When you’re trying to lose weight the first step is most often altering your diet but it can be hard to know what foods will help you shed the pounds and lose those extra inches, especially if you’re used to high calorie fast food like I used to be. With that in mind, that’s why I’ve lovingly researched and created this list of fifty healthy foods that will help you lose weight and, more importantly, keep it off! These foods are great for preventing water retention, speeding up your metabolism plus they’ll keep you feeling fuller for longer and help fight off those horrible cravings! They’re full of nutrients, vitamins and tasty goodness too, meaning they’e good for you all round. What more could you want? Enjoy, ladies, and don’t sniff at any of them if you haven’t tried them, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised, I certainly was!

1. Beans

Beans are a fantastic source of fibre and protein as well as various other nutrients which are essential to a balanced diet. As well as this, they’re really low in calories and a great source of slow release energy which keeps your metabolism up all day long. You get so many different types of beans too and all of them are good for you. Kidney beans, black beans, chick peas, whatever you like! While they may not be a meal on their own, try mixing them into a salad, adding some to your main meal, making a stew of them or throwing them in a wrap or burrito – you can be as creative as you like!

2. Green Tea

Green tea is fantastic when it comes to losing weight, stopping bloating and ridding your body of harmful toxins. It’s well known for helping the body to flush out excess fluids and speeding up the metabolism, both of which are great for helping you to lose those extra pounds. Personally, I’m not a fan of green tea but luck for me it comes in lots of variations. You can get it with a hint of lemon, peppermint, camomile – the supermarket shelves are lined with various types to suit everyones’ tastes. For extra goodness, try to buy your green tea organic too.

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a fantastic fat-fighting food. They reduce water retention and inflammation as well as reversing leptin resistance, something which is vital for helping to regulate our appetite and metabolism, especially if we want to lose those extra pounds. Even better, you can cook them in countless ways, add them to stews, pasta, sandwiches, you name it! Virtually any meal can be made healthier with just a small portion of tomatoes. They come in all shapes and sizes too meaning they range in flavour so they’re not always the same old taste. Personally I prefer cherry tomatoes but there’s also beef tomatoes, baby tomatoes, home grown tomatoes as well as many more! Why not stick a pot on your windowsill and you get get joy out of growing them as well as eating them?

4. Oranges

Oranges are in fact one of the healthiest foods you can eat. As well as being low in calories. the have absolutely no fat in them. That’s right, NO fat – zero, zilch! Plus, per serving, they provide 160% of your daily serving of Vitamin C. Oh, and did I mention they’re filled with potassium? I’ll admit I didn’t know all this until I did my research for writing this but now I do I’ll be filling my fruit bowl with them later today! Sure, they’re pesky to peel but suddenly that little inconvenience seems trivial when you look at the much bigger (and much healthier!) picture.

5. Reduced Fat Milk

For some of us it’s extremely hard to give up a bowl of cereal for breakfast or forgo lots of milk in our tea just because it’s high in calories and fat. Well, the good news is that you don’t have to – there are plenty of alternatives. Whole milk (often known as ‘full fat milk’ – see the problem there?) is full of fat and calories so it’s something best avoided if you’re trying to lose weight. Instead, try swapping it for semi-skimmed milk or, even better, skimmed milk. If these lower fat milks aren’t what you’re used to then the taste may seem odd at first but don’t worry, after a few cups of tea you’ll wonder how you ever did without it! While we’re on the subject of milk, you can also try things like soya milk or almond milk too – they’re delicious and full of natural goodness too, a great alternative to whole milk or even reduced fat milk.

6. Reduced Fat Cheese

If you’ve just read the last point and are wondering about other low fat dairy products then wonder no more. Reduced fat cheese does exist and I can tell you from experience that it tastes exactly the same as normal cheese! I’m a sucker for a slice of cheese on toast or a slab of lasagne but if I’m cooking with reduced fat cheese then they’re no need to feel guilty about it. Different brands gave different stats but, for the most part, the reduced fat alternatives have less than half the calories and half the fat in them and, like I said, you honestly can’t taste the different!

7. Oats

Oats are incredibly filling which makes a lot of people think they can’t be good for weight loss. In fact, they’re incredibly good! Eating just one bowl with reduced fat milk is a great way to start your day. It will fill you up and provides a form of slow release energy to keep you going all day long. This slow release energy also helps to speed up your metabolism helping you to burn off calories and keep your weight loss on track. Oh, and did I mention how incredibly tasty they are? If oats and milk is a bit bland for you then check out some of the other foods on this list such as fruit and nuts which you can mix in to make the dish more exciting.

8. Peppermint

Peppermint is widely known for it’s great digestive qualities so you can guess why it’s great for helping you to lose weight. You can use it as a spice but personally my favourite way to get peppermint into my system is drinking it in the form of tea. Peppermint tea tastes lovely, is very relaxing and I love knowing that I’m drinking myself healthy by drinking it too. For best results, try drinking just three cups per day – this will help to kick your weight loss into check and, as an added bonus, it’s a fantastic way to get clear skin and a glowing complexion.

9. Lemongrass

Lemon grass is a key ingredient in a lot of Thai foods, and no wonder, it tastes delicious. It’s a fantastic additive that brings your taste buds alive as well as being incredibly healthy and helping your body to burn fat.

10. Almonds

Yes, I hear you. Almonds are high in calories, right? Right but that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. Despite their high calories content, they’re not known for forcing you to pile on the pounds and they have loads of great health benefits. They’re really high in fibre which is great as it helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer so you’ll snack less and they’re filled with Vitamin E with is great for a glowing complexion. If you feel like snacking, try simply eating a handful of almonds, they weight will be falling off of you in no time.

