Firstly, your body needs nutrients to function properly, to ensure that you have enough energy to actually go out and burn fat and most importantly, to aid the metabolic process. Take these essential nutrients away and your body loses its ability to do these things. So whilst your eating less, you might not only stay the same weight but your overall feeling of wellbeing will also decline.  What’s more is that when you stop eating, the rate of your metabolism slows because your body goes into starvation mode and a result, your body will actually hold onto excess fat for the purpose of survival.

Skipping meals is also not a sustainable way to go about losing weight and keeping it off in the long-term. So if you do manage to see a fast and dramatic loss of weight in the first few weeks of skipping meals, it’s likely that once your weight plateaus and you can’t lose any more, you’ll quickly revert back to your usual eating patterns to satisfy your body’s needs. In turn, this will lead to the weight that you’ve quickly lost to pile back on again.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you can indulge in any food that you like and still expect to see weight loss. Afterall, weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. Rather, it’s more about eating the right food rather than less food. It simply means eating less of the foods that will be harder for your body to burn and more of the foods that will keep your metabolism constantly working. The underlying thing to remember here is that the better nutrition your body receives, the more adept it will be to burning fat!

Eating better also means that you’ll be eating less processed and packaged foods that tend to last longer than more organic and fresh produce. So with this in mind I thought it’d be fitting to do a quick post on how to minimise food wastage and save money at the same time- making your transition into a healthier lifestyle much smoother and easier to manage. You’ll feel good too knowing that you’re taking a holistic approach into better lifestyle habits that will improve your overall living and well being.

The facts:

• Australians discard up to 20% of the food they purchase which equates to 1 out of every 5 bags of groceries bought

• Up to 40% of the average household garbage bin is food

• Aussies throw out $8 billion of edible food every year

What is food waste exactly?

Just so that we’re on the same page, food wastage is any food that we intend to eat yet throw away instead; food that goes into the bin, compost or is fed to pets. This is considered ‘avoidable’ waste. Wastage occurs because we often buy more food than what we think we need leading to the food expiring before we use it. We also tend to cook more food than we need and forget that we have leftovers in the fridge or are unsure on how we can utilise those leftovers for our next meal.

Just a few reasons why food wastage occurs:

• We buy too much because we don’t stick to a shopping list

• We often shop when we’re hungry so we buy more food than we need

• We are not taking the time to properly plan our meals and menus

• Takeaways are bought at the last minute instead of cooking the food we have

Tips and tricks to avoid food wastage:

1. Do an inventory check before you go grocery shopping

Although this may seem like a no-brainer, before a grocery shop many of us end up leaving the house only knowing the few items we actually really want/ need whilst only having a vague idea on the other items we may need, unfortunately leaving this decision for once we arrive at the supermarket. We get it, it’s hard enough to squeeze a shop into our busy schedules let alone take the time to clean out our kitchen but regardless, taking the time to do this is well worth it. You’ll realise that you already have many of the items that you thought you needed and you’ll also be able to plan your shop to ensure that you purchase new items that compliment your existing ones so that they don’t go to waste.

2. Check expiration dates at the supermarket to ensure you buy the freshest items

Often identical products at the supermarket will have different expiration dates to indicate their freshness. And because all supermarkets use the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle, it’s likely that the freshest bottle of milk with the longest expiry left will be hidden way towards the back of the shelf behind all the other bottles that the supermarket would rather be sold first. The same goes for fruits and vegetables- reach for the product that is at the very bottom and inspect each piece carefully for any bruises.

3. Learn how to store different foods properly

When it comes to storage, you can do more than just cling wrap your food or pop it into an airtight container before deciding whether it needs to be frozen, refrigerated or stored in a cupboard. There are individual tips and tricks that you can apply to virtually any food. For instance, refrigerated apples will keep longer than those left at room temperature and you should avoid storing lettuce with melons, apples, pears, or other ethylene gas-emitting fruits as they will cause your lettuce to brown. Avocadoes keep longer if your brush them with lemon juice and your dairy will benefit by being put at the back of the fridge rather than in the door- just to name a few simple examples. For a full list of how best to keep each food type fresh, visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.

4. Keep tabs on your food post purchase

Be sure to put all perishables in plain view where you can be reminded that they are there. Also try to take about 10 minutes each week to go through your fridge to see what’s in there so that you can plan your next few meals around the foods that are close to expiring.

