I Have The Secret.........

Hello everyone.

I have the secret to losing weight...well, it's not a secret anymore since I am disclosing it here. I know everyone claims to be doing one thing or another, but I have finally found something that is working for me. It is not a new diet. It is not something where you don’t eat a particular thing. I actually got inspired by this book that I saw on television called French Women Don’t Get Fat. I applied the French way of eating and it actually works. So, what is it?

There are three parts to it.

1. You need to eat only half of what you would normally eat. This is something that even my personal trainer told me when I was going to the gym last year. This really works for me. For example, if I were to eat a 1/4 Pounder, I would choose to take a small cheeseburger. If I ordered pasta, I would eat half of it and take the other half home for next day. If I made Chinese at home for one person, I would split it up into half, and eat the other half the next day.

2. You need to eat your food slowly. Eat your food as if it were your last meal. There is emphasis on chewing your food minimum three times before swallowing it. Sometimes when we are very hungry, we eat really fast, without even chewing it properly. You need to chew it as many times as you can, and then swallow. Take your time to eat your meal. COOL FACT: It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. So, whatever food you are eating, within 20 minutes you will begin to feel full. So for example, if I am having 1.5 slices instead of the usual 3 slices of pizza, and I take at least 20 minutes to eat my 1.5 slices, I will feel full- so no need for the other 1.5 slices. (Normally, I would eat 3 slices as fast as I can.)

3. Exercise is important. You don’t have to slog it out at the gym. Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Thankfully I live on the 3rd floor so it’s not a bad walk. If you live on the 24th floor, get out at 20th floor and walk the four floors. Walk over to your shopping market, or restaurant if they are close to your home. Try to walk as much as you can.

In addition to this, you need to make healthy choices. I can afford to have a pizza meal for dinner, but I balance my diet by having bran flakes for breakfast. I can have chocolates for snacking, but I need to have at least one kind of fruit as well. I can drink all the diet cokes, but I also need to drink milk or juice as well. Introducing healthy foods into your diet will be beneficial.

This technique of eating doesn’t ask you to not eat anything. You can eat anything you want to, from that juicy steak to that delicious chocolate cake, but remember, eat half of what you would normally eat, and to balance your favorite foods with the more healthy ones.

I have been doing this for about two weeks, and I am telling you IT WORKS! As we are in the month of Ramadan, there is a lot of emphasis on eating for meals in the morning and evening and dinner. So one has to be responsible and sensible in what one eats, and to not over indulge into eating.

I already live on one meal a day (I cannot imagine eating two full meals a day—I will fall sick), and my issue is that I make unhealthy food choices, and then not burning it off. I become lazy. I also over indulge in chocolates and chocolate milk. But hopefully, with this new plan, I shall be able to lose my weight around my stomach!

Mansur