If you’ve been struggling against the scales for years but never seem to make any progress, you’re not alone. Losing weight is difficult, particularly in the winter months when comfort food beckons and we’re reluctant to face the cold and exercise.
Rhian Allen, founder of Lose Baby Weight is an expert in the field of healthy weightloss, particularly for mums. We caught up Rhian and found out her top tips for shedding weight the healthy way.
RESCU: It can be hard seeing celeb mums slim down in record time – what’s a realistic time frame for losing the baby weight?
Rhian Allen: Everyone is different and no mum should ever feel pressured to lose the weight in a certain time or by a certain date. The most important point is to do it in a safe and healthy way and aim for approximately 500g – 1kg a week when you do feel 100% emotionally and physically ready to lose weight.
And when you do start to lose the weight, a good rule of thumb to follow is that it can take 9 months to gain the weight and you should give yourself 9 months to lose it.
RESCU: They say weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise – in your experience, is this accurate?
Rhian Allen: Healthy weight loss is achieved most effectively when you have both in place.
But the thing that is most important, when it comes to your weight loss, is the food that you eat. Whilst exercise is important, what you eat makes the difference in how much you weigh and how much weight that you lose. Food intake is crucial because the food that you put in has the most effect on the calories you take in – hence why it is commonly thought that diet accounts for 70-80% of successful weight loss and exercise 20-30%.
But a point to note is that diet has a bigger impact on your weightloss than exercising, but exercising has a bigger impact on preventing weight gain in the future, and on maintaining your weight loss.
RESCU: What do women who are breast feeding need to be aware of when changing their diet?
Rhian Allen: If you’re breastfeeding and do want to start losing pregnancy weight, the good news is that it is possible to lose weight when breastfeeding provided you follow a sensible diet. This means following a diet plan that is based on healthy eating principles and light exercise and is free from caffeine and any weight loss accelerants – such as the Lose Baby Weight plans.
It is important not to follow any extreme diets which advise cutting out food groups or eating too much of one group – for example a diet that tells you to only eat protein each time you eat.
Breastfeeding mums should not restrict their calories. Your body uses approximately 500 calories a day to create milk so you do need extra calories when breastfeeding and you should consume lots of nutrients from all food groups to support your milk supply – aim for lean proteins, dairy, vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, omega 3’s, eggs, water and regular snacks in between meals.
Breastfeeding mums should avoid any kind of ‘diet pill’ as most contain products that could make your baby sick such as phentermine, aloe vera, caffeine, kelp, high doses of chromium and phenylpropanolamine.
RESCU: What are your top five fridge/pantry staples for post-baby weight loss?
Rhian Allen:
Quinoa – Quinoa’s protein content, about 16% (meat is approx 22%), is higher than that of any other grain – and it is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, folate, and many B vitamins. It is also a good food to aid weight loss as it is high in fibre and keeps you fuller for longer and helps with the dreaded hunger pangs and is great to serve as an alternative to rice or pasta as it is gluten free.
Lean protein – it is essential to have lots of lean protein options in your kitchen to keep you feeling full and your metabolism firing. Think chicken, beef, low fat cheese, eggs, tofu, fish canned fish and nuts.
Vegetables – you can’t get enough of veggies! Start loving them and having them as snacks as well as in your main meals. They make a great snack with hummus and salsa dips.
Fruit – packed full of fibre and nutrients and natural sweetness and the ultimate in natural fast food – make sure your fridge is fully stocked.
Herbal Tea – there are so many variants and so many health and weight loss benefits to drinking herbal teas. Our favourites are green tea, rooibos, white tea and oolong – go for caffeine free if you are breastfeeding.
RESCU: One of the biggest challenges with weight loss is the mental battle, and for some reason it seems a lot harder in the cooler months! How can we overcome these mental blocks and lose weight without feeling deprived this winter?
Rhian Allen: The average weight gain over the cooler months is around the 4kg mark which is a bit depressing to say the least if you are trying to lose weight. And the reason for the weight gain is the amount of high fat comfort food we seem to be surrounded by in winter, plus the lack of motivation to exercise as it is too cold to go outside.
The way to beat the weight gain is to find low fat comfort foods – we have our 7 Day Winter Warmer Plan with over 35 recipes and by learning how to cook without all the fat and by making sure you do some kind of exercise over the winter months too – even if it is exercise in your home.
RESCU: If you could give new mums looking to lose the baby weight just one piece of advice, what would it be?
Rhian Allen: Don’t put pressure on yourself to lose weight quickly or by a set time. Look after yourself and take care of your health first and foremost. If you are not feeling healthy and will have no energy for yourself, your baby and your family and this will lead to all kinds of issues.
Whereas if you look after your health and eat well and nourish your body you will have more energy and be better equipped to deal with a lack of sleep and the demands of being a mum and you will find that weight loss will be a by-product of living a healthier life.
For a fun, simple recipe from Lose Baby Weight’s new book 28 Day Diet and Exercise Plan check out this Thai Beef Salad.
Rhian Allen is the founder of Lose Baby Weight. For more information about the site and their books and recipes go to www.losebabyweight.com.au