There is one law of weight loss that cannot be avoided:

You have to burn MORE calories than what you eat - a calorie deficit.

Of course, there are dozens of ways to achieve this deficit. But it doesn't need to be complicated! It's all about training your brain to not over-complicate matters and change your mindset with a few simple steps.

This quick & simple method designed to reduce your daily calorie intake by trading empty-calorie fare that you're likely to binge on for nutritious whole foods that fill you up. The end result is that you'll lose your gut without the horrible feeling of being on a strict diet! All you have to do is take it one step at a time.

We have 3 very simple steps for you to follow to help start your weight loss goals. By following these simple steps, you will find the fat melting away.

Step 1 - Eliminate Added Sugars

This is a very simple step to quickly clean up your diet. On average, people in the UK consume around 20 teaspoons of sugar a day - this is an empty 317 calories!! These sugars can come from fizzy drinks, squash, baked goods, breakfast cereals, sweets and sweetened milk (chocolate, ice cream & flavoured yoghurts).

So what's not on this added sugar list? Meat. Vegetables. Whole fruits. Eggs. Wholegrains. There's your menu to avoid added sugar (see our Food Categories post for what foods are good to eat and how many from each food group).

Don't over analyse your diet - it's quite simple - cut out added sugar for your first major step to losing weight. You'll automatically eliminate the majority of bad foods following this step, leading to your diet becoming healthier. This strategy also helps reduce calorie intake for most people, without counting calories!

Step 2 - Regulate Your Starch Intake

Starches are the main carbs in bread, pasta & rice. And not just in the processed versions (although the starches in these are far higher and worse for you). They are also present in 100% wholegrain varieties.

Too much starch can mess with your blood sugar. When your blood sugar becomes too low, you become aggy, tired and possibly even shaky. You will have massive cravings for carbohydrates in the form of sugars and starch! Both act quickly to raise your blood sugar and satisfies that... however, it adds a lot of bad foods and calories into your daily intake.

The chances are, you won't just eat a small amount of sugar and starch. To off-set your low blood sugar, you'll binge a lot to boost it quickly. This will spike your blood sugar high & fast, triggering your pancreas to release a flood of insulin. Insulin tends to over-produce in half of the UK population, which sends your blood sugars crashing! This reinforces the binge because you now crave more sugar & starch to bring it back up again, then insulin is released too quickly & in greater quantities causing your blood sugar to crash, then you crave more sugars & starch...…. repeat the vicious cycle.

Studies have shown that by cutting back on starchy foods, you'll better control your blood sugar and be less likely to experience the severe carb-cravings for sugar & starch. It will also help reduce your calorie intake and reduce your bad foods. Our in-house nutritionist, Natasha, advises clients to have a maximum of 2 portions of starch a day; one at breakfast and potentially one at dinner if you have had a gym workout that day. One serving is roughly 20g.

Step 3 - Watch Your Intake of Other Food Groups

Whilst we are not hot on calorie counting on a daily basis, it is something that should be in the back of your mind when it comes to eating and drinking. Calorie intake can be linked to cravings, hunger that is never satisfied or habitual eating. So we have covered carbs (sugars and starches) but what about protein and fat?

Eating protein ensures that your body always has the raw material to build new muscle and repair muscles that are fatigued from exercise. Studies have shown that by eating protein daily, dieters tend to lose more fat and feel more satisfied than those who eat low amounts of protein.

So at every meal and snack, we'd like you to try to make a conscious effort to have a serving of protein in the form of low-fat yoghurt (sugar free if possible), beef, turkey, chicken, fish, pork, eggs, nuts or seeds.

And don't be afraid of fats! There are really good fats out there to counter-act the really bad fats. If you're not consuming too much of the good fats, then your body will not store it. Fat is filling and can add flavour, reducing your body's sense of being deprived and being disappointed.

Natural fats found in meat, butter, avocados, nuts and olive oil all contain healthy fats. needed for a well-balanced diet. As you're avoiding your bad carbs (sugars and starches), you'll be cutting out the majority of the bad foods containing harmful fats.

Stick to these 3 easy steps and your weight loss journey will rocket to a great start. The steps are also great to follow to maintain your weight loss, either in conjunction with the jab or once you've finished the jab.

Best of luck,

The Slim Transformation Team