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Apr 8

This Morning’s Dr Zoe Williams: Losing weight for good is about lifestyle change – Express.co.uk

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With wedding season nearly upon us and the summer holidays looming, its time to start thinking about shaping up. So weve asked This Mornings Dr Zoe Williams, a former Gladiator and practising GP with a special interest in obesity and weight management, for tips on getting fit for summer. Zoe says it isnt about quick fixes, but advises us that by picking up weights, finding a slimming pal and being more mindful about what we eat, we can be looking our best by the time summer rolls around

Dont resist resistance exercises

Zoe says: To tone up your bingo wings or tummy, you need to build muscle but youll never see those muscles unless you lose the fat thats on top of them. The best exercise to get rid of fat and tone up muscle is resistance training, which basically means exercising using any opposing force dumb-bells, your body weight, tins of beans that cause your muscles to contract. Mix arm exercises with burpees, lunges, squats, star jumps and push-ups.

You dont have to join a gym

Zoe says: If you dont fancy joining a gym, you can incorporate resistance training into your everyday activities. For example, walk home with your shopping bags instead of taking the bus, and take steps two at a time to build muscle in your legs.

The best way to lose weight

Zoe says: If youre trying to achieve fat loss, what you eat is the single most important factor. Exercise alone will not do it. The good news is that you dont have to cut your food intake drastically, just be more selective and eat more healthily. If you have at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, some lean protein, healthy fats and whole-grain carbs, youre likely to be too full to want junk food or empty calories.

Sugar is not the enemy

Zoe says: While its correct that refined, processed sugars are terrible for us, the amount found in fruit and veg is relatively low. A medium orange has about 80 calories and lots of nutrients, and by eating the fruit whole you get the fibre content, too, which will keep you fuller for longer.

This is why smoothies and fruit juice are not a good idea once you blend and break down the structure of fruit or veg, the fibre is altered and your body absorbs it quickly, so you wont feel full for long. And youll consume about five oranges in one glass of juice, which is a lot of calories and sugar compared to the amount that comes from actually eating the whole fruit.

You can lose weight fast

Zoe says: Losing weight for good is about lifestyle change. But if youve got a holiday or event coming up and are desperate to look slimmer, you can achieve rapid weight loss in a short period with an extreme diet, even though it may be mostly water weight that comes off. Some achieve good results on a low-carb or carb-free diet thats easy to follow.

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Consider fasting

Zoe says: Theres emerging evidence that the longer you can go overnight without eating, the better for your health as well as for your calorie intake. Leaving 15 hours between dinner and breakfast is good for weight loss and theres evidence it can lower the risk of diseases such as breast cancer and diabetes. The 5:2 diet where you eat 500-600 calories two days a week and regularly on other days has been shown to reduce the risk of all kinds of diseases.

Cultivate mindfulness

Zoe says: If theres one thing you can do to shed pounds, its to keep a strict food diary. We put so much food in our mouths that were not aware of. If you log what you eat in a diary or phone app like MyFitnessPal and tot up the calories, youll be able to see where youre going wrong. You might realise that a small bar of chocolate has as many calories as a whole plate of veggies, and make decisions accordingly.

Get a buddy

Zoe says: The psychology of weight loss says that attempting it as part of a team can work better than going it alone. If youre slimming and/or exercising with a buddy or group, you wont want to let them down, so youre less likely to eat that chocolate bar. Being part of a group may also tap into your competitive side and provide added incentive.

Avoid feeders

Zoe says: Tackle people in your life who encourage you to eat or drink more than you want: colleagues who are always bringing in cake, the friend who urges you to have another pint. Try to enlist their support instead by saying: Im doing a diet, so itd be a great favour if you didnt offer me any.

Be naughty now and then

Zoe says: From Monday to Friday I dont buy any unhealthy food, so its not in the house. I prepare all my own meals and take lunch with me, or if Im eating out Im as careful as possible.

But because food is a great source of pleasure, we shouldnt deny ourselves. So at weekends or if Im going out for dinner, I eat whatever I want. You have to get that balance right.

This Morning, Monday and Tuesday, 10.30pm, ITV

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This Morning's Dr Zoe Williams: Losing weight for good is about lifestyle change - Express.co.uk

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