Boost Metabolism with Pure Oils

I’ve got a slow metabolism – no wonder I can’t lose weight
For a long time, a slow metabolism seemed like a good explanation for obesity. But the fact is people who are overweight don’t have a lower metabolic rate than leaner people – they have higher metabolic rates and burn more calories. An underactive thyroid gland can lead to a slow metabolism but this is quite a rare condition.

Gillian says: ‘Raw shelled hemp seeds and pure oils provide exactly the right combination of essential fatty acids to boost metabolism and aid weightloss. Try taking 1 or 2tbsp of hemp seeds daily or every other day, and try 1tbsp of oil drizzled over a healthy, raw salad.’

Keep a food diary over a salad

I try and watch what I eat and limit the amount that I eat – but I still don’t lose any weight
Have you ever kept a food diary? Eat as you normally do to start with, but make a note of every meal, drink and nibble that passes your lips. Keep the diary for a few days and you’ll probably find you’re eating more than
you realise – and that some of that may be packaged, convenience foods. Maybe you’re eating quite a lot of fatty foods – high in calories but not filling – so it seems as if you’re not eating very much at all. Don’t go for strict calorie-counting but do remember it’s guaranteed that if you take in less calories from food and drink than you burn off, you’ll lose lbs.

Gillian says: ‘I ask lots of my clients to keep food diaries. Usually they see they’re eating too much processed foods. These are typically high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fats, chemicals, additives and preservatives, and low in nutrients. All these substances simply aren’t good for you. By contrast, healthy fresh food is rich in the nutrients you need and will help regulate your weight.’

Eat raw food every day

I don’t have time to cook separate, healthy, weight-friendly meals for myself
The good thing about changing your eating habits for life – rather than following a cranky or fad diet – is that you don’t have to cook special meals for yourself. It’s simple to adapt family favourites by using fresh, low-fat ingredients and healthier
cooking methods. What’s more, everyone will benefit from eating more fruit and vegetables.

Gillian says: ‘It is important to eat raw food every day. You and your family will feel so much better if you increase your intake of raw foods in family meals. Every time you eat something cooked, always include some raw leaves, vegetables or salad. In the colder months, when you are eating more soups and stews, toss in lots of raw herbs and even raw veggies just before serving.’

Go wheat free for a while

I just love my sandwiches at lunchtime at work – and I love eating bread in general
There are so many ways to eat healthily but eating toast for breakfast every day, snacking on sandwiches, and eating bread with your dinner is far from ideal. Wheat contains gluten that can lead to serious digestive problems in some and may interfere with metabolism and weight loss in others.

Gillian says: ‘If you want to lose weight, you will have to go wheat-free for a while. And as part of a healthy, varied diet it’s important to introduce other grains such as brown rice, barley, spelt, millet, amaranth, quinoa
and rye.’

Try nettle or dandelion tea

I can give up most things but I simply can’t live without coffee and chocolate
Caffeine contains a chemical called benzoic acid that has a toxic and dehydrating effect on your body. Caffeine in tea, coffee, chocolate and caffeinated soft drinks also acts as a stimulant and causes a fast rise in blood pressure and blood sugar, followed by a quick drop. This roller-coaster ride of mood swings, fatigue, concentration problems, headaches and anxiety just isn’t doing you any good whatsoever. To top it all off, caffeine whips up your adrenal glands into exhaustion, leaving you prone to put on weight.

Gillian says: Try nettle tea. It’s a great weightloss tea as it boosts your metabolism and is a natural appetite suppressant. Alternate with dandelion tea and drink 3 to 4 cups daily.”

Be determined to succeed

I’ve tried and failed to stick with my healthy diet so many times before – there’s no point trying again
It can seem disheartening when your best intentions keep being thwarted. But don’t give up. Learn from your past experiences. Were you trying to stick to just too many strict rules? Were you trying to lose weight too quickly? Did you diet because someone else wanted you to? All of these situations can throw you off course. This time, change your lifestyle for yourself. Follow a healthy eating plan, enlist some support, set realistic goals and accept that, like all of us, you’re not perfect and there will be inevitable ups and downs. But be determined to make this next time the time you succeed.

