Weight loss: Get in shape for Christmas in 5 steps – by eating MORE earlier in the day
WITH just 65 days to go until Christmas, many of us are well aware of the need to lose weight before the festive season.
But rather than splurge your hard-earned money on diets and expensive gym membership, there are some simple steps you can take to get fitter before you gorge on those mince pies.
Leading dietitian Susie Burrell, from Sydney, has recommended five "dietary strategies" you can take to blitz body fat before Christmas in her .
And they include simple lifestyle changes including eating a bigger breakfast and not having lunch later than 1pm.
1. Start the day with a bigger breakfast
Having a hearty breakfast can be key when it comes to weight loss - as it kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day.
Susie recommends opting for foods that will stop your tummy from rumbling like bananas and eggs.
She says: "While fasting regimes may work for some, if you are actually hungry in the mornings, or exercise early, breakfast remains the most important meal of the day.
"And often it needs to be more substantial to keep your metabolism pumping until lunchtime.
"Aim for fibre and protein rich options such as protein bread with nut spread and banana, a banana and yoghurt smoothie or a couple of eggs with fruit salad to keep you full and satisfied throughout the morning."
2. Ditch milky coffee
Many people don't realise just how many calories are in their Starbucks cappuccino or Costa latte.
Susie, a brand ambassador for Australian Bananas, recommends ditching them altogether or choosing a hot drink that does not contain as much milk.
She says: "A cappuccino or latte may not seem to have that many calories but they do add up especially if you consider a single latte contains as many calories as a slice of toast.
"The answer is not to ditch the coffee entirely rather choose varieties that do not contain as much milk, try a piccolo as a small, low calorie alternative or make sure you count every milk based coffee as part of your meal."
3. Never eat lunch after 1pm
It can be difficult prioritising lunch, especially if you're swamped with tasks at work.
However, Susie says eating lunch before 1pm is key when it comes to curbing sugar and junk food cravings.
She says: "A common scenario in busy lives is that we eat lunch too late and do not make it a substantial enough meal to keep us going for another 3-4 hours.
"Lunch should be consumed by 1pm at the latest to help manage sugar cravings later in the day, and a salad or sushi roll does not cut it.
"Aim for a substantial 350-400 calorie lunch of leftovers, stir fry, salad and a wrap or soup and crackers and notice how much more satisfied and in control of your cravings you are mid-afternoon."
4. Halve your dinner
Most people have their largest meal of the day at dinner time - however Susie advises having something much lighter before bed time.
She says: "If you are eating regular meals and snacks, aim to keep your dinner lighter in calories simply by sticking to a small piece of lean meat or fish and team it will lots of fresh salad and vegetables.
"A light, small meal at night will ensure you wake hungry for a big breakfast, and will support you in achieving a calorie deficit and weight loss as a result.
"And if you love something sweet to finish your meal, seek out lower calorie treats such as a few berries with plain yoghurt and vanilla essence, ½ a frozen banana dipped in dark chocolate or a homemade sweet treat."
5. Make one meal soup or salad
One simple way to slash the amount of calories you consume in a day is by making one of your meals soup or salad.
Susie says: "The low calorie content of vegetable based soups and salads means that you could literally eat as much of these foods as you like without weight gain.
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"Put simply, when we eat lots of low calorie, nutrient rich foods such as vegetables, there is less room for other high calorie foods!
"One of the easiest dietary strategies you can adopt when trying to shift a few kg quickly and safely is to replace a meal with a soup or salad.
"Whether you choose a rich vegetable soup for dinner or a leafy green or roasted vegetable salad for lunch, your total calorie intake will be significantly reduced when you bump up the vegetable content of your diet."