11. Bananas

Bananas are fantastic as a quick snack or something you can mix in with other foods to give them extra flavour. They’re wonderfully low in fat and cholesterol as well as being full of Vitamin C, B6 and fibre. You can eat them as they are, mash them up, mix them into cereal, yoghurt or even made a smoothie from them!

12. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great quick fix body detox. Just a few capfuls of it stirred into your meals or cooked into your veggies acts as a digestive tonic which helps to stay off any harmful bacteria, relieves water retention in your system and flushes out the toxins in your body. It tastes lovely, is easy to use in cooking and has loads of great weight loss and body benefits, I recommend you give it a try!

13. Kale

Kale is officially one of the healthy foods out there and is an amazing fat fighter with hardly any calories per serving. It’s incredibly versatile too as you can juice it, boil it down, eat it raw – whatever you like! This leafy green really is taking over the salad world.

14. Yoghurt

Low fat yoghurt is fantastic if you’re trying to lose weight as it’s a delicious yet still extremely healthy snack. It has virtually no fat, lots of protein and just one serving of low fat yoghurt contains roughly half of your recommended calcium intake per day. There are lots of flavour variations when it comes to yoghurt too – you can have natural, plain, greek, flavoured, it’s really up to you! I love eating plain yoghurt but if that doesn’t sound like you then how about mixing in some fresh fruit or perhaps a vanilla flavouring? Another great trick I learned was to mix in a dash of fresh fruit juice for a lovely, unique taste.

15. Cranberry Juice

For a healthy digestive and excretion system, cranberry juice is one of the best things you can drink. It’s a great antioxidant due to it’s high levels of vitamin C and is filled with helpful diuretic properties. It will help to rid your body of excess fluids and prevent bloating too. Just one glass of sugar free cranberry juice will have you losing weight in no time!

16. Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor a way! Well, they saying’s an old one but it’s a goodie. Apples contain absolutely no fat and hardly any sodium or cholesterol. Plus, they’re bursting with vitamin C and fibre, making them a wonderfully healthy fat that won’t impact your diet at all. It’s worth pointing out that apples are far from boring too – each different brand has it’s own unique taste ranging from sweet to sour so there’s a type for everyone. I love using them to make my own apple juice or mixing into oats too.

17. Chilli

It’s time to spice it up and kick start our weight loss by adding a little chilli into our diets. Adding just a little fresh chilli to your food is a fantastic way to boost your metabolism, something we need to help our bodies burn fat faster. Each single chilli pepper also contains twice your recommended allowance of vitamin C which is an essential antioxidant and is great for battling toxins in your body.

18. Strawberries

I love strawberries! They’re one of the sweetest fruits out there and intensely satisfying. They’re super healthy, rich in vitamin C, low in calories and saturated fats, plus they’d filled with lots of potassium and fibre. Oh, and did I mention how great they taste? With the summer fast rolling around, they’ll soon be in full season so you can buy them fresh from the shops or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can even visit a farm where they let you pick those delicious strawbs yourself!

19. Melon

Bananas may well be filled with potassium but that’s nothing compared to melons. Half a melon has almost twice as much potassium in it than a single banana and it’s filled with anti-oxidants that are great for removing excess fluids from the body. It’s low calorie, filled with water and bursting with vitamin C. Each unique type of melon tastes utterly different so you can try out all the different flavours and not get bored too.

20. Leafy Greens

Lettuce, kale, spinach, cabbage – they’re all leafy greens and they’re all amazingly low in calories. Studies show that eating a portion of leafy greens with every meal is a great way to lose weight seeing as they’re so low in calories, filled with various other nutrients and vitamins which are good for you and still manage to fill you up.

21. Cucumber

I mentioned melons earlier but (fun fact!) I bet you didn’t know that cucumbers are in fact a part of the melon family. That said, they’re filled with much of the same goodness as have all the same great slimming properties. They ease water retention, stop bloating and are a natural diuretic too.If you find cucumber a little bland then try using it as a tasty additive to a salad, a side to your meal or even throw it in a sandwich or wrap for lunch.

22. Apricots

Apricots are another fantastic fruit to help you lose weight. They’re extremely low in calories and, unlike a lot of fruits, are very low in sugar too. If you’ve got a high cholesterol then I suggest you start eating raw apricots to help rebalance your system. As well as all of this, they’re full of vitamin A, vitamin C and are bursting with fibre.

23. Watercress

Watercress is good for so many reasons I’m not sure where to start! It’s filled with nutrients including vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E and also is bursting with minerals such as carotene, potassium and manganese. All this together makes watercress into a powerful cleansing agent which ultimately improves digestion and nourishes your skin giving you a glowing complexion. It flushed out toxins and excess fluids to help you look and feel great while losing weight. Even better, it’s an amazing source of iodine to help you boost your metabolism. Did I get everything?

24. Cherries

Cherries are another fabulous fruit for our list. They’re low in calories, low in sodium whilst being high in vitamin C and fibre too. They make for a fantastic snack or an addition to a fruit salad. If you want to burn a few extra calories, go an explore the countryside for some cherry trees and pick them fresh to fuel your journey – it’s what I do every summer!

25. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is my absolute favourite spice so you can imagine how delighted I was when I realised how incredibly good for me it was too! The sweet spice is great to help regulate blood sugar levels seeing as it stimulates insulin production. Evidence suggests that just a small sprinkling of cinnamon could help make your fat cells more responsive to insulin too and as a result they’re much less likely to hold onto excess energy and will burn your existing fat stores instead.

26. Blueberries

You may or may not have heard all the rage about blueberries lately but, either way, there’s no denying how incredibly good for you they are. In fact, they’re supposed to be one of the healthiest foods for you. They’re incredibly low in calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol, not to mention they’re filled with all the goodness of potassium and vitamin C too! Even better, they’re also one of these mythical super foods meaning they’re amazing at boosting your metabolism!