These tips are a no brainer yet there must be some room for improvement if we consider that statistics show that if you add up the amount of food waste in Australia each year, there would be enough to fill 450,000 garbage trucks which, if placed end to end, would make a convoy large enough to bridge the gap between Australia and New Zealand just over three times. Crazy huh?

If you’re a dedicated SureSlim user, you’ve probably heard us repeat time and time again “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change.” Essentially, what we try to advocate is that weight loss should not be approached with a rapid quick-fix solution to what is likely to be a long term problem.

This is because rapid weight loss usually involves extraordinary efforts in a very short time frame often involving mass changes in both your diet and exercise and potentially the use of gimmicky products and supplements as well. The problem with this approach is that not only could it be dangerous and detrimental to your health but also usually involves lifestyle changes that are hard to maintain permanently which more often than not, will result in the amount of weight lost being piled back on again.

A loss of 1-2 kgs is usually the average recommendation for safe and sustainable weight loss and although most individuals will find it easier to stay motivated if they are losing weight faster, the advantages of fast weight loss are far outweighed by the benefits of a slow and healthy loss

The benefits of slow weight loss:

• Extremely fast weight loss often uses a method that involves eliminating food groups and thus reducing the nutrition in your diet that is required to stay healthy.This may lead to lethargy, fatigue, gastro problems and nausea. Depriving your body from necessary nutrients may also slow your metabolism which can result in your body holding onto fat and causing you to gain more weight.

• Your body is only capable of burning a certain amount of actual ‘fat.’ After that, it starts shedding water weight and burning required muscle tissue instead.

• If you are obese or significantly overweight, your organs will be used to working hard and at a pace that will accommodate for this extra weight. Thus, undertaking rapid weight loss may cause various internal problems if your body does not have adequate time to adapt to the changes.

• Slower weight loss dramatically reduces the risk of being left with excess skin after weight loss- something that can affect your confidence more than the weight itself.

• Realistically, if you set a long-term and manageable weight loss goal, you’re more likely to stick to it because both your body and mind will have more time to adjust and accept the changes you have made.

Although rapid weight loss methods might lead you to see quicker results giving you instant gratification and a sense of achievement, at the end of the day you’ll have to assess for yourself whether the approach you are using is something that you can realistically maintain for life. If it’s not, the truth is that you will most likely put the weight back on, with the risk of gaining more than what you originally had. When going about more gradual weight loss, the trick is to constantly take note of all the small changes you are noticing in your body and lifestyle overall and to be sure that you are giving yourself compliments and praise accordingly. Also ensure that you set small goals along the way to keep on track and reward yourself when each is achieved.

We are often so concerned with the amount of fats we are consuming that we forget that equally important, is the type of fats that we consume too. Whilst ‘bad fats’ increase your risk of disease and heighten your cholesterol level, ‘good fats’ do the exact opposite and actually help to limit the chance of these conditions occurring. They also deliver many of our bodies much needed vitamins and are a good source of fuel. Fat as a single nutrient alone isn’t going to necessarily cause us to gain weight either. This is because simply put,  weight gain is caused by eating an excessive amount of calories compared to what you burn- naturally, these calories come from all kinds of foods which include but are not limited to saturated and unsaturated fats.

The problem is though, it’s not always easy understanding these principles and navigating yourself around which fats are good for you, which ones are bad and how much you should be eating (unless of course you have some external help).

To put it as simply as possible though, be sure to steer clear of foods that contain ‘bad fats’ altogether and try to eat a balanced amount of ‘good fats’. A breakdown of which foods contain which fats can be found below.

‘Bad fats’ are typically found in:

• Snack foods. i.e. chips, biscuits and crackers

• Processed and packaged foods

• Salad dressings, butters and margarine

• Fried and crumbed foods

• Pastries that are commercially baked such as doughnuts, muffins, cakes and pizza dough

‘Good fats’ are found in:

• Vegetable oils such as canola, olive, and peanut oil

• Nuts and seeds

• Avocado

• Dark leafy greens

• Various types of fish

Of course if you are currently on one of our programs, your food selection list will tell you exactly what foods you should be eating in what amounts, however we hope this helped to clear up some misconceptions!

