Introduction
You can find some sample meal plans here or some calorific values here.
Many of us are confused about the most effective way to lose weight. There have been many crazes and it’s hard to make sense of them all. When it comes to dieting we at Trimwell think we have found the magic solution. By using Trimwell alongside a healthy diet and exercise you can easily achieve the results you've always longed for.
‘Crash’ diets are intended only to be used for a few weeks and are often very restrictive. Although you often lose weight in the short term, as soon you go back to normal eating most people will end up putting the weight back on and more! The only way that you can really keep the weight off is to permanently change your eating habits. Trimwell can assist you in this by curbing your cravings and suppressing your appetite.
The thing to keep in mind is FAT DOESN’T MAKE PEOPLE FAT, EXCESS CARBOHYDRATES MAKE PEOPLE FAT!
Take a moment to consider the amount of low fat products available, many you probably use every day, if these products actually worked surely there’d be no fat people walking around – obviously this is not the case!Now keeping fat in moderation is a sensible idea but reducing the amount of carbohydrates (especially fast acting ‘simple carbs’ such as white bread, white pasta, biscuits and cakes) is essential for reducing body fat.
The following guidelines have been put together to help you lose weight permanently. If you follow the guidelines provided, along with Trimwell, you will achieve your goals the sensible way. The secret is a gradual and permanent change to the way you eat. Try introducing one of the following steps each week if you find all of them too drastic in one go.
The information below is based upon the current nutritional mindset and scientific research.
Below you'll find an introduction to the eating plan. You can also view some Sample Meal Plans and list of foods and their calorific values so you can keep track of your calorie intake.
Advice for Healthy Eating
Reducing fat and sugar in your diet and avoiding alcohol will reduce the amount of energy in your diet, and will make your diet more effective.
For the first month of using Trimwell CUT OUT the followingSensible guidelines to follow
- Butter/ Margarine – Margarine contains harmful Trans Fats, Butter is actually the healthier option, although you can reduce the amount you use by spreading it thinly.
- Whole Milk – Whole milk only has around 4% fat, this is considered a low fat product, skimmed and semi-skimmed are actually worse for fat loss due the lower fat content which causes them to have a higher Glycaemic Index (the higher the Glycaemic Index the faster your body absorbs the food, which in turn stimulates fat storage!)
- Cheese – Use cheese that is lower in fat. Such cheeses include Cottage, Brie, Edam.
- Chicken – When eating chicken, always remove the skin, and grill or bake not fry.
- Meat – Always use the leanest meat possible. Meats such as sausage, pies and burgers should be avoided, as they are high in fat.
- Hidden fat & Sugars – It’s harder to reduce fat and sugar when you can’t see it in the food you’re eating. You should be sure to cut down on the amount of biscuits, crisps, croissants, cakes, chocolate, toffee, fudge, chips, low fat yoghurt and desserts, ice cream, mayonnaise, and dressings that you consume.
- Reduced sugar drinks and sweeteners – Avoid these! Your body will process the sweeteners in the same way it processes sugar anyway.
- Check the labels – Food manufacturers play on the fact that people are convinced that eating fat makes you fat, they produce Low Fat options but these are almost always bulked up with extra sugar to replace the fat! Ironically you’d be better with the fat. Before buying Low Fat options compare the carbohydrate content between the Full Fat and Low Fat version.
- Cooking – Instead of frying food, you should boil, bake, grill, poach or roast.
- Treats - Only eat cakes, biscuits, sweets, and puddings as an occasional treat i.e. once a month or less if possible.
Portion Control!
Try to eat from a side plate for your main meals, this way you can load up without over eating.As a guide aim for a palm sized portion of lean protein for each of your main meals i.e.
Breakfast: 4 eggs scrambled with spinach
Lunch: Chicken breast with spinach and watercress salad
Dinner: Salmon with vegetables *
The above recommendations with snacks in-between of unsalted nuts, fruit, Greek yogurt, raw vegetables, deli meats, olives or homous will serve as a varied diet that will aid fat loss.
* This is only as a guide and should be varied from day to day
Get your energy balance right
Your body needs an energy supply as well as a wide variety of nutrients in order for it function normally. If there’s more energy in your food than what your body actually needs, your body will convert the energy into fat and result in weight gain. However, if there’s less energy in your food than what your body needs, your body will break down some of your stored fat to produce extra energy; this will result in weight loss.
To remember this, it’s helpful to picture a balancing scale with energy input on one side and energy output on the other.
By reducing your energy intake and increase your energy output through adopting a more active lifestyle you can lose weight. Trimwell will give you the help you need to do this by increasing your energy levels which in turn will make you feel more active.
Increase your energy output
There are several factors that are important for weight loss.
Calories used during exercise
Slow walking 150-200 cal/hour
Quick walking 250-300 cal/hour
Cycling (Moderate pace) 500-600 cal/hour
Gymnastics 250-300 cal/hour
Jogging 450-500 cal/hour
Swimming 600-800 cal/hour
Circuit Training 500-600 cal/hour
Tennis 300-600 cal/hour
While physical activity is recommended, doing so without decreasing your energy intake (i.e. the amount of food you eat) will not help to lose weight or will make it very difficult. Decreasing your calorie intake through eating less fatty and sugary foods is essential.
We advise that you speak to your doctor to ensure that it safe before you do any exercise.
Required Energy
Research shows that the average man needs 2500 calories a day while the average woman needs 1950 calories a day.
As these are just average figures, some people will require more, and others will require less. Weight is important in determining your calorie intake as the heavier you are the more energy you need.
In order to lose 1lb of weight a week scientists have determined that a person needs to eat 500 calories less than their recommended daily calorie intake. Over a week this would equate to 3500 calories, which is equivalent to 1 pound of fat.
This type of calorie deficit, coupled with Trimwell and regular exercise could see you lose 2lbs a week!
Equally important is to not take in too few calories; your body will store fat if this is the case, starving yourself will not help you in your fat loss efforts, you will just mess up your metabolism making future fat loss all the more difficult.
Eating plan
Meal Plan
You can find some sample meal plans here or some calorific values here