27. Artichoke

Artichokes are an extremely underrated food if you ask me. They’re rich in fibre which helps to speed up the digestive process, they help to relieve bloating and contain very few calories. If you stubble with digestion or have a digestive disorder such as IBS then nutritionists highly recommend artichokes to ease your system.

28. Broccoli

Yes, it’s true, those little green trees are fantastic when it comes to losing weight. They’re bursting with vitamin C (each portion has 135% of your daily value, in fact!), plenty of vitamin A, B6, E and K as well as being an amazing source of fibre. As kids we may have hated them but as adults I’m sure we can all appreciate how good for us those little green trees actually are.

29. Brown Rice

Don’t worry if you love your rice dishes but are trying to lose weight, rice doesn’t have to be off the menu! Simply switch to brown rice for a tasty and healthier alternative. It’s rich is proteins and vitamins which are great for strengthening your muscles and it’s high supply of B vitamins help to burn off calories faster, making it much better for you than white rice. It tastes much the same as white rice but the health benefits make the swap well worth it.

30. Carrots

Carrots are listed as one of the healthiest foods you can eat and seeing as they have only 5 calories per serving it’s little wonder! They have hardly any fat in them and are amazing at helping to lower your cholesterol too. When it comes to what they do have in them, they’re filled with iron, fibre, vitamins A, B6, C and K – wow! You can eat them raw or cooked and they taste delicious either way so you can eat them as a snack or as part of a meal. The down side? I’m afraid that no matter how many carrots you eat you still won’t be able to see in the dark (though they will improve your overall eyesight!).

31. Peanuts

I hear you, nuts are terrible when it comes to losing weight, right? Well, yeah, in a sense. But it’s also true that everything is good for you in moderation too. Just a small handful of peanuts between meals could stop you from snacking and overeating. Plus, they’re rich in protein, fibre, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E too.

32. Asparagus

If you don’t know what asparagus is or have never tasted it then get your self to the shops now! Not only does it taste lovely as an accompaniment to your meals (or dipped into yoghurt for a healthy snack) it’s packed full of vitamins, potassium and zinc. In each spear you’ll find vitamins A, B-complex, C and E – how many other vegetables have that much goodness in each bite? It’s unbelievably healthy and is great for clearing your skin and removing and excess fluids from the body.

33. Sweet Potato

French fries? Nah, I’ll have sweet potato fries instead. If you haven’t said those words yet then I highly advise you do. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A – just 200g of them contains 769% of the vitamin A you need per day which makes them one of the healthiest foods available! Saturated fat and cholesterol may as well be non existent in sweet potatoes and there’s hardly any sodium in them too! You really can’t go wrong with a sweet potato and you can use them just the same as you would a regular potato too – mash them, bake them, stew them. Personally, I think they taste miles better than regular potatoes too. While we’re on the subject, I highly recommend sweet potato and onion soup for an utterly delicious and healthy meal, you won’t regret it!

34. Onions

I’m a sucker for an onion, raw or cooked, even if they do make me cry. If you are too then you’ll be pleased to know that raw onions are fat and cholesterol free and have low amounts of sodium and virtually no sugar in them too. They’re filled with various vitamins, folate and fibre as well, meaning that eaten raw they’re great for aiding weight loss. It’s when you cook them that they become fatty so if you do be careful what oils and butters you add to them.

35. Celery

While I’m afraid to say that celery isn’t technically a negative calorie food, you do burn calories while eating and digesting it so it’s easy to see where that myth came from. Celery is filled with all kind go goodness, especially when it’s uncooked, and cane eaten as a healthy snack or added to salads. To get it’s full goodness, keep it uncooked and you’ll see the pounds falling off of you.

36. Sunflower Seeds

Just a handful of sunflower seeds makes for a deliciously healthy snack which helps to keep you full for longer, aids digestion and keeps your cravings at bay. They’re filled with dietary fibre and the antioxidant vitamin E, protein and an abundance of complex carbs. Keep a small bag of them in your purse to nibble on when you get peckish – it’s tasty and will see you through to your next meal.

37. Mackerel

Eating lots of oily fish is great for toning up your stomach while you lose those excess pounds. Mackerel is high in protein while being low in saturated fats, making it tremendously good for you. It’s also rich is omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which are absolutely crucial for proper brain function so not only will eating mackerel help make you slimmer but it may also make you smarter. Win, win!

38. Whole Wheat Bread

Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you have to cut out bread completely. Simply switch to whole wheat instead to get the same great taste with an abundance of health benefits. Whole wheat bread is much less processed than while bread meaning it had a higher fibre content. It also takes longer for your body to break down as it’s a complex carbohydrate, meaning you’ll feel fuller for longer and won’t be tempted by tasty snacks. Even after you’ve reached your weight loss target, you’d do well to stick to eating whole wheat bread and make it a lifestyle change.

39. Whole Wheat Cereals

If you only just jump out of bed ten minutes before you need to leave the house, then it’s likely that cereal is the easiest breakfast option for you. That said, too many cereals out there are filled with sugars and are processed so there’s very little goodness left in them. Instead, look out for whole wheat cereals. They’re filled with vitamins, complex carbs and fibre so they’re great for you. Personally, I don’t think you can beat a nice, soggy bowl of Kellog’s Bran Flakes! If you’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, you can mix in some dried or fresh fruit to curb the craving, just whatever you do remember to use your reduced fat milk!

40. Salmon

Like mackerel, salmon is a great source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and lean protein meaning it’s great to help you cut down on belly fat. It’s best for you if you grill or steam it and you can serve it up with lots of the other foods we’ve mentioned such as chilli or asparagus for a truly healthy meal. Salmon is utterly delicious and oh so good for you, making a great addition to any diet whether you’re trying to lose weight or not.

