People often complain that they are not able to lose weight after initial attempts to shed unwanted kilograms.

Unfortunately, what a lot of people do not realise is the time it takes to see quantifiable results. Think about how long it takes to gain significant weight… I am not talking an extra kilo after a big meal, but proper weight gain. It takes weeks. The same is true for fat loss.

Mid way through 2016, I committed, for the first time, to a genuine body composition transformation. Over the course of 4 months I was able to drop around 6% body fat and around 6 kilograms of fat, taking my weight from 70kg to 64 kgs on the day of my second comp.

It would be nice to think I was able to stay this lean, unfortunately as a began to rebalance my life with social events, wedding and Christmas, I did re-gain some fat. Because let’s face it, staying lean is hard. This is because of the discipline required to control all areas of diet and lifestyle and I have certainly enjoyed spending a little less time in the gym.

Having said this, staying in good shape is achievable and so is weight loss. Failing into the pity trap is no good for anyone- not for you or the people around you. So here are my top tips to help get on the right path for a healthy and lean life 365 days of the year.

TIP ONE- GET RID OF YOUR ‘DIET MENTALITY’

Stop thinking that to lose weight you have to eat foods you don’t like or live in misery. This will only act to alienate you from your goals. To get into great shape, healthy eating needs to become part of your everyday life. This is because of the consistency and time actually required to see visible fat loss. So choose foods that you like and make them a staple of your diet. Secondly, fad diets don’t work. This is because they only focus on losing weight as quickly as possible, which leaves you feeling less than average and feeling the opposite of strong and full of vitality.

TIP TWO- MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES

There is always an occasion… Birthdays, weddings, engagements, parties and so on. Get out of the mindset of fear of missing out. There will always be chocolate, cake and cheese…. Don’t be scared to say ‘no thanks’ or ‘not this time’. You will be amazed at the feeling of self-empowerment when you feel okay to turn down unhealthy options. If you are worried about the temptation to eat poorly, never go to a party hungry or take a healthier options to share. I guarantee someone else will thank you for helping them stay on track. Also remind yourself how you feel when you make poor food choices…bloated, low energy, guilty and so on. Teaching yourself to dislike unhealthy options is a really good way to forge new habits. It sounds silly, but the power of your mind can not be under-estimated.

TIP THREE- KNOW YOUR MACROS

Complex carbs are awesome! Oats, rice, sweet potato and so on are great choices. They will help you train hard, repair muscles and help with healthy hormone regulation. Simple carbs, however, from lollies, pasta, cakes and so on seriously jeopardise your fat burning potential as they surge insulin levels and cause your body to stop using fats for fuel.

Furthermore, consider carb cycling as a way to break through a weight loss plateau. Carb Cycling is where you cut your carb intake on more inactive days. This is a great way to manipulate you macronutrient intake to get great results.

TIP FOUR- LEARN HOW TO MEAL PREP

I am a big believer in eating the same foods each day to get the best results. This is because you are able to track your progress against calorie intake. I also know my triggers to make poor choices, such as when I am hungry, stressed or tired. If I have meals or food prepared and on hand, I avoid eating the wrong foods or too much. In my fridge, every Sunday, are containers filled with poached chicken, boiled eggs, salads and portioned snacks. Throughout the week, I am then able to grab food and go.

Weight- loss is not rocket science. Forge healthy habits, eat mindfully and get the right advice. If your expecting amazing results after a week or so, remember that if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

Love MFD