With summer approaching, it’s the perfect time to refocus on your goals and set yourself some new challenges that will help you step into summer feeling healthy, happy and body confident.
Whether you have a holiday coming up or you simply want to feel more comfortable in your summer clothes, here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Aim for a specific date
Goals are more achievable when they’re SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, rewarding and time-limited. Look at your diary - is there an event you’re looking forward to that you want to look your best for? This could be anything from your summer holiday to a family BBQ. Work towards looking and feeling great (and maybe fitting into a new outfit) by this fixed deadline.
2. Do what works for you
For lasting success, do 1) what’s worked for you in the past and 2) what you enjoy. If you force yourself to eat salads or run on the treadmill, chances are you won’t stick with your weight loss plan. Instead, make wise choices using the foods you love, including any ZeroPoint™ foods, and find an activity you love, either outdoors or at your local gym.
3. Please don’t be seated
According to professor of medicine James Levine, we are “sitting ourselves to death”. Read more about the dangers of prolonged sitting, then try standing up for one activity that you’d usually sit down for each day. For instance, when sorting out paperwork, taking a phone call or posting your latest Instagram story.
4. Start tracking your meals
Research shows that people who keep a food diary are more likely to achieve a healthy weight than those who don’t write down what they eat. You could take photos of your meals on Instagram, write everything down in a journal or sign up to WW and download our fantastic app, where you can track your food, activity and weight in seconds.
5. Start planning your lunches
A little bit of prep can help you resist temptations in town or at the onsite cafe during your lunch break. We’ve got plenty of packed lunch recipes that will put in control of what you eat, and there's lots of tips and inspiration on meal planning and prep here.
6. Eat breakfast every day for the next 5 days
There’s always time for breakfast - even if it’s a quick and easy bowl of scrambled eggs. Breakfast is a meal you can prepare on autopilot, or even the night before (like our French berry overnight oats). Fuelling your body with a healthy breakfast will get your day of successful weight loss off to the best start.
7. Eat fruit or vegetables with every meal for the next 3 days
With the sun starting to shine and the days getting longer, now’s the time to take advantage of seasonal fruit and veg like juicy strawberries and tender courgettes. You could have a handful of berries with your banana pancakes at breakfast, a hearty salad for lunch and your choice of fresh veggies at dinner, from peas and corn to leeks and carrots.
8. Sip water between every bite you take at your next meal
You’ll eat more slowly, be more mindful of what you're having and should feel more satisfied at the end of your meal. Plus, water has so many amazing health benefits - check out this article which explains how water can help with weight loss and so much more.
9. Fill your fruit bowl
As well as planning your main meals, stocking up on healthy snacks can keep temptation at bay. Having healthy options within arm’s reach (such as an apple, carrot sticks with homemade hummus or oven roasted vegetable crisps) means you’re more likely to opt for them when you feel peckish.
10. Weigh your portions
It’s very easy to misjudge portion sizes, especially when you’re feeling hungry. Check out this article on how to perfect your portion sizes. Remember, ZeroPoint foods don’t need to be weighed, measured or tracked, making it even easier to fit the WW programme into your life.