41. Skinless Chicken Breast

If you’re a fan of chicken but are worried it may not be helping your weight loss then I have a simple solution to help you – simply peel of the sin and voila, it’s instantly healthier! Most of the fat in chicken is in the skin you see so once you peel it off your chicken breast becomes a low fat nutrition piece of meat. You can cook it in virtually any way possible but personally my favourite way to eat chicken while trying to lose weight is stir fried with a side of delicious veggies or in a steaming bowl of home made soup. Yum!

42. Popcorn

We all need a little treat now and again, even if we are trying to lose weight and blast away those inched. That’s where popcorn comes in. Yes, you heard me, popcorn. Believe it or not, it can actually be a very nutritious and filling snack which can kill your cravings while not damaging all your healthy progress. Plain or lightly salted popcorn is high in protein, fibre and is low in calories and a good source of whole grain. So long as you stay away from the calorific, sinful flavours like butter, caramel, cheese and chocolate, there’s no reason you can’t indulge in a little popcorn now and again.

43. Nuts

I mentioned peanuts before but now it’s time to take a broader look at things. Nuts may well be high in calories and fat but that doesn’t mean they’re not good for you. In fact, they’re absolutely bursting with nutritional goodness, making them an amazing snack food which is filling, staves off over-eating, and not to mention tasty too! I like to carry little bags of nuts around with me to eat in those moments when the cravings start or I deem it to be snack time. Nuts are rich in vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, protein, fibre, copper, monounsaturated fat – need I go on? Peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, the choice is yours!

44. Seeds

Seeds have virtually all the same great nutritional properties as nuts as well as the added benefits as being rich in zinc and minerals too. They’re best eaten raw but of course you can buy them roasted which is still very healthy too. Even better, you can mix them in to your bag of nuts for a tasty, varied, nutritional snack.

45. Trail Mix

Leading on from nuts and seeds, trail mix is an amazing snack or great for mixing into your morning bowl of cereal or oats. You can buy lots of different ready made bags at the shops but I suggest making up your own bag, that way you can see exactly what goes into it and can choose all your favourite flavours. You can mix up nuts, seeds, dried fruit, a dash of granola and even chunks of dark chocolate which has it’s own great healthy benefits. Personally, I think trail mixes are the ultimate snack. They’re nutritional, tasty and so easy to make too! Just be sure to monitor your portions however as these tasty treats can be oh so addictive.

46. Canned Tuna In Water

Despite what you may think, canned tuna can in fact be very good for you. It’s a healthy food choice which is low in calories when it’s packed in water opposed to brine or sunflower oil. It’s also rich in omega 3 fatty acids meaning it’s great for helping to lower high blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and increase HDL cholesterol. If you’re having your tuna on a sandwich or in a salad that’s fine, just be sure not to mix it with lots of full fat mayonnaise – there are plenty of lighter options available, my favourite of which is a simple splash of lemon juice.

47. Lean Beef

I love beef but sadly it’s extremely fatty which means it’s terrible for us if we’re trying to lose weight. Despite that, it’s a great source of zinc, iron, selenium, protein and vitamin B12 so it does fill you with lots of goodness too. If, like me, you can’t imagine life without things like lasagne, burgers, or spaghetti bolognese then lean beef is a great healthy option. It’s got all the same nutritional benefits as regular beef just without all the fat and cholesterol. I honestly don’t know why people aren’t buying it as a replacement to regular beef even if they aren’t trying to lose weight, it’s just seems a much better option to me. I’ll admit, some people do say it doesn’t taste quite so good but honestly I can’t tell the difference! One thing I will say is, no matter how lean it claims to be you’ll always be able to drain some fat off to make it that bit better for you.

48. Pumpkin

Yes, pumpkins are good for more than just carving come Halloween. Cooked pumpkin is extremely good for your body seeing as it doesn’t have a great deal of cholesterol, saturated fats, sodium or sugar in it. It’s full of good vitamins too which makes it great for aiding weight loss. You can cook it and use it in various different ways but personally I recommend pumpkin soup. Yum!

49. Avocado

Avocado is great for soothing the digestive system, especially after it’s been heated by spicy foods. It also contains lots of potassium which regulates fluid balance and magnesium which prevents constipation. With that said, bring on the guacamole!

50. Water

Okay, okay, so water isn’t a food but I can’t stress how important it is in any diet – it’s one of the key factors to whether or not your weight loss will be a success or not so it’s important we drink plenty. Drinking just eight glasses of water per day gives our bodies a detox, rids us of bad toxins, speeds up our metabolism, improves our complexion, has absolutely no calories, makes us feel full so we snack less – need I go on? In addition to eating all the foods I’ve just suggested, make sure you drink plenty of water per day to keep your body in tip top condition and the pounds falling off.

So there you have it, ladies, fifty foods (and a few sneaky drinks!) to help you to lose weight. They’re all great additions to any diet and all of them make for a tasty way to help you to shed those extra pounds. And remember, while you may be trying to lose weight now, a diet shouldn’t be a diet. It should be a lifestyle change and you should be able to keep up the good work long after you’ve shed that list pound so you’re able to maintain your new trim figure. If you’d like some extra help, why not check out some of my other helpful articles which are full of tips and tricks to help you lose weight? 10 Diets For Women That Work, How To Lose Belly Fat Fast and How To Lose Inner Thigh Fat Fast For Women are three of my favourites and they’re tried and tested tips by me and lots of other real women.

If you’ve enjoyed this article then I’d love to hear from you! Please, let me know what you think and if any of these foods have helped you shed some pounds or if you’re intending to try them. Also, if you’ve got any great recipes for these foods I’d love to try them!

Happy dieting, ladies, and good luck! Just remember – it’s a lifestyle change, not a diet. That’s the best way to ensure all your hard work doesn’t go to wast once you reach your target weight.

