You want to lose weight.

You need to create a calorie deficit (burn off more energy than you eat).

You try to eat as little as possible.

First mistake made.

The goal should be to eat as much as possible while also consuming less calories. Mind BLOWN!

An example would be a half plate of vegetables may only amount to 100 calories while a standard chocolate bar may be 250 calories. We can all agree that the bar would be less volume BUT its not going to be very filling AND because of this you’ll be hungry again very soon.

The half plate of veggies will leave you feeling fuller for longer as it’s a larger volume of food and takes longer to digest due to its higher fibre content.

Clients have often lamented a suggestion to have 500-600 calorie meals saying “is that not a bit high?” when previously their low cal yogurt and apple (200 calories) has left them so hungry by lunch that they are eating all around them. Apply the same logic to every meal and by evening you snack on all sorts of shite foods because your body is saying “I’M FUCKING HUNGRY”.

Newsflash: Starving yourself will always lead to feeling and performing like shit. No fuel – you feel cruel.

I’ve never experienced someone that can exhibit stellar self-control when they are sooooo hungry they would fight you for suggesting you cook a meal from scratch either. We all know the hangry people in our lives. It’s near impossible to go for the healthier option if you need food NOOOOOWWWW.

“But Mark, how do we eat more food and still lose weight?”

Great fucking question Betty!

Answer: Eat better.

What do I mean by better?

You already know, right? Less crap, more foods that are healthier for us long term?

More vegetables and fruit – lots more. No, more than that – WAAAAAAYYYY more. Uncle Patsy isn’t 4 stone overweight because of his penchant for blueberries, k? They fill us up, provide a host of vitamins and minerals and should make up about half a plate of each meal.

Focus on building each meal around a protein source like all kinds of meat (beef, chicken, ham, turkey), fish and seafood (prawns, salmon, mackerel, tuna), dairy products (cheeses, yogurts) and eggs (fucking love eggs). Sure, you can use supplements too and add in some vegetarian options like tofu, legumes and beans but these are poor options for meat eaters.

Eat carb rich foods and stop being scared of them. Bread is not evil. Pasta wont make you convulse and scream satanic verses. They are necessary and really tasty! Aim to get them from better sources. Less junk food high in added sugar and calories and more fresh breads, potatoes, pasta and rice.

Drink more water too. You don’t drink enough. As you’re reading this ask yourself did you have 2 litres of fluids today? Aim for close to zero calorie fluids too. Water, cordial and tea or coffee count towards fluid intake and (milk and sugar aside) are generally lower calorie than alcohol, fruit juices and fizzy drinks.

The “I need to eat fuck all to lose weight mentality” dies now. You know it’s bullshit and makes your life horrible.

LAST THING: You don’t need to cut out takeaways or chocolate or alcohol altogether but you need to realise that habits around how often and how much of these foods are eaten need to change because your current habits have led to this point and if you want to see a change – make a fucking change.

Mark