Posted on 24 Jun 2015 Views 5713 Comments 34
Embarking on a new diet can be exciting but also daunting. Anybody who is successful in life be them an astronaut, athlete, chef or teacher knows that one of the key skills to achievement is preparation. And it is no different for yourselves as you too can make preparations for your diet, which will be the first steps to a new you.
Before commencing on your journey please make sure that this is the right choice for you and consult with your doctor to make sure that this plan is suitable.
It is important to know what you may experience during the first few days once starting the plan. For some, side effects may include headaches, hunger, lightheadedness, constipation, diarrhea and nausea. These are as a result of the changes to your diet which includes a decrease in calories and carbohydrates which are the body’s preferred source of energy. For others there may be no side effects at all and will be able to achieve ketosis without any problem. Once you are in ketosis you should find that these side effects diminish as your body adjusts to your new diet.
To help you manage these side effects and stay committed to your weight loss journey here are a few helpful tips to prepare you before you embark on your weight loss plan.
Take the time before starting to read through the website and the database of allowed foods and also the allowed drinks list and get stocked up with all essential items such as sparkling water, Coke Zero, Hartley’s sugar free jelly, vegetables, Oxo stock cubes and any of the slim, zero or Barenaked range that you may want to include.
Undertaking a new diet can be an emotional roller-coaster and during this time you will need as much support as possible. We understand that not everybody is comfortable or is wanting to share the news of their new journey with loved ones, friends or colleagues but you may find this helpful if you have people who you can confide in and who will be a support for you during this time. As well as friends and family for support you can also join our official Facebook group, which is full of members who are on the same journey as yourself who can share all the day to day trials and tribulations throughout your weight loss journey. We have full-time staff available 7 days per week who are on hand for any specific questions you may have. We also offer forums, live chat and telephone support should you so need it.
When starting a vlcd plan it is recommended not to have any caffeine until you are in ketosis which usually happens between days 3-5, as studies show that caffeine can slow a person getting into ketosis. So when you make the decision to start the plan and are awaiting the arrival of your parcel, take this time to start to reduce your caffeine or switch to a decaf version. This plan is based on ketosis which centres around 50-70g of carbs so if before the plan you have a heavy carb based diet you may want to look at gradually reducing down your carbs such as rice, bread, pasta or potatoes to prepare your body for the sudden decrease in carbs once you start the plan.
Our body is made up of between 50-75% water and we use up water during everyday activities such as breathing, walking, sweating and going to the toilet. It is a good idea to start to increase your water consumption if you have not already done this. We recommend between 2-3 litres per day and as caffeine has mild diuretic properties, if you are a heavy caffeine drinker you may find this helps to ease you into the plan a little easier. We do have water calculator which will work out exactly how much water you should be consuming whilst on plan, depending on your body weight via the weight tracker.
The goal of embarking on this plan is to get to your ideal weight and/or clothing size so it is very good idea before starting the plan to take a before photo from the front and side which can be used as a gauge of how far you have come as you get towards your goal. Also to measure yourself: measuring your waist, hips, chest, thigh, calf, upper and forearms. These measurements as well as your photo, is merely a starting point for you so that you can track your progress. You can also log your weekly weight so you can chart your weight loss progress in a graph.
The ultimate objective for doing this is to lose weight and you may find that by looking at the bigger picture this can be very daunting thinking that your goal is a long way off. As a way to help keep you motivated prior to starting your weight loss journey, write down reasons why you are doing this such as getting into an old outfit or a holiday you are planning on taking. Some find as well by putting photos of said outfit or destination around your home this can be a great visual aid to keep you motivated. Another fun way to get focused is write a bucket list of activities you have always wanted to do and places you may want to visit for example horse riding, scuba diving or that dream trip to Australia. The new you will be for the rest of your life and what better way to enjoy this than by fully embracing and enjoying all it has to offer.
By adapting these simple steps before you start you should find that you will adjust to the plan much easier and find before you know it you will be in ketosis and onto your first official weigh in. Good luck on your journey and as we at Slim and Save say “onwards and downwards”.
Written by Debbie Moore, Slim & Save Customer Care Department.
It's good to be slim
| In the last | 30 Days | Slim & Save customers have lost | 8,083lb |
Based on the Slim & Save customers who are using the Weight Tracker Application. (Data auto-updated at 5am each day).
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1) Don't try to motivate yourself by being negative, use positive thinking instead. Being overly critical of yourself and your body will only damage your self-esteem and lead to destructive habits like binge eating. Instead of focusing on what you don't like about yourself for motivation, instead concentrate on the good things that can come from losing weight.
2) Don't let anyone make you feel bad for taking care of yourself. Well-meaning friends and family can inadvertently make you feel guilty for choosing to be on plan when they may want to share alcohol or junk food with you. You are allowed to put yourself first sometimes, and the people who are worth worrying about will understand that.
3) Do be a part of the community. The forums and facebook page offer a great space to share the ups and downs of dieting with people who understand.
4) Do understand that you may fall off the wagon sometimes, and that's okay. Do not be overly harsh on yourself if you eat something you shouldn't have or use it as an excuse to give up. Put your mistakes behind you and keep moving forward.
5) Don't be a slave to the scales. Sometimes the numbers just won't budge even though you're losing inches. It can be tempting to decide that the diet isn't working and to give up the plan when the scales stay the same, but odds are that you are still losing inches. Have faith in the plan, if you're following it 100% you WILL lose weight.
Be amazed at how marvellous your body is,
Enjoy saying yes to the shakes and be proud of saying no to anything else.
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