- Water
- Be active
- Breakfast
- Alcohol
- Snacks
Nearly every diet will include this tip, and for good reason—it’s one of the best ways to lose weight. People who don’t drink enough water get their water intake from food, which means theyeat more in order to remain hydrated. Water is also a zero-calorie drink that fills up the stomach and provides a range of health benefits. What’s not to love?
Weight loss is a fundamentally simple equation: if you put out more energy than you take in, you will lose weight. In order to do this, you need to rev up your metabolism and get rid of energy through exercise. Doing the Qigong exercise described on pages 24–25 of this booklet, or taking a half-hour walk every day, will do wonders for kickstarting your weight loss journey. Do it in the morning to enjoy the benefits of a boosted metabolism for the whole day.
Many of us skip breakfast, but those who do often find themselves nibbling on unhealthy snacks and binging on food at lunch. Set yourself up for healthier eating habits by starting your day with a proper breakfast. (And no, coffee and a cigarette does not count!) Avoid energy-dense, sugary breakfast cereals and opt for fruit or whole grain foods such as wholemeal toast or Weet-Bix. If you find breakfast foods boring, feel free to eat a salad or leftovers!
Alcoholic beverages may be tasty, and they can provide a wonderful relaxing feeling, but that comes at a cost. All alcohol—even neutral spirits such as vodka and gin—is loaded with calories: there are seven calories in a gram of pure alcohol, which makes it almost as efficient at storing energy as pure fat (nine calories per gram). If you’re tempted to crack open a beer or wine, mentally picture the alcohol in that drink as pure fat, glistening on the surface. Do you want to drink that?
It’s hard to control your diet when temptation is all around you. So, rather than stocking up on chips, cookies, and so on at the supermarket, avoid buying in bulk and don’t take any home. If you really need a cookie, duck down to the nearest café and pick up an individual one, rather than bringing a whole packet home to eat later.