My Top Weight Loss Tips

21 Replies

Over the last six months of Covid times, with all the restrictions, limitations and changes to life, I have to admit that I’ve got into the habit of having too many snacks.  Not surprisingly, I’ve put on a little weight and now the time has come to seriously think about losing it. Are any of you in the same position?
To get started, I’ve decided to think about my favourite weight loss tips. This is a slight diversion from the personal power series I’ve been writing about recently. But I think that staying in shape is actually an important part of looking after ourselves, so I’m including this article in the series.

The main goal for weight loss is to eat less than you need each day. But many of us at the moment don’t have the time or energy for detailed calorie counting. I’m hoping that using these tips will help to ease us into some healthy eating habits without feeling that we have to sacrifice anything.

My Healthy Eating Tips

Eat 3 meals a day plus low-calorie snacks – this helps to keep hunger at bay and keeps your metabolism revved up.

Eat small portions. Big portions add a lot of unnecessary calories.

If you have an “un-diet day” then simply resume your healthy eating the next day – never give up.

Drink some water or other calorie-free liquids each day. That could include:

  • tea or coffee with a dash of milk and no sugar.
  • diet soft drinks
  • soda water
  • tap water
  • clear soups

Don’t drink normal juices or soft drinks because they are full of sugar and unnecessary calories – instead of fruit juice, eat a piece of fruit.

Eat complex carbohydrates – such as wholemeal bread or rolls, whole grain cereal (including porridge or muesli), potatoes and sweet potatoes, wholemeal pasta or noodles.

Aim to eat about five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day. You can boil, steam, microwave or dry-bake vegetables, or fry with only a smear of oil.

Have a thin slice of cheese if you like it – but be careful not to eat too much cheese.

Rice crackers and wafers are very low calorie – whereas many crackers are high calorie because they are fried in the manufacturing process. You can see the calorie or kilojoule count on the labels, and compare the difference.

You can try some low-fat or no-fat yoghurt for a snack.

Eat only small serves of lean meat or chicken. Eggs are also great.

Fish is very low calorie so you can eat more of it (but not battered – pan-fry it plain or crumbed)

Avoid high fat foods such as:

  • battered foods
  • fried food
  • mayonnaise and salad dressing (replace with low fat versions)
  • creamy sauces
  • rich sauces
  • butter and margarine
  • high fat meats (choose lean meat and lean mince)
  • salami, cabanossi etc – pastrami is a much better choice
  • high-fat fast foods, meat pies, pizzas and french fries

You don’t need butter or margarine on bread – you’ll find it’s just as enjoyable without that.

  • Have toast with just the spread (such as peanut butter or jam)
  • Make a sandwich with just the filling – e.g. ham and salad sandwich, but no butter or mayonnaise.
  • Bought sandwiches usually have a lot of butter and mayonnaise and are high calorie – ask for a sandwich without those things.

Fry the low-fat way, using spray cooking oil or only a dash of cooking oil.

Tomatoes, onions and mushrooms are extremely low calorie, so they make a great sauce or relish for meat, fish or chicken.

Tomato salsa is almost calorie-free, so it makes an excellent snack especially with fresh vegetables or rice crackers.  It can also be used as a sauce.

Wine and beer have plenty of calories, so don’t drink too much alcohol.

Avocado is an excellent food, but it is very high in calories because it has a lot of oil in it. One avocado has 250 calories. For successful weight loss, try to keep avocados to a minimum – perhaps just having a thin smear on a sandwich.

If you’d like to find out more about how I lose weight, you can read my book THE ONE WAY DIET.

THE ONE WAY DIET

The pathway to weight loss

Blog 4 OneWay

Are you searching for the pathway to weight loss?

THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to finding the slender person you dream about, with simple advice on how to lose weight by focusing on your goals. THE ONE WAY DIET is not just a healthy eating plan, but is also about coping with every aspect of your weight loss journey.

People often say to me now that I’m lucky because I don’t have to worry about my weight. How wrong they are! Five years ago, I lost more than thirty kilograms after a lifetime of weight problems. Every day since then, I make the lifestyle choice to stay slim.

I call this THE ONE WAY DIET because, when I followed this method, my weight moved in one direction only until I reached my goal weight of sixty kilograms.

I’m giving you the benefit of my personal experience about weight loss, but there are no wild theories in this book. All you will find here is useful information and powerful inspiration.

  • Find out why most people gain weight and the most effective way to lose it.
  • Discover how to keep yourself motivated and how to cope with the challenges of everyday life.
  • Be prepared for each stage of your weight loss journey and learn how to avoid a weight loss plateau.