(All images sourced via pinterest.com)

In just about every women’s magazine or website you’ll find countless articles on how to lose weight, slim down and tone up. It’s a daily topic of us everlasting dieters and I confess I’m guilty of adding to the fuss and writing plenty of these articles myself. What about those women who aren’t looking for a quick diet fix are are seeking the opposite however? For one reason or another there are countless women out there on a mission to gain weight and a lack of informative articles to help them succeed. That’s why I’ve created this guide filled with thirty tips and tricks to help women gain weight fast (and healthily!). Here goes…

1. Up Your Calorie Intake

As obvious as it may be, this point is definitely worth a mention. If you’re on a mission to gain weight fast then your very first step should be to up your calorie intake to start packing on the pounds. It’s reccomended that women eat 2000 calories per day simply to stay the same weight so going above this is a sure way to help you gain weight. Eack pound of fat is made up of 3500 calories so adding just 500 extra calories to your diet each day will help you gain one pound per week. The more you eat, the more you gain, simple!

2. Add Muscle

It’s a well known fact that solid muscle weighs more than fat so adding muscle to your body is a great way to help you gain weight while still looking lean and toned. The best way to gain muscle is to do plenty of weight bearing exercises such as lifting weights. You can also do weight bearing exercises against your own weight and do things like squats and pushups. Don’t worry, adding muscle doesn’t mean you’ll begin to look like a macho man either, it just means you’ll be lean and toned while adding pounds to your body too.

3. Eat More Protein

To build muscle, you need to feed your body right and the best way to do this is to consume plenty of protein. It’s great for building muscle which as we just covered keeps you lean while adding pounds to your frame. The best protein fills foods are fish, turkey, tofu, beans, eggs, yoghurt, nuts and seeds – they’re all bursting with goodness and will help you to build muscle and gain weight. Did I mention how tasty they all are too?

4. Snack Constantly

I love this tip! Sadly I’m one of these people who needs to shed a few pounds rather than gain them but it doesn’t stop me envying this point. Snacking constantly is great for helping you to gain weight as it ensures you’re constantly getting a flow of calories into your system. Try to snack on high calorie foods such as nuts, seeds, chocolate etc to get plenty of the calories you need. Be sure to eat a healthy snack now and again too though as there’s a big difference between gaining weight healthily and harming your body with too many bad foods.

5. Drink Soda

When you’re trying to lose weight it’s recommended that you stay away from soda full stop as it’s full of sugar, calories and bloats you so it stands to reason that when you’re trying to gain weight you should drink plenty of it. The syrups they use in soda are, as I said, full of sugars and soda which your body finds hard to digest therefore gets stored as fat. It’s a great way to gain weight and so easy too!

6. Cook With Oil

There are so many healthy, calorie free cooking aids out there it’s hard to keep track of them all so the good news is that of you’re trying to gain weight you don’t need to! Feel free to layer your pan in oil and drizzle your foods with it too before you pop them in the oven. Oils are full of fats which tend do go straight to your hips once eaten so they’re great for helping you to gain weight. Another plus? Food tastes so much better when cooked in full fat oils too!

7. Drink Dairy

Remember when you were a kid and you’d be told to drink a pint of whole milk on your break every morning at school? Well, teachers did that for a reason. Whole milk is full of fat which helps you to pack on the pounds but it’s also really good for you. It’s loaded with calcium which is essential for building strong bones and also keeps your hair and nails looking great too. If drinking a pint of milk a day doesn’t sound like you then eat a large bowl of cereal, enjoy a milkshake, add cream to your tea – just whatever you do, drink dairy!

8. Never Skip A Meal

Sorry to state the obvious again but you’d be surprised at how many people still ‘forget’ to have breakfast even when they’re trying to gain weight. It’s essential you eat three solid meals a day to help you gain weight, the simple reason being that every calorie counts. And yes, eating breakfast does heighten your metabolism meaning you burn calories quicker (great for losing weight) but like I said, calories are calories and it’s essential you get plenty of them.

9. Add Butter

Too many of us skip adding butter to our sandwiches, our toast, our mash potatoes in the hopes of being healthy but when you’re trying to gain weight it’s essential you do the exact opposite. Add as much butter as you like, layer it on thick and watch as the pounds pile themselves on. You can add it to your food, cook with it or (if you’re a glutton like me!) simply eat it with a coating of chocolate powder on top. The dairy treat is a great source of calories and fat, the perfect combo for gaining weight.

10. Increase Your Portion Sizes

Instead of choosing a small plate from the cupboard, reach for the largest one and be sure to fill it with food. Increasing your portion sizes is a great way to up your calorie intake and help you to gain weight. If you’re not used to eating big meals, it may be hard for you to handle at first and you may get full quickly but keep it up and your stomach will soon stretch, allowing you to eat more, so you can eat those all important extra calories.

11. Eat Later At Night

When losing weight, experts recommend you don’t eat after seven o’clock at night so it stands to reason that when you’re trying to gain weight you should do the exact opposite. Feel free to have a late night supper or a midnight snack, the worst that will happen is it can go straight to your hips! Eating fatty, high calorie foods late at night is great because it means your body won’t have a chance to burn the extra calories off while you sleep.

12. Enjoy Eating Carbs

I love carbs but, as a constant dieter, I have to stay away from them. They’re full of starch, calories and are heavy on our stomachs. Eating them is a great way to pile on the pounds so, for those of you looking to gain weight, feel free to indulge in pasta, bread, potatoes and remember to enjoy them on behalf of me! Don’t feel like you have to be healthy and eat brown varieties of carbs either, indulge in whatever you like and watch as the pounds creep on.

