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Weight Loss 6: Be realistic

We're in Week 6 of the 24-week weight-loss programme and the groundwork has been done: your fridge has been stocked with healthy foods and you're getting into your new fitness routine. Very soon you should start noticing a difference...

But while it's important to keep your eye on the target – that is, a slimmer, sexier, healthier you – it's just as crucial to take things one step at a time and be realistic about what you can achieve.

How much to lose

Have you ever followed a diet where you lost several kilos in a week? Then you probably also picked up weight again the moment you stopped. We want to prevent this from happening this time.

Just think about it: that extra 10kg of fat on your hips took months, perhaps years, to be deposited there. It just isn't possible to lose it all in the space of two or three weeks. Instead, research shows that the most successful weight-loss programmes are the ones that allow you to lose about 0.5kg-1kg per week. This should be your aim.

If you don't go to extremes, it will be much easier to stick to your new routine for the rest of your life. You'll lose those excess kilos now and you'll keep them off in future.

Measuring it

You're probably excited about losing weight and keen to weigh yourself every day. Know, however, that your weight can vary slightly from day to day and even during a single day. For example, most people weigh less when they get up in the morning than at night.

Preserve your sanity by only weighing yourself once a week in the morning, wearing the same clothes each time, e.g. underwear or pyjamas.

Also consider using a measuring tape instead of the scale to track your progress. Factors such as water retention and an increase in muscle mass (with all the exercise you're doing now) can influence your weight. Centimetres lost will give you a better idea of whether things are going according to plan.

Remember that weight loss can be a bumpy ride. Some weeks you'll lose a kilo and some weeks you won't, despite having followed exactly the same weight-loss programme. If this happens to you, don't be discouraged. Just hang in there and continue with what you've been doing. Your hard work will pay off.

EXERCISE TIP

You're keen to exercise, but don't want to join an expensive gym. Are there ways of getting fit without a gym membership? Yes, here are a few ideas: get a skipping rope and an exercise band, and do both your cardio and resistance training in the comfort of your home (bicep curls, for example, can easily be done if you step on the middle section of the band and pull upwards with both hands); get a group of friends together and go for early-morning walks – training with friends will motivate you to get out of bed when it's still dark, plus it's a lot safer; consider taking up another indoor activity such as a form of martial arts, belly dancing or wall climbing; invest in a health walker or a stationary bike; or join a hockey, soccer or rugby team at your local sports club.

RECIPE FOR THE WEEK: Lasagne


Ingredients

450g ostrich or extra-lean beef mince (or a mix)
Durum-wheat lasagne sheets
30ml 'lite' margarine
60ml cake flour
300ml fat-free milk
25g grated Pecorino cheese
410g (1 can) chopped tomatoes
65g (1 small can) tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup red wine
2 Tbsp mild tomato or fruit chutney
6 baby marrows
1 large red pepper, sliced
250g white button mushrooms, sliced in half
1 Tbsp olive or canola oil
Fresh basil and oregano leaves
Paprika
Salt and pepper

(Serves 6)

Method:
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pot or large saucepan. Sauté the onion until transparent; then add the meat. Fry over medium heat until the meat is just done.
- Add the can of tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, red wine, chutney, vegetables, herbs, salt and pepper. Allow the meat sauce to simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes – until most of the fluid has evaporated (but it should still be saucy).
- In the meantime, prepare the white sauce: Melt the margarine over low heat. Add the cake flour and stir well until smooth. Slowly add the milk, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper and heat until the sauce comes to the boil and thickens. Stir continuously. Add half the Pecorino cheese.
- When both the meat and white sauces are ready (taste again for seasoning), start to assemble the lasagne: first spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of a rectangular oven dish; then add a layer of lasagne sheets and a layer of meat sauce. Add another layer of lasagne and another layer of meat sauce, and finish off with a layer of white sauce on top.
- Sprinkle the remaining Pecorino cheese, as well as a bit of paprika, over the lasagne.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven (180 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes.

Q&

Q: What is the difference between kilocalories and kilojoules?

A: Kilocalories are the non-metric measure of energy and kilojoules are the metric measure. One kilocalorie equals 4.2kJ. So 100kcal = 420kJ and vice versa. If you take in too many kilocalories or too many kilojoules, you'll gain weight. To lose weight you need to reduce your energy intake by eating an energy-reduced, low-fat, high-fibre diet and increase your energy output by doing regular exercise.

In next week's newsletter we'll show you how to stay motivated when the going gets tough. Don't miss it!

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