If you haven’t already noticed, the words “clean eating”, “organic” and “super foods” have been circulating the bloggersphere, your daily Instagram feed, and on the lips and hips of every person walking out of a Thomas Dux store. Sure, call it a trend that may fade in and out just like tides, but this craze seems to be catching on.

As a “fad” that has many people hurdling for the bandwagon, here is something else to throw into the mixture of healthy madness… While your whipping up your low-carb, sugar-free, organic feast in a bid to be kind to your body, take note of the pots, pans and plates you are prepping your meals with. Most of the utensils and accessories you use in your daily cooking routine are in fact laced with chemicals that are both harmful to you and the environment.

This doesn’t mean you should start ripping apart your cookware cupboard, but there are a few things to be mindful of when you purchase your next culinary items. Many companies (and not just the inexpensive ones) that produce kitchenware goods contain PFOA in their products.

What is PFOA, you ask?

Perfluorooctanoic acid is a fluorinated chemical (LCPFC) that does not occur naturally in the environment. This chemical is used to bond the non-stick coating to a pan.

Cooking in extreme temperatures where food can be burnt is when the non-stick coating will begin to breakdown and release toxic fumes.

Exposure to this sneaky compound has been associated with increased cholesterol, uric acid levels and other nasty side effects. Not just that, laboratory animals exposed to high doses of PFOA has shown to cause cancer, low birth weight and suppressed immune systems.

Well, what should I use then?

There are many “natural” compounds and alternative cookware items that are becoming available on the market. Paving the way is Valira – a Spanish brand that have introduced a range of induction products that all feature three layers of PFOA free coating.

The Revolution series by Revol is another range that is proudly 100% food friendly and recyclable; meaning they contain no toxic chemicals that are a danger to you or the environment. Not only are these gastronomic wonders safe to cook with, they also offer a playful and unique collection of casseroles and tajines.

Innovative and stylish, the Revol Basalt collection presents a contemporary health and environmentally safe option of serveware. That’s right; people are making safe serveware, too! Being a porcelain range inspired by natural slate, Basalt is making an appearance in both commercial and household kitchens around the globe.

Did you say harm-free and fat-free?

Well, almost! As well as being a natural option, these brands also have non-stick, non-porous surfaces and construction. This means bacteria and flavours aren’t absorbed and the best part – fats and oils are kept to a minimum when cooking. Thus resulting in a healthy, low-fat, gastronomic experience!

Current statistics show that over 14 million Australians are overweight or obese, and it’s shocking to think that more than 600,000 of these individuals are a child or adolescent. At the same time, scientists also predict that 80% of overweight children will grow to be obese adults and that our children will have a shorter life expectancy than earlier generations due to obesity.

This is due to the fact that obesity causes serious short and long term health conditions and diseases as well as reduces your quality of life overall with health problems also often leading to social problems. For instance, children that are obese often suffer from low self-esteem and poor body image (which often carries on into their adult life) and are also at a higher risk of being teased by their peers.

The scary thing is that despite all these stats and studies which demonstrate that obesity is a massive problem in Australia, there are still many who are lacking the ability to change their lifestyles for the betterment of not only their own, but their family’s future. We believe that this is not necessarily due to any fault of parents but perahps because of simply not knowing exactly how to go about eating healthy and slim. While it can be argued that yes, kids can be genetically predisposed to obesity, evidence suggests a healthier diet and lifestyle (which is a very possible ideal) can overcome these fat genes regardless and break the vicious cycle of family and generational obesity issues.

Now, by this point it’s probably pretty clear that we are passionate about the fight against childhood obesity and about what we can do to help future generations. In the past few weeks we’ve been inspired by ‘The Biggest Loser Next Generation’ and their plight to improve the lives of the families on their show with the belief that by allowing these family members to face their struggles and take on their weight loss journeys together, that they will help to create better mothers, daughters, fathers and sons as well as foster happier and healthier families overall.

So, if you haven’t already heard- we’re following suit and are offering a 2 for 1 family offer because we think that there has been no better time to kick those bad habits, reshape your family’s future and say goodbye to your family fat genes forever.

If you’ve also been inspired by ‘The Biggest Loser Next Generation’ or if reading this post struck a chord about helping not only yourself but a family member; a son, daughter, father or mother towards the road to better health and a better lifestyle we urge you to check out the details here.

