When it comes to losing weight, while it can often feel easy to shake the first few kilos, by the time it comes around to the last five it often seems like an uphill battle.
But it needn’t be.
Australian dietitian, Susie Burrell, has revealed her ten simple tips for shifting the last five kilograms – and she estimates that if you follow these steps, you should see a loss of around half a kilo or one kilo a week.
Australian dietitian, Susie Burrell (pictured), has revealed her ten simple tips for shifting the last five kilograms
1. Make breakfast your largest meal and make it high protein
Firstly, Susie wrote on her blog that breakfast should be your largest meal of the day:
‘Protein is a super nutrient when it comes to weight loss as it is digested more slowly than carbs and hence helps to keep the hormonal systems that control our appetite and fat-burning hormones well regulated,’ she explained.
Susie recommends you aim to consume between 15 and 20 grams of protein at breakfast, either via eggs, a protein shake, baked beans or natural yoghurt.
Not only will these items ‘help to kick start metabolic rate for the day’, but they should also keep you full for around three or four hours.
2. Drink a green tea after each meal and watch liquid calories
According to the Sydney-based dietitian, green tea is a great addition to a meal – as it can help to speed up your metabolism and stop you from consuming idle liquid calories:
‘It doesn’t matter whether the calories come from wine, juice, coffee or a smoothie, the body does not compensate well when we consume liquid calories,’ she said.
Switch out the coffee, alcohol or juice for water or herbal tea and you’ll likely notice a quick difference.
Susie recommends that you make breakfast your largest meal of the day – and be sure to incorporate lots of protein, either via eggs or a shake (stock image)
3. Include lots of vegetables into lunch and dinner
‘Once you aim to include vegetables and salad at every meal and snack, whether this is via some mushrooms and tomatoes in your morning omelette, a large salad at lunch and some vegetable soup for dinner, you are kept so nicely full that you eat far less of the other calorie containing foods,’ Susie said.
A good rule of thumb is to go for two or three cups at lunch or dinner, as well as ideally a vegetable-based snack each day.
4. Go alcohol-free at least five days of the week
This ties into the liquid calories tip, but according to Susie, if you really want to shift that stubborn stomach fat, then you need to cut the booze.
The expert recommends five alcohol-free days each week – and only consuming small amounts when you do want a drink.
She also said you need to make sure you’re including plenty of vegetables or salad into both your lunch and dinner to help you shift the weight (stock image)
5. Get organised
This one might seem obvious, but for many of us with little time, when we fail to plan ahead, that is when we fail:
‘Each week, set aside some time to plan all of your weekday meals and snacks and then make time to visit the supermarket or stock up on all the foods that you need to ensure that you eat well,’ Susie said.
Remember, people who eat well are organised people – and if you’re serious ‘about losing body fat, your nutrition needs to become a priority for at least a month’.
6. Take the edge off hunger on the way home from work
5pm is a danger for many office workers, insofar as many will reach for a convenience snack in order to fill them up.
However, Susie recommends not cutting the after-work snack from your diet, but rather replacing it with something nutritious.
She advocates something like an apple, carrot sticks with hummus or nuts.
This shouldn’t prove detrimental to your weight loss goals – but will keep you feeling full.
Among Susie’s other tips, the dietitian recommends moving your body for an hour each day, keeping your dinner small and making sure you get plenty of sleep (stock image)
7. Move your body for an hour each day
While nutrition and diet are definitely most important, Susie does add that some form of exercise is also crucial in helping you shift that last five kilos.
‘Move your body for an hour each day,’ she said – whether that’s walking, running, a workout class or dynamic Pilates.
Combine this with healthy eating – and you should be well on track to losing 5kg within a month.
8. Keep your dinner small
It makes sense that if your breakfast is your largest meal of the day, then your dinner should be the smallest:
‘Keep your dinner small, with salad, soup, vegetables and a small piece of meat,’ Susie said.
Sub out white carbs for slow-releasing options – and make sure you’ve got plenty of salad or veggies.
9. Have a meal off your diet each week
It might seem counter-intuitive, but actually giving yourself one meal off each week will help you to keep on track.
Susie recommends setting aside your one meal and choosing something you really want or are craving.
Try to stop yourself from having a binge, however, and cap it at one delicious cheat meal.
10. Get lots of sleep
Last but not least, it’s the missing ingredient for so many dieters.
But sleep really is useful if you want to lose weight, as it will allow the body to fast and repair itself overnight.
Susie recommends aiming for around nine hours each night.
To read more from Susie Burrell’s blog, please click here.