Gillian says: ‘Try and do the right things 80% of the time and that will leave you with a 20% window of food naughtiness. If you do indeed cheat or you fall in the 20% naughty activity, don’t beat yourself up. Accept it – then get back on track.’

Drink six to eight glasses of water

I know I should drink more water but I can’t see how it will help me lose weight
Your body is made up of two thirds water, so water intake and distribution is vital for balancing hormones, eliminating waste products, keeping your cells working and delivering nutrients to your organs.

Gillian says: ‘Dehydration may make you overeat because your body thinks you’re hungry, when you’re just thirsty. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily.’

Find new strategies at parties

It’s bad timing, I’ve got lots of parties coming up
Just about every social occasion revolves around food and drink and there will always be something you’re invited to. At some point you’ll need to develop new strategies to cope with them – so why not now? See social events as a new challenge. Of course it’s fine to have the occasional splurge as long as you get back on your healthy eating plan the next day, but if you’re going to parties regularly you’ll need to do some forward-planning.

Have a filling bowl of crunchy stir-fried vegetables – use peppers, courgettes, mange tout – to make it more exciting and tasty or munch on a refreshing fruit salad before you go out to avoid over-indulging. And when you are out, stick to small portions. Don’t hang around the buffet table: keep yourself busy by socialising or better still, dancing! Booze piles on the calories too, so alternate alcoholic drinks with water or choose long drinks such as spritzers.

Gillian says: ‘If you or a friend are throwing an informal party then make sure you put out plenty of healthy snacks. Fill fruit bowls with colourful, healthy fruits, put out loads of protein-rich nuts and seeds and offer crunchy, fresh veggie sticks.’

You’re never too old for excercise

I am too just too old to exercise and my gym days are well and truly behind me
No one is too old to exercise. There is an exercise to suit everyone, no matter how old or young. You need to do something daily, no matter what it is. Walking is a great way to get fit and regulate your weight. Depending on your starting weight and stamina, do one minute, work up to five minutes, ten minutes, 15 minutes and so on. You should gradually and slowly work up to at least 30 minutes – and then try to do this four to six times a week. As you get fitter, you can add in a jog for five minutes within the total walk to boost yourself further.

Gillian says: ‘Adapt the exercise you take to your abilities and also how you are feeling on that particular day. Walking is one of my favourite forms of exercise. No expertise or equipment is required. You can do it any time and it’s free. Provided you do it regularly and for long enough, walking or gentle jogging can be just as beneficial as any of the more vigorous activities.’

Start eating healthily forever

I keep reading about the next big thing the celebs are doing to lose weight but when I try, I just give up after a while
Fad diets, or yo-yo dieting, won’t help you lose weight in the long-term. You may get some short-term weight loss but it will be virtually impossible to sustain. This is because the rate at which food is broken is down and used by your body – a process called thermogenesis – is weakened by the stress of constant dieting, making it almost impossible for you to lose weight and keep it off. The best way to lose weight and to keep it off is to follow a healthy eating plan that doesn’t cut out total food groups and combine it with moderate activity every day.

Gillian says. ‘Tell yourself that you are not on a diet. Dieting for a day, a week or a month or a few months belongs to the past. From now on you are simply eating healthily to create a new and exciting you.

Breaking bad habits

A habit is something you do repeatedly, over and over again. There is no set number of times you need to do something for it to become a habit. It becomes a habit when you do it automatically without really thinking – it could be eating a packet of crisps at lunchtime or putting the kettle on and having you daily shot of caffeine. If someone challenges you about your habit, you may get defensive because you just know how hard it is to change. Choice gives you the ability to break bad habits. You always have a choice. You can be a lousy eater and feel dreadful as a result of your poor food choices or you can choose to eat the right foods and realise your true health potential.