If you’re anything like me, you are probably already fearful of overindulging in chocolates and sweets this Easter. But this special holiday can also be a good opportunity for you to try out some new healthy recipes (think lamb, carrots and egg recipes galore) and have some fun in the way that you choose to use chocolate over the weekend!

Indulge in guilt free chocolate:

Say what!? You might be wondering, is there even such a thing as guilt free chocolate? Well, when it comes to tea there certainly is. In fact, after doing a bit of research I found that chocolate tea is actually stocked at the very popular T2 store, with the description reading: “Cocoa bean chunks scattered throughout brews a delicious bittersweet treat… providing a discerning sweetness and a warm, nutty finish.” Ok, I’m sold. Consider serving this tea after Easter lunch/ dinner or when you get tempted to give in to the chocolate egg!

Another uplifting, healthy and refreshing chocolate treat you can consider is rewarding your body this busy weekend to a chocolate scrub to either kickstart your morning or help your body wind down at the day’s end. This Cocomania Body Scub from the Body Shop almost looks good enough to eat.

Fun ways to use boiled eggs:

Making your ordinary and traditional boiled egg seem more appealing to eat is also another way to help keep the temptation of chocolate Easter eggs at bay. Of course, one of the easiest ways to achieve this is by decorating your eggs in fun ways.

Hard boil your eggs and get the kids to help you dye them with food colouring or by creating your own home-made all natural food dyes. They are a perfect Easter snack but also make for brilliant table decor also. Alternatively, for an edge to your typical boiled egg try these straight up deviled eggs or this scrumptious looking egg salad.

Go with the roast:

Whilst a traditional roast lamb lunch or dinner can seem like a lot of effort, especially if you’re entertaining a large group, in most cases it’s relatively easy once you’ve got the seasoning covered and the meat popped in the oven. Season your roast veggies with some rosemary and thyme and you have Easter lunch in the bag.  Don’t forget that the Easter bunny loves carrots as well so for a fancy side that also satisfies your sweet tooth why not try this honey-glazed technique.

What are your Easter favourites and what’s your top tip for a guilt-free Easter?

Lucy.

So lately I’ve found that I’ve been feeling more sluggish throughout the day than usual. Instead of your typical 3:30-itis, it feels like I’ve been getting hit with 10 and even 12:30-itis also! Does anyone else experience this problem or is it just me? Then I realised that I’d been feeling like this for quite some time, but had no idea why. The obvious factors that arose in my mind were a lack of sleep, increased stress levels and of course, diet.

However, after realising that my sleeping patterns, diet (thank you SureSlim) and workload hadn’t changed much of late, I decided to explore the idea of exercise and then it occurred to me that except for what I consider accidental and required exercise (i.e. lifting shopping bags and walking to the bus stop) that I’d recently been neglecting/ failing to schedule allocated times for proper exercise.

It’s my belief (that I’m sure is shared by many) that accidental exercise is simply not enough in this day and age. What with people moving less and less frequently as society progresses due to technological advances and the growing need for increased efficiency and convenience to be established for virtually anything that we do or anywhere we go. In the past it has been put simply: Even before the invention of the email, people had to collect mail from a pigeon hole, or walk over to people’s desks for a chat. Before the internet, individuals had to actively go out and seek/ find information themselves or physically visit a friend instead of picking up the phone.

Although I already know that a lack of exercise leads to greater chances of lethargy, I was then shocked to find a study of over 220,000 individuals over the age of 45 which found that those who sat for eleven or more hours a day and did not engage in regular physical activity had a 40% greater chance of experiencing diabetes, heart disease and even death compared with those who sat for only four hours a day. The moral of the story? If you work the regular 9-5 like me, and spend your day sitting staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, the casual and accidental exercise really just isn’t going to cut it anymore!

More than anything, I want to stop feeling so ordinary during my day and start scheduling in exercise- making it an unmissable appointment that is just as important as any other priority in my life. Who knows if it will make a difference to my daily lethargy but it’s worth a shot! Needless to say, I have called my two best friends up and requested they come along with me to a local yoga session tonight for motivation which will be my first in a very long time. If you’re feeling at all like me, I suggest you opt for exploring a similar change. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how it goes and if I manage to make the yoga routine stick!