13. Get Plenty Of Zzzs

Whether you’re looking to lose weight or gain it, it’s essential you get plenty of sleep – at least eight hours per night to be exact. Sleep helps our bodies all round so it’s vital we indulge ourselves in it. This isn’t just a tip for anyone looking to gain weight, it’s for anyone looking to lead a healthy life.

14. Eat Every Few Hours

I mentioned snacking throughout the day and getting your three meals a day but why not take it one step further and eat every few hours? Not just snacks, small meals too. To gain weight, we need to eat as many calories as possible and this is a great way to do just that and not feel too full while doing it. Lets all take a leaf out of the Hobbits’ book and enjoy Second Breakfast, Elevensies and all the rest!

15. Eat Less Water Based Foods

It’s all good and well eating lots and often but if you’re eating mostly water based foods such as cucumber and watermelon then you’re not going to get anywhere when it comes to losing weight. Fruits and vegetables are the worst offenders for being water based foods so be careful which ones you indulge in. Bananas, sweetcorn and potatoes are all great for helping you gain weight as they’re healthy but also very filling.

16. Talk To A Pharmacist

Sometimes despite all our best efforts, some of us will struggle to gain weight. If this sounds like you perhaps you could go and talk to a pharmacist, they’ll be able to advise you on any supplements you could take to help you gain weight, as well as any additions to your diet. They’re trained professionals and bound by a confidentiality law so don’t feel afraid to speak to them. Their advice will be tailored to you and speaking to someone about any fears or questions you have will be immensely helpful.

17. Add Cream

Yum! I simply love this tip! Not only is it effective but it’s ridiculously tasty too. The method – add cream to everything you possibly can. My mouth is watering already! Replace milk with cream in your tea, pour it on your strawberries, add a dollop of whipping cream to your serving of cake or eat it with the butter and jam you already have layered on your scone. Cream is full of calories and fat so it’s perfect to help you gain weight as well as being one of the tastiest food accompaniments out there in my opinion.

18. Remind Yourself Why You Started

Every time you feel like giving up, it’s important to remind yourself exactly why you started. If you can’t be bothered to lift some weights today, you don’t feel like adding cream to your coffee then look in the mirror and examine your progress. Once you remind yourself of why you can’t give up and how well you’re doing then it will be that much harder to take a day off and let go. Stay motivated, stay strong, you’ll get there.

19. Be Consistent

It’s no good having two super calorific days in a week and eating hardly anything the other five, or even five calorific days and two days where you eat very little. This is an all or nothing deal and you won’t see results if you don’t stay consistent. Eat roughly the same amount each day and keep your calorie intake up, don’t let it drop. If you’re attempting to gain weight by building muscle it’s important you train at least five days a week or your efforts will be as good as worthless.

20. Enjoy Ice Cream

Eating ice cream is a great way to pile on the pound and gain weight fast as it’s so light meaning you can eat an abundance of it in one go. It’s full of sugar and calories so it’s perfect for helping you to lose weight. If you don’t like eating it on it’s own that’s fine too as you can have it with fruit, dessert, cake, anything! Plus, there are countless different flavours of ice cream out there so there’s likely to be something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

21. Keep A Food Journal

Keeping a food journal is the perfect way to help you keep track of exactly what you’re eating and if it will help you to gain weight or not. By looking over your food journal you’ll be able to identify if there are times when you eat too little, days you skip meals and exactly what you’re eating full stop. You’ll be able to examine any problem areas in your diet and improve them. Plus, seeing it all wrote down is great motivation to do better the next day or the next week which will keep you focused on your goal.

22. Indulge In Fruit

Yes, fruit may be healthy but it’s also full of sugar so feel free to indulge in as much of it as you like. Yes, it’s low in calories but all that sugar doesn’t go to no use. The sugar you find in fruit is natural too so by eating plenty of it you’ll be fulfilling your bodies daily sugar needs while not damaging your body with bad foods. It’s healthy and can help you to gain weight! Win, win!

23. Cut Down On Exercise

Exercise burns calories which you need to help you to gain weight, therefore if you’re trying to add a few extra pounds to your figure you should cut down on exercise. I’m not saying stop completely, that would be bad for your body even if it was helping you to reach your goal, just do a little less. If you go for a walk every evening, perhaps only go a few times a week and catch up on some TV the other times. If you always take the stairs, jump in the lift. If you park at the far end of the car park, enjoy pulling up just outside the door. You get the picture!

24. Double Your Fat Intake

The more fat you eat, the quicker you’ll gain weight, period. Therefore it stands to reason that to gain weight you should up your fat intake. I don’t recommend going above double the amount you’d usually eat however – we’re trying to help you add a few extra pounds, not damage your body after all.

25. Eat Peanut Butter

Peanut butter has lots of added healthy benefits as well as being unbelievably tasty but it’s also full of fat and helps you gain weight like few other foods can. A great way to gain weight is to enjoy a few heaped spoons of peanut butter right before bed. Your body won’t have time to work it off so you’ll quickly start gaining weight as well as enjoying a tasty late night snack. If eating it straight out the jar isn’t your thing then explore your culinary skills and make a PB & J sandwich – it’s just as tasty and does the same job when it comes to gaining weight.

26. A Potato A Day…

I mentioned before about eating extra carbs but few carbs will help you gain weight as quick as the potato. Eating just one a day – be it in the form of home-made fries, a baked potato, roasted, boiled or mashed – will see you packing on pounds in no time. For a bit of variation, you can also turn to sweet potatoes for a bit of extra flavour. To really get the benefit of gaining weight while eating potatoes, be sure to layer them in butter, oil and all those tasty little extras we can’t have when we’re dieting.

