Five truths about eating that will help you be successful at losing weight

I've posted about losing weight in the past but suffice to say that the last year has not gone well for me. One thing threw me off track and it took me a very very long time to get my frame of mind back in the right place. But it is now, and a change of gym with the associated changes in routine that has created can only be a good thing and I feel I'm heading in the right direction. For me, I have gone back to basics and do things that I know work.

There are a lot of column inches written in newspapers and online about diets that is complete and utter baloney. So, today, I thought I would write down a few things I have learned over time that help me be successful and stay successful. I'm not promising diet miracles, but develop these as good habits and you will be on the way to success. And it takes time to develop good habits - at least 3 weeks.

1. Exercise alone will not help you lose weight if your diet is not right.

Ask any personal trainer, and they will tell you that you can never outrun or outpump your mouth. You can't hope to lose weight if your diet is not right, partly because exercising makes you hungry, which makes you eat more. Unless you are planning to exercise all day every day, and let's face it, who has time to do that unless you are an elite athlete? Pay closer attention to what you are eating, combine with exercise and you'll be much more successful.

Talking of which....

2. Tracking what you eat really helps you cut down.

However you do it, writing down everything you eat is a sobering experience. When it's written down in black and white, it will look a lot. Add in the calories and you have a powerful tool on your hands. Before smartphones, I used to sit there working it all out. Now, I use a site called My Fitness Pal to track it all as it has a lot of common foods in and you can add your own. It tells me how many calories I can have to achieve the progress I want and I can add exercise in to give me more calories to eat. I can add foods I've eaten from my smartphone, my iPad and my laptop so I can add it quickly anywhere. It's tough at first (see below) but after a while, it becomes a habit. It means weighing some things but that's not a bad thing. The minute you stop weighing and guessing portion sizes, you automatically eat more. Weigh and record. It's the way to go.

3. You will feel hungry. At first. 

You're trying to change habits, eat healthier, lose weight. Change is not always easy. Particularly if you are eating fewer calories, your body is used to getting more so you will, at first, feel hungry as your body demands the calories it's used to. But do not fear, this is not your life for evermore. If you tough it out for a week or two, sticking to roughly the same calorie level on most days, you'll suddenly find that you're not quite so hungry after all and that you are happily living on fewer calories. It's the initial hump you have to get over. The answer is to accept you will feel hungry, but also make sure you're drinking enough water - our brains can sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. And some very low calorie snack ideas if it becomes too much.

This fact is one of the reasons that the 5:2 diet doesn't work for me -  I never quite get over the hunger of the "fast days" and really, it's miserable being very hungry a whole day at a time. I managed for the first couple of weeks but then I started to dread fast days.

Which leads me to:

4. Learn what foods help to keep you filled up for longer.

There are a few types of food that do work to keep you feeling sated and warding off the hunger pangs which is useful in the early days in particular.

They are:

- protein, particularly lean ones (so lean meats, fish, low fat dairy, beans and pulses, etc)

- fibre (so beans, wholemeal bread or anything wholemeal, vegetables)

- soup of any sort; apparently the same meal pureed into soup stays in your stomach longer than the individual ingredients eaten as usual.

Out of that, you might be able to spot that things like beans on wholemeal toast, any soup with meat and beans, and a nice bowl of porridge are all good for hungry tummies and usually, quite diet friendly.

And finally...

5. Don't starve yourself totally.

You still need to eat enough, so your body gets nutrients and your metabolism stays as close to its current level as possible. If you go on one of these very low calorie diets, your body will adapt so that your metabolism drops (by losing muscle, which burns calories even when you're sleeping), so you need fewer calories and your weight loss slows down - and worse, if you go back to eating normally, you'll regain the weight quicker than you lost it in the first place.

It's also worth noting that if you have a few really strict days, the odd day off is not such a bad thing as it tricks the body into keeping your metabolism the same as before. Bodybuilders, on very strict diets pre competition to lose as much fat from their body as possible, still have one totally unrestricted treat meal each week.

Diets that promise massive weight loss in a short space of time are diets that should make you very suspicious. After an initial drop, you should really aim to lose no more than 1lb of fat per week, maybe two at a push. I've got MyFitnessPal set up to tell me what I need to eat to lose a pound a week. Anymore is just depressing.

