It’s often said that it’s mind over matter.

This goes for dieting.

If you can believe in yourself, believe that you really can lose weight, and apply yourself to it, then you will.

Think positive about the whole thing. Don’t be defeatist.  Don’t tell yourself that you’re an overweight slob that’s never going to lose weight. Instead look in the mirror, and tell yourself how much better you will look (to yourself and others) when you do shed those pounds. Tell yourself how much better you will feel.

You don’t have to eat everything on your plate. If you find yourself wasting food, and can’t afford it, or feel guilty about such a practice, then order smaller portions when you eat out, and cook less at home, or split portions in two where practical for another meal another day, and freeze it.

You don’t have to eat every time you do anything. It’s perfectly fine to go to a movie without a 32 ounce soda, and a large popcorn. If you’ve eaten before you went into the theatre, and you’re going to eat again when you leave or get home, you’ll survive quite well without those extra calories! Also think how much money you save each time you don’t eat stuff that you really don’t need. You’ll find after a while, you break the habit of heading for the concession stand in any case.

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The virtues of the Mediteranean diet have been long talked about. One of the keystones of such a diet is the use of olive oil.

Good quality extra virgin olive oil is usually blended from a variety of olives and is a great base for healthy salad dressings, and is great for dipping with bread.

Unlike vegetable oil, which tastes the same wherever you get it from, the taste of olive oil is different based on the region it comes from.

There are various flavors from peppery to mild, and even citrus based. There’s one out there to compliment almost any dish, and olive oil is good for you!

Try some today, it’s way better for you on your salad than that ranch or blue cheese dressing in a bottle!

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This is true. The average stick of celery is six calories.

However it takes the average person eighty calories to eat it, and digest it.

Mind you, you blow away that good negativity if you dip it in something like blue cheese dressing, which contains almost eighty calories in each tablespoonful.

If you’re trying to shed a few pounds, or cut the calories generally, get used to eating that celery stick all by itself.

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African Creamy Cold Tomato Soup

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It may well be America’s favorite and best-selling salad dressing but it’s the easiest way to turn a healthy salad option into little more than junk food.

It’s awash with calories – about 150 – and fat – around 15grams – per two tablespoon serving. try giving it a miss next time.

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The Big Secret to losing weight? Eat Less, Move More.

Now, I’ve never believed in losing weight as a fad, or just to look god or to fit in a size smaller.

However, when I started to put weight on, particularly around the middle, which isn’t good for anyone, particularly guys, I decided to make an effort to do something about it.

No fad diets. The only weight you’ll lose with most of those is that of the dollar bills in your pocket.

Cut out the obvious stuff. Eat less junk food. Calories aren’t everything of course, but when you look at trying to lose a couple of lbs a week, and the recommendation is to limit yourself to say 1600 calories a day, and you have a half pounder and fries for lunch, with a large soda, and that comes in at 1400 calories, it’s easy to see why you should keep away from fast food as much as possible.

Avoid chips and dips. Eat fruit instead. Eat unsalted nuts. Quit soda, drink water, or iced tea, preferably unsweetened. Yes, cut back on sugar, and sugary snacks. For a sugar fix, eat some grapes. They cost no more than a family size bag of chips anyway.

Cut back on the booze, particularly beer, and particularly the heavier beers. Personally, I love those rich flavorsome craft beers, but some are 300 calories for a 12 ounce bottle. Now it’s easy to drink a six pack of some good stuff in an evening, and if you had that half pounder and fries and soda for lunch, you’ve had 3,200 calories today already, and that’s without taking breakfast and dinner into account.

Talking of breakfast, quit the donuts, and fancy coffee. Both your stomach and your wallet with thank you. Make a coffee at home before you leave. Get a thermal mug and take it with you in your car for your commute.

Cut out the creamy salad dressings. Make your own with olive oil, lime juice, a little sugar, and herbs.

Take a walk around once an hour if you’ve got a desk job. It helps circulate the blood around in any case.

You don’t need to join a gym, unless you want to body build. Of course, if you want to join one, go right ahead, but some regular walking will do fine. Use the stairs for 2-3 levels, instead of the elevator.

Above all, don’t try switching from a junk food diet, to a healthy smaller one overnight. You’ll last maybe two days, and quit. Just start to make changes one at a time. You’ll not notice the changes that way, but after a short time, you’ll wonder why you ate so much crap, or had so much salt or sugar.

Does all the above work?

Well three months ago, I was 235lbs. Now, today, as I write this, I’m 194. I’ve done what I’ve written about above, and that’s about it. In fact, I’ve done less than that, because I didn’t even drink soda, or take sugar in my drinks to start with.

Has it cost me any money?

Nope. It’s saved money on groceries – the food simply stays in the freezer and refrigerator longer. The beer bill is a lot less, and when I do get a six pack now, I really enjoy it more than I did, and I find I only want one or two in an evening, instead of guzzling all six.

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Many of those creamy salad dressings pack a huge penalty in calories and fat. Some are as high as 170 calories per two tablespoonsful, and almost 20 grams of fat.

The best dressing for a salad?

Go for something that’s olive oil based.

Here at TGFC, when we’re at home, we make our own. The juice of a lime, a little cane sugar, some olive oil, and some mixed herb. Just make enough for what you need right now. Mix it up, and leave to stand for an hour if you can, for the flavors to mingle.

Much healthier than most of the junk in a bottle you find on supermarket shelves!

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Funnel Cakes

Deep fried dough covered in sugar! What could be worse for your figure, and for your body in general really?

Around 800 calories for the average serving, and a huge amount of fat.

Corn Dogs

Laden with fat and sodium, and well over 1,000 calories apeice, it’s another ‘better to be missed’ on the go snack.

Chilli Cheese Fries

Fat, salt and calories galore in these.  Best to be avoided if you’re trying to be healthy and/or shed a few pounds.

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Forget all those expensive fancy fad diets. Lose 30lbs in a month? Who are they trying to kid?

The average sustained weight loss is about two lbs per week over time. Some weeks you may only lose a lb, other weeks perhaps you’ll lose three lbs.

You’ll find that the flavors of really fresh fruit and vegetables, farm-fresh new laid eggs,  lean meat direct for local farms, and locally baked whole grain breads, will have you eating a bit slower, which will make you fill up on less food.Still one of the best ways to lose weight is to eat good tasting food. Instead of consuming bland salt and fat and preservative laden convenience or fast food, why not try out your local Farmer’s Market?

You see, your brain doesn’t tell you you’re full until about twenty minutes after you’ve eaten, so when you scoff down that 1,500 calorie huge burger and large fries, it’s not until those twenty minutes have passed, that your stomach tells your brain that you’ve eaten too much. Eat slower, and you will be fuller on less!

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One Krispy Kreme Creme Filled Chocolate Doughnut comes with 20g of fat,  23g of sugar, and 38g of carbohydrate.

Why not eat some oatmeal instead? It’s high in fiber, helps to lower Cholesterol, and if you add some fruit like banana or berries to it, makes it quite delicious too.

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