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The real way to lose weight without magic pills
9th February 2007
It wasn't the cold that was turning the air blue last Sunday...
It was my language.
You may remember I was going to have a go at putting some shelves up to house my growing health library and stop the kids getting lost under a mountain of arthritis reports for days at a time...
Well I did indeed 'have a go'.
And all I have to say is, if you ever want a miniature ski slope built for your pet hamster, then I'm your man.
I suppose it works to some degree. I mean, there are books on it, but one slam of the door and they'll all fall down. I guess I'll never learn.
And the same can be said for many people when it comes to their health...
What's the Spanish for 'no thanks' ?
Last night I watched a lady throwing away her knickers...
Don't worry, Lara was in the room with me, and the lady in question was starring in an advert for a weight loss pill that, according to the beaming smiles, works so well you'll be throwing your clothes out because they've become too big.
This pill - Adios - sounded fantastic. The ingredients are all natural, and the weight just falls off.
Great eh?
So why am I not convinced?
Well, the first thing that made start mumbling and almost hand Lara clamping a hand over my mouth is the fact that it calls itself 'a traditional method of weight loss'.
Now that's interesting. I can't imagine prehistoric man queuing up Flintstones-style at the shops, waiting in line for a mammoth to pop a pill into their hands with his trunk.
In fact I can't think of ANY case where taking a pill was the 'traditional' method.
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Morris Dancers maybe? I really don't know what they get up to, so maybe that's how they lose weight... but for any other group of people popping a pill is NOT the way to control your weight.
The idea behind these pills (and many pills like them) is that they contain ingredients that speed up your metabolism, and therefore burn off the fat (or at least more fat than usual) without you having to lift a finger.
Well that's what the ads make it look like anyway.
But then, you get to the small print, which says the pills will only work as part of an overall sensible slimming plan.
And in one swift stroke, the magic is shattered.
I mean, I could sell you a magic hat and GUARANTEE you'd lose weight...
Oh, er, as long as you cut out the carbs, cut back on the naughty treats, eat lots of fruit and vegetables and get some exercise as well.
It doesn't take a genius to work out that if you followed the suggestions of the packet without taking the pill, you'd STILL lose weight.
So my advice...?
Ditch the magic pills and miracle breakthrough potions and instead follow a sensible, DO-ABLE, eating plan. And get out and move around a little.
I can recommend trying to put up shelves as an excellent way to get your heart pumping.
In the meantime, follow this dead easy advice and control your weight naturally...
4 steps to nature's liposuction |
- Kick start the day with breakfast.
For years I used to dodge this meal complaining I didn't feel hungry in the morning, but you don't have to eat a full meal for it to qualify as a proper breakfast. Porridge is one of the best ways to kick-start your metabolism. It's meant to reduce LDL cholesterol (which is the bad stuff), it's packed with nutrients like vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium, and certain studies suggest it could even protect you against cancer.
- Look at what you eat (without getting nerdy about it!)
I keep going on about this, but only because it's SO important. But make sure you eat your five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. And if that sounds like I'm putting the world's worst curse on you, make it three portions a day.
Basically, just make sure your getting SOME fresh fruit and veg. And make sure it comes from Britain. If an apple has made two round the world trips before ending up in your shopping basket, it won't do you much good. Many of the nutrients will have faded after all that travel.
And always, ALWAYS make sure you treat yourself to some naughty foods. If you try and stick to a diet written by some food fascist, you'll probably snap and start eating rubbish because you think you've failed. But any diet that tells you to kick all alcohol, all fat, all sugar and all red meat is missing the point. Life is here to be enjoyed, not suffered. So don't, under any circumstances, be bullied into giving up all the things you love. Just cut back on them - that's all.
- Get some exercise every day.
A half-hour walk at a fair clip will do it. Ideally you need to go through 10,000 steps a day, which isn't half as scary as you think. I reckon I did 1,000 steps pacing up and down and screaming at the shelves last Sunday. It's surprising how quickly they mount up.
And it's surprising how great you feel when you start hitting that 10,000-a-day target. If this is something you're not yet doing, you should. And this little device can help you no end... (trust me, it's really good):
Talking Pedometer
- Listen to someone who's genuinely lost weight, and knows what to do.Okay, maybe it's a bit too soon to mention this man again. But I'm so impressed by his story and his approach (and the results he got) that I really want you to look at this and have a proper think about it:
Health Inferno
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That's it for today. I'm off to ring a handyman about putting some shelves up. Then I'm going to enjoy a brisk walk, maybe with a little cake and coffee stop along the way, just to prove that I practice what I preach.
I'll be back again on Sunday.
Till then,
Yours as ever,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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