If your dream is to lose weight, then this book will give you the tools that you need to succeed.

You have nothing to lose but your excess weight, and everything to gain.

Now available as an eBook or Paperback at all Amazon outlets:  USA –  UK –  Australia –  Canada –  France  –  Germany –   Italy –  Netherlands   –  Spain  –   India

Thank you for stopping by. My name is Toni Pike, a multi-genre author who loves writing thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children.

I’m the author of DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS. My latest release is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE.

I’m also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips.

All My Books Blog

All my books can be found HERE.

You can find me online here:

Website: tonipike.com

Amazon author page: Toni Pike

Instagram: @authorlovestravel  – Sharing my travel photos from around the world

Facebook: Toni Pike – Author

Goodreads

Twitter:  @piketoni1

Linkedin Toni Pike – Linkedin

Email: authortoni.pike@gmail.com

Contact Form

Text and Image copyright © 2020 Toni Pike  – All Rights Reserved

21 thoughts on “My Top Weight Loss Tips”

  2. petespringerauthor

    It’s a tough time not to put some pounds back on. We’ve got wildfires going on up and down the west coast, so outdoor exercise is out. Gyms are just reopening, although that requires wearing a mask. I especially like the tip not to beat ourselves up when we have an off day. Get back on the horse the next day.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Toni Pike Post author

      Thanks so much, Pete – I’m glad you liked that tip. We can always keep trying to lose weight, and there is never a reason to completely give up. I’m so sorry to hear about those terrible fires – we’ve heard a lot about it on our news here. Stay safe. Toni

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
  4. dgkaye

    Excellent time for this book Toni with so many with altered eating habits these past few months. I struggled enough years myself and menopause was just one more thing to fend off weight gain. Calories and carbs matter! A lifestyle diet is the best way! 🙂 xx

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓
  5. olganm

    Thanks, Toni. All wise advice. I’ve struggled with my weight all of my life, but I am lucky that I don’t like butter, and I am a fan of fruit and vegetables, so I tend to eat more of those and less of other stuff. I also like seeds (pumpkin and sunflower seeds) and if one buys them with the shells (it’s quite easy to find them here, in Spain, although not so everywhere), shelling them keeps you occupied as well and you don’t eat as much. Oh, here in Catalonia we tend to use “pa amb tomàquet” (bread and tomato. You cut a well ripened tomato in half and rub it onto the bread, adding a bit of olive oil and salt to taste. See here https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/enjoy/8/the-sacred-principles-of-pa-amb-tomaquet.html) and not butter. Depending on what you are planning on putting on your sandwich, you can also toast the bread first and rub a bit of garlic…
    Thanks and good luck everyone. (I exercise at home with YouTube videos, so I’ve tried to keep active anyway).

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Toni Pike Post author

      Hi Olga, What great tips, and many thanks for that great recipe idea. I had never heard of pa amb tomàquet, so will definitely be using it. It sounds like you are very much in control of your healthy eating. A great thought about buying seeds in the shell. Have a fabulous week. Toni x

      Like

      Reply ↓
  6. Terri Webster Schrandt

    Your tips are actionable and timely, Toni! Although I can be successful on any diet, most are not sustainable. I like WW for its simplicity and I enjoy the external accountability it provides with monthly weigh in for lifetime members. With my gym closed and limited outdoor activities due to unhealthy and hazardous air, I’ve gained 5 pounds. That may not sound like much, but I’m 10 over and it took 6 months to lose those 5. I never realized how much physical activity I need to lose weight and keep it off. Best wishes on your book!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Toni Pike Post author

      Thanks, Terri – I agree with you, it takes an enormous amount of physical activity to lose weight. That’s why healthy eating is so important. But you are so fit and healthy, I’m sure you’ll achieve these goals when things improve in your area. Toni x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
  7. Debbie

    Thanks Toni, I really need this at the moment! I’ve got a bad knee and haven’t been able to get out and walk as much as I normally would and it’s definitely impacted on my weight. Thankfully I can ride my bike without pain. Great useful tips here!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Toni Pike Post author

      Hi Debbie, I’m so sorry to hear about your knee – I’ve had a ligament strain in my hip that has impacted me all year, but much better now after tons of stretching exercises. You look so fabulous on your bike – I hope you improve soon and I’m so glad you like my tips. Toni x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
      1. Debbie

        I am starting to feel better Toni after reaching rock bottom there for a few days and feeling sorry for myself. I really am lucky to be able to do what i do. I’m joining you on the stretching regime now!!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s