27. Enjoy The Cinema Snacks

If you’re off for a trip to the cinema (or anywhere else for that matter!) use the day as an excuse to indulge in all the snacks your venue has to offer. Don’t just go for a small popcorn, you want the extra large with a soda too! A day out anywhere is a special occasion so be sure to enjoy yourself by eating all the tasty treats you can. You’ll enjoy your day all the more seeing as your tastebuds will be tingling and your waistline will love you for it.

28. Dine Out More Often

Have you ever noticed how when you visit a restaurant or a cafe the portion sizes are more than double what you’d feed yourself at home? I used to think I was imagining it but no, it’s for real. When you eat out you’re served up near three times the recommended amount of food meaning your plate is piled high with goodies. If you’re trying to gain weight, eat out as often as you can for the sake of these mammoth portions. When we go out we tend to have the mentality of we must eat it and it would be rude not to finish so you’re likely to eat more. As we covered before, eating more means extra calories and extra calories means extra pounds. Yay!

29. Ask A Professional

If you’re still struggling to gain weight then perhaps you should ask your doctor what their thoughts are. They’ll be able to tell you if there’s a medical reason you’re not gaining weight, what your ideal weight should be and they’ll also be able to give you lots of other advice on how to gain weight. Before you embark on this mission, I advise you see a doctor first in any case just to be sure it’s healthy for you.

30. Add Sugar

So many of us avoid having sugar with our meals but, when you’re trying to gain weight, it’s a great additive. You can sprinkle it in your tea, coffee, over your cereal, pudding, pancakes – just about anything you can think of can be sweetened by using a little sugar. I like to eat healthy and have bowls of fruit but when I’m feeling naught I layer them in sugar to make it extra sweet.

I wish you the best of luck if your journey to gain weight. If you’ve got any extra tips or have any questions I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to send me in your thoughts and I’ll get back to you! In the mean time, enjoy your weight gain and stay positive!

(all images sourced via pinterest.com)

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of diets out there and virtually all of them claim to be a miracle cure to weight loss. Not all of them are all that they seem however. There are countless fad diets and also outright dangers diets being advertised making dieting risky business if you’re not careful. It can be hard knowing which diets will work, what one’s will suit your lifestyle and of course which one’s will work for you (not all diets work for everyone!) making the whole endeavor a bit of a minefield. Don’t let that put you off beginning you’re new venture however. There are plenty of diets out there that are safe to do, have a high success rate and are easy to stick to.

Being a yo-yo dieter myself, this is a very interesting topic for me. I’m always looking for a new diet, giving up due to my love of fatty foods and starting over again. With that in mind, I’ve selected the following 10 diets based on personal experience as well as scientific facts. That’s not to say I’ve tried all the diets on this list (though I have tried a few and plan on trying a few more to reach my goal!), it just means as a dieter I’m taking into account how achievable and realistic I think they are.

1. The 5:2 Diet

The 5:2 diet is based on the principal known as intermittent fasting. The idea behind the diet is that you will eat normally and healthily for five days of the week and then fast for the other two days. Studies suggest that this will dramatically reduce your insulin levels, make you less likely to suffer from chronic diseased such as type 2 diabetes and may help lower the risk of certain obesity related cancers such a breast cancer. As well as this, fans and supporters of the diet also claim that as well as losing weight you will likely increase your life span, improve your brain function and reduce your risk of succumbing to diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Pros:

• Dieting for two days a week is more achievable than dieting seven days a week, therefore you are more likely to stick to the diet and preserve your new way of eating thus successfully losing weight.
• Following a restricted diet for two days a week can lead to reductions in body fat, greater insulin resistance and can help reduce the likely hood of you getting a chronic disease.

Cons:

• During the five non-restricted days you still need to be strict about your calorie consumption and make healthy choices. This does not mean you can partake in unlimited feasting.
• You still need to be physically active for the diet to work.
• Skipping or restricting meals could make you feel dizzy, light headed, irritable and/or could cause you to have headaches and interfere with your sleeping pattern.

2. The Scarsdale Medical Diet

If counting calories isn’t for you and you’re main reason for hating diets is that you always feel hungry during them then perhaps you might consider trying out the Scarsdale Medical Diet. It’s a great way to lose weight using a strict regime without having to count calories, weigh foods or measure portions. The diet shouldn’t be followed for more than two weeks in a row however the creators and advocates of the Scarsdale diet claim you could lose up to 7-15 pounds during that time.

The diet involves eating lean protein and low carbohydrate foods such as vegetables, fruits, salads and lean meat. You can find the diet plan in it’s entirety online. The first 14 days of the diet allow you to eat 850-100 calories per day and then the Scarsdale Diet moves into the Keep Trim phase where you’re allowed 1000-1200 calories per day.

Pros:

- If the diet is followed correctly, you can have amazing results in just two weeks.

• You can keep repeating the diet and Keep Trim cycle until desired results are achieved.
• You don’t have to count calories, weigh foods or monitor portion sizes.

Cons:

• You cannot stray from the diet plan at all.
• You must avoid using oil, mayonnaise and other rich dressings in the salads the diet requires you to eat.
• Alcohol is strictly forbidden while on the Scarsdale Diet.

3. The Three Day Diet

The Three Day Die is also often refereed to as the Cardiac Diet and is meant for achieving rapid weight loss. It’s often used in hospitals for cardiac patients who must lose large about of weight before undergoing heart surgery. The reason the diet is only to be followed over three days is that it allows people very few calories which can be very unhealthy if followed over a longer period. After the three days are up you should begin following your normal diet again (or a healthier version) before repeating the Three Day Diet.

The diet consists of portions of lean meat, grapefruit, tuna, eggs, toast and vegetables and the only seasonings allowed are salt, pepper and ketchup. There is no sugar at all allowed in the diet. Yes, it sounds bland however it’s claimed you can drop 10 pounds in three days using the Three Day Diet and that if the diet is repeated over a month you can lose up to 40 pounds. On top of the strict food regime, dieters are encourages to drink 8 glasses of water per day.