Dieting is not all about eating certain foods in a particular order or whatever fad is in this week, it's about eating healthily in a way that you can sustain for a long time because, unless you are just losing a pound or two, it's for the long haul.

(This includes a personal recommendation for My Fitness Pal. I have not been paid for this post - I just think it's a fab tool.)

My Fitness Story... PhotoPuddle

Today's story in the My Fitness Story.... series is by a lady known to many as PhotoPuddle, who blogs at It's all about the photos, which contains some stunning photos taken by her and others. PhotoPuddle wanted to tell her story of how she lost over a stone. That doesn't sound like a huge amount, but it's all relative, isn't it? Anyway, over to PhotoPuddle, who has decided to call her story:

Weight loss – the everywoman’s tale

When Kate said she was after people to guest post about fitness and weight loss, I was quite excited as last year, I finally lost the weight I’ve been meaning to shift for years. I really am very proud of myself so wanted a place to shout about it and my own blog wasn’t really the place (It’s a rather nice blog about photography though, so do come check it out!)

Anyway, this is my story. I’m not exactly slimmer of the year but I hope I can be a bit of inspiration to someone who just wants to shape up a bit. I’ve never been fat exactly but slowly over the years, my weight just kept creeping up and I really wasn’t happy about it. I’d tried dieting before but to be honest, I really lacked motivation. I’d lose a couple of pounds but then I’d be back to my usual snacking ways. I even failed to get motivated to lose anything before my wedding or before a holiday in the Caribbean.

So what happened this time, I hear you ask? Well it was the way people often decide they need to lose weight – a holiday photo! I just looked at this particular picture and thought enough is enough.

I started the way I usually do when I go on a diet and that was by keeping a food diary. It’s really the best way to shock yourself into realising just how much junk you shovel into your mouth in a day. My problem has always been snacking. I’d come in from being out with my daughter and cram a few biscuits in to my mouth. I’d be out at coffee with friends and always order a cake to go with my drink. And evenings would be the worst. I’d have dinner and then an hour later, be tucking into a bag of crisps or some chocolate. So the snacking had to stop and this time I meant it! And you know what, something inside must have clicked because I did stop snacking. Now if I do want a snack in the day, it’s a rice cake or a piece of fruit.

And I am proud of what I’ve achieved because it’s not been a diet - my whole relationship with food has changed. I really don’t feel the need to snack on rubbish any more. I realise that it was just boredom or habit that made me eat in that way. I had final confirmation that my eating had changed over Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day I decided that there were no calories and I could treat myself to whatever I fancied. And you know what, I really didn’t fancy much at all. I was a bit naughtier than usual but the day I imagined with my face in a tub of Celebrations just didn’t happen.

So the result? We’ll I’ve lost over a stone which, as I said, isn’t a huge amount but it’s what I needed to shift. I’ve also gone down at least one jeans size which is actually a little bit annoying as none of my jeans fit me any more so I’ve had to have a bit of a shopping spree on that front. But it’s amazing how much more confident I feel about myself now.

So there you have it. That’s my story. I know it’s not a dramatic weight loss and I know I could still eat better but I thought I’d share simply because I think many of you out there can relate it. There are so many people out there saying they want to shape up but never really get round to it. It’s simple really - eat less (and exercise more of course!). By that I don’t mean make food the enemy, just stop with the pointless snacking and huge portions. Start enjoying your food and making what you do eat count.

Oh, and I still don’t think there are any calories on Christmas Day. Or your birthday in fact! Result!

Thanks to PhotoPuddle for sharing her story with us. I totally agree that food diaries are a great way to start becoming aware of just how much you're eating - and not just in snacks; many people underestimate their portion sizes and actually eat way more than they realise. I also think that getting your state of mind right can be critical to your success or failure. Sometimes, things do just click mentally - I think starting off with a goal in mind, but not expecting it to go overnight helps a lot. Weight loss is not a sprint, it's a marathon and there are no prizes for coming first, everyone who crosses the finishing line wins. 

If you'd like to tell your fitness story, please get in touch with me, either on Twitter or via the email address on the About Me page. Please feel free to share your experiences via the comments below if you prefer.