Lucy x

In light of this realisation I thought I’d remind everyone of the idea behind ‘the body shape’ and how to dress accordingly to suit said shape. This has very little to do with how much you weigh or your size but focuses quite literally on your shape. Generally speaking, there are four main types of body shapes.

Of course, they are: Apple, straight, pear and hourglass.

Apple- shaped: You have this body type if your bust in generally larger than your hips.

What to wear: If this is your shape you should be looking to emphasize your legs and butt and draw attention away from your shoulders. Be wary of straight legged or skinny pants and try to opt for something more flared as it helps balance out a wider upper body. Don’t be afraid to show off your legs either so skirts are a must!

Straight- shaped: This is exactly what it sounds like it is- your bust is pretty much the same as your hips and waist.

What to wear: Try to wear anything that pinches your waist in and exaggerates your curves to prevent looking boyish. Anything that adds texture and volume such as ruffles is great and be sure to avoid anything baggy. Also try drawing attention to your waist by wearing belts, high waisted skirts and shorts or dresses that gather at the waist.

Pear- shaped: This means that your lower body is generally larger than the top.

What to wear: If you are short/ have short legs opt for straight leg jeans and a pair of heels. You’re of course looking to accentuate your top half which could be achieved with something as simple as a cute neck scarf. Also consider wearing a push up bra and if you have a flat stomach and aren’t afraid to flaunt it, the infamous crop top which will make your bust look bigger may also be a winner! Finally, be sure to wear something more slimming and darker on your bottom half than whatever you have on the top.

Hourglass-shaped: If you have an hourglass figure your bust is generally the same size as your hips and you have a narrow waist. Ladies, if you have this body type you are considered lucky, so flaunt it as much as you can!

What to wear: First things first, if you have a large bust always remember to wear a supportive bra so that your chest appears perky. If you’re the kind of girl that isn’t afraid to flatter her chest, go for v-neck tops and dresses. Otherwise, steer clear of chunky accessories and be sure to wear plain tops and more colourful and patterned bottoms.

The overall concept however, is to enhance features of your body that you love, and to draw attention away from those that you don’t. The above gives you a basic idea of what this means but now that you know these very basic principles, the rest is up to you and depends mostly on what you feel comfortable wearing and of course, your own personal style. But most important to keep in mind overall is that clothes that make you feel comfortable will increase your confidence and make you look and feel amazing!

Luckily though, if you want to get started but don’t think you are quite ready, there’s a few steps you can take to prepare yourself so that when you do start, you’re as prepared as you possibly could be!

Firstly, make sure that you shop around and choose the right weight loss program for you. Weight loss does not involve a one fits all approach, so it’s important for you to do a little research into what will fit your specific lifestyle needs and the goals you wish to reach.

Once you have this down pat ask yourself the following questions:

Am I motivated and committed to making a long-term lifestyle change?

Think about your current lifestyle and think about what will realistically fit with how you personally live. Be honest with yourself, as knowing that you need to implement changes and actually doing them are two completely different things. Ask yourself what you really want out of your weight loss and focus on this. Whether it is simply to look and feel better about yourself, or to obtain better health – make clear to yourself what you want and why you want it.

How much weight will I aim to lose and in what time frame will I give myself to lose it?

Many often get discouraged quickly when they realise that they are not losing as much weight as they initially hoped. To combat this, again be realistic and acknowledge that for safe and long term weight loss, it is usually recommended that you aim to lose approximately 2 Kilos per week, which in most cases is very manageable and can be achieved simply by watching what you eat.

Could my emotions and state of mind impact on my ability to lose weight?

It is no secret that your emotions and your ability to lose weight are closely connected, with some experts even saying that 75% of the time your emotions are the core reason as to why you’re overeating.

The best thing to do in this case is to sit down and identify the potential emotional issues that could be affecting your eating habits so that you can work to reduce these issues before you begin your weight loss program. For instance, if work is causing you to stress more than usual, think about taking some time off to focus on your health, or perhaps wait until work quiets down and becomes less demanding. Similarly, if you’ve just experienced a break up or a relationship fall out, it might be best to wait until you’re completely over the situation to address another challenge.

So, whatever your reason, understand that maybe sometimes the timing isn’t always going to be just right. You should not however, let this get in the way of what you really want. Just remember that only you have the ability to be brave, get involved and change your life today.