heart, but the body itself will retain higher levels of fat above and around the waist.

So, it is important to learn coping mechanisms. It should be obvious that a correct diet and adequate exercise will certainly aid in this aspect, but learning to reduce stress can also help drop that stubborn stone or two. Some may attend meditation classes while others will prefer to set aside fifteen minutes each evening to listen to calming music and focus on the positive things in their lives. Either way, reducing stress can lead to an overall healthier lifestyle while melting the kilos away.

Add Foods as Opposed to Subtracting Them

Does this seem a bit illogical when trying to lose a stone in a month? Well, one of the biggest mistakes that dieters will often make is to drastically curtail their diets without replacing the necessary nutrients with healthier ones. Not only will this lead to hunger pains, but is sets up the perfect conditions for binge eating after a stressful day or when invited to that Friday evening office party. It is important to remember that it isn’t necessarily the amount of food that determines weight gain, but the type of food being eaten.

So, if you cut out a normal afternoon snack of cookies, this should be instead replaced with a fruit smoothie or a handful of steamed vegetables as opposed to simply trying to “go it alone”. The key is to “trick” the stomach into feeling fuller and never forget foods that are high in fibre such as fruits and grains will actually stave off hunger pangs much longer than a few potato chips or cookies. So, this important nutritional strategy should be included directly alongside a more traditional dietary plan.

Don’t become too obsessed

Starting a new, healthier diet is definitely they way to go if you’re trying to lose a stone. One common mistake you can make as a dieter is becoming too obsessed with the types of foods you’re eating, there will be odd moments when your cravings will get the better of you. This is absolutely fine, in fact it’s recommended for those who are trying to lose weight to have very small portions of their favourite foods no more than once a week. This stops your body from feeling deprived and it also helps to prevent you from binging on the same foods.