Five weight loss tips you won’t have thought of

If you’re still struggling along at the same weight that you vowed to lose on 1^st January, then join the rather frustrated club in which so many others are members. Dropping a few kilos should be a fairly easy task if one takes a pragmatic, mathematical viewpoint; burn more calories than you consume.

If that were the case all dieters would enjoy perfect weights, and unfortunately that formula does not factor in life; rushing around, forgetting what we ate earlier, only having money for snacks, and running out of time for exercise are four small reasons that our waistlines might remain steadfast. However, some small changes to a lifestyle can really pay dividends, such as these:

You eat more than you think – reduce it

Write down everything you eat and drink in a day, work out the calories, and then add 15%. This is more likely to be close to the correct value, unfortunately.

How so? We underestimate condiments, cups of tea, the volume of oil and margarine, chewing gum, portion sizes, and many other little conveniently massaged facts and figures from the day.

Sadly and cruelly the reverse is also true according to seasoned runners; calorie burn calculations on apps and wristwatches tend to be generous, which is why Reddit runners believe that X Box Fitness deliberately estimates low numbers.

The colour blue

Red=danger; yellow=cowardice; blue=weight loss. A bizarre and lesser-known fact about all versions of the colour, be it aquamarine through to royal, is that it promotes weight loss. No food is naturally blue (not even the berries, really), and the only blue drinks one can think of are the dreadful sugar/chemical abominations consumed at cinemas.

Psychologists believe that because we don’t eat or drink blue produce, then we naturally avoid it. Dressing in blue, eating off blue plates, blue lights, markers and other symbols can make one avoid nearby food, and also be more productive.

Lock up your kitchen

It sounds a little excessive, but it works. Once you’ve eaten your evening meal, and washed up, then actually put a lock on the door. Don’t throw away the key, but regard that lock as a physical and mental barrier to remind you of the danger within. And when you lock it leave empty-handed – don’t bring snacks out at the same time.

Set a volume limit

Here’s a strange one, but it might just work. Grab a typical 4×4 inch café box, and put your dinner in there. Chips, nuts, fruit, curry – or a combination of all. Stick to it and eat nothing more, because you’re almost certain to lose weight due to the elimination of snacks and treats that you don’t even know you’re forcing into your face. It allows you a little of what you fancy, or a lot of healthy food.

Video yourself before you start

Photographing yourself before the diet starts can be effective, but be honest; you’re holding your breath and pulling your gut in, aren’t you? There’s no hiding place in a video however, especially one where you’re exercising.

So rather than a few photographs, set up your mobile and record yourself doing five minutes of exertion at home, maybe working out to a YouTube video. Look back again after a month of exercising and eating well and see how you look now. It will be better.

The editorial unit