80/20 Nutrition Planner

Appetite Control

Introduction to Weight Loss

In an attempt to lose weight, many people go for the quick fix. This generally involves a decrease in energy intake to such an extent that it results in rapid weight loss. This is most often followed by weight regain in the not too distant future, leading to great disappointment. Research suggests that the best rate of weight loss is no more than 0.5kg per week. This rate of weight loss has shown to be sustainable and is less likely to result in weight regain.

To lose weight there are really only 2 lifestyle changes that you have to make:

• Eat less food
• Increase Physical Activity

You need to say goodbye to dieting, and welcome a new lifestyle!

We often know what we have to do, but find it difficult to implement. You have to address the key components of weight loss:

• Nutrition
• Appetite
• Lifestyle

Addressing Appetite and Behaviour

Our mind and psychological status plays a big part in weight loss. We have to develop a holistic approach to weight loss so that our behaviour matches our nutritional and weight loss goals. Your mind has to be in weight loss/lifestyle changing mode.

Serving Sizes

Watch your serving sizes of all foods.

Often when people are trying to lose body fat they concentrate only on reducing the amount of fat in their diet, and very often have extra large servings of carbohydrate (eg. a big bowl of pasta or rice). Watch your carbohydrate servings. If they seem very large, and you are actively trying to lose body fat, make them a little smaller. Try reducing your portion sizes by about 20-30%.

• A way of adapting to smaller serving sizes is to use a smaller plate. This gives the appearance of a usual-sized meal.

Try Eating Slowly

Eat slower and savour every mouthful. Often we eat too fast and therefore we do not recognise that we are getting full. So try eating slower and have a break between courses so that you can start recognising the feeling of fullness before you have overeaten.

Appetite Control

When trying to lose weight, you not only have to address the nutrition side of things, but also APPETITE!

MAKE EATING A DELIBERATE ACT.

You need to recognise when you are hungry and when you are full. DON'T eat just because you are bored.

You need to treat eating as a pleasure. Eat slowly and savour each mouthful. You will soon realise that you don't actually need the VOLUME of food you are currently eating.

Do not eat on the run. Make eating a deliberate act. For example, don't prepare a snack and gulp it down while you are standing in the kitchen. Instead, try making your snack, then go and eat it sitting comfortably and savour the snack. You are more likely to recognise cues of "fullness" when you eat deliberately and you will be less likely to over-eat.

Activity

As an exercise, for about a week, each time you eat write on a scale of 1-10 on the table provided, how hungry and how full you are before and after you eat.

Recognise cues that make you want to overeat

Recognise the cues which make you overeat and rely on high calorie foods. These may include work stress, relationship issues etc.

It is sometimes helpful to keep a food diary so that you can identify times when you may overeat. You need to recognise these cues and put in place coping strategies.

These may include:

• Choosing more appropriate snacks and having them available at times of increased stress (see snack options)
• Keeping busy with other activities

"Bad times"

Many people have what they call "bad times" when they feel so hungry they just want to eat anything. PLAN for these times. For example, if you are out and about prepare a container with 4 strawberries, 2 gingernuts, small pottle of yoghurt.

Go grocery shopping on a full stomach

One of the big dangers with shopping on an empty stomach is that you are tempted with foods that are high in calories. To avoid getting into this situation, make sure that you go grocery shopping after a meal, or at least a snack that has filled your stomach.

Structure the eating patterns of your Weekends

Weekends or days off can often be a downfall. Add a little more structure to your weekends so that your base meals are healthy options and you can add in "treats".

Fruit smoothies are often a good option during weekends as they fill you up and reduce the risk of snacking on high calorie foods.