Pros:

• You can lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days or 40 pounds in a month.
• The diet can be repeated after a five day interval.
• It’s excellent for rapid weight loss provided it’s done correctly.

Cons:

• The diet can leave you hungry over the three days.
• The Three Day Diet is extremely strict and requires a lot of will power.
• The foods can be considered bland and may leave you craving other foods.
• No sugar at all is allowed.

4. The Cabbage Soup Diet

While the Cabbage Soup Diet is often considered to be a fad diet, it certainly works fast and has a proven track record. The diet lasts for only one week and is extremely high in fibre and low in calories, a perfect mix for losing weight. Advocates of the diet claim they can lose up to 10 pounds in one week when following the Cabbage Soup Diet and that no exercise at all is required – bonus!

The diet is simple. Every day you eat cabbage soup for your lunch and tea and on various days you can add an addition of the following foods:

Day One – You can consume all fruits, with the exception of bananas.

Day Two – You can eat any raw or cooked vegetables of your choice.

Day Three – You can eat as many fruits and vegetables as you desire, with the exclusion of potatoes and bananas.

Day Four – You can eat up to eight bananas.

Day Five – You can eat beef and tomatoes.

Day Six – You can include beef and vegetables in your diet with the exception of potatoes.

Day Seven – On the final day of your diet you can have rice, fruit juices and vegetables.

Pros:

• You can lose weight fast, up to 10 pounds in one week.
• The diet is simple to follow.
• You get plenty of nutrients from the diet.
• Cabbage soup could potentially be replaced with a soup equally as low in calories.
• No exercise required.

Cons:

• The diet isn’t to everyone’s tastes.
• It’s too restricting for some people.

5. The Atkins Diet

No doubt we’ve all heard of the Atkins Diet – it’s extremely famous and one of the most popular diets going. It’s a very low-carb, high-protein weight loss program that is designed to help you lose up to 15 pounds in two weeks. The diet comes in phases, each lasting a pre-determined length of time depending on your weigh loss goals.

Pros:

• You can lose up to 15 pounds in two weeks during Phase One. This can be extremely motivating.
• It encourages you to cut out processed carbs.
• It allows you to eat foods such as red meat, butter, cream, mayonnaise and cream so it’s not too restricting.
• It allows you to eat fats.

Cons:

• Due to cutting out carbs and fibre, initial side effects can include bad breath, tiredness, dizziness, nausea, constipation and a dry mouth.
• The high intake of saturated fats may increase your rise of hear disease.
• There is a lack of fruit, veg and dairy products on the menu for the Atkins Diet.

6. The Paleo Diet

You may have heard of the Paleo Diet as it’s becoming ever more popular – it was Google’s most searched weight loss method in 2013. It’s also known as the caveman diet as it consists of foods that can be hunted or fished (e.g meat and seafood) and foods that can be gathered (e.g fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs herbs and spices). As you may have guessed, it’s based on the eating habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors from 10,000 years ago. With that said, it means dairy, refined sugar, potatoes, salt, wheat and any other processed foods are off the menu with no exceptions. There is however no official Paleo Diet – it’s just generally seen as a low carb, high protein diet. Advocates say the healthy eating plan, if followed long term, can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer among other health problems.

Pros:

• The Paleo Diet encourages you to eat less processed food and replace it with more fruit and vegetables.
• The diet is simple to follow.
• There is no calorie counting.
• It’s a very flexible diet making it easier to stick to.

Cons:

• Many versions of the diet ban dairy products and whole grains which form part of a healthy, balanced diet.
• It’s impossible to follow if you’re vegetarian as it requires you to eat meat, seafood and eggs.
• It can be expensive depending on the meat cuts you’re using.

7. The South Beach Diet

The South Beach diet is split into three phases, each of which allows you to eat a different variation of foods. It’s claimed by advocates and professionals alike that you can lose between 8 to 13 pounds in the first two weeks of the South Beach diet and then can continue dropping 1 to 2 pounds per week after that. Of course, like with any diet the amount of pounds you lose depends on your starting weight.

The diet allows you to choose from a wide variety of food items and, for those of you that are put off by the mathematical side of dieting, it does not involve counting calories, carbs, fat grams or measuring your portion sizes. You’ll be well fed during the diet and will get three full meals a day, two snacks and that all important high protein dessert. The basic idea is that you’ll be replacing bad carbs with good carbs and bad fats with good fats – sounds sensible, doesn’t it? Eating the foods on the diet in moderation will not only help you to lose their weight but it will help you prevent gaining it back again.

Pros:

• You can lose 8 to 14 pounds in the first two weeks.
• The diet helps you lose the weight and keep it off.
• You still get plenty of eat each day so you won’t be left feeling hungry.

Cons:

• The results may vary and not be as promising depending on your starting weight.
• You have to be very strict with yourself and be satisfied with the snacks the South Beach Diet allows you.

8. The Flat Belly Diet

Unlike a lot of these fad diets, the flat belly diet promises to help you lose belly fat permanently. That’s right – forever! It’s focused on reducing the unhealthy fats which are located deep inside your abdomen and by doing so also promises to help you drop up to 15 pounds in 32 days.

The diet consists of eating monounsaturated fatty acids during each meal which in turn will eliminate belly fate, promote fullness and prevent overeating. These fatty acids are found in foods like nuts, dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, avocados and olives so you’ll still be eating plenty of tasty foods. The diet comes in two parts: a four day anti bloat period to jumpstart your diet and a four week eating plan.

The four day jumpstart period is designed to help you lose weight asap and does so by only allowing you 1200 calories a day and forbidding salt, processed foods, high carbohydrate foods and gas producing foods which will cause you to bloat. While you can still eat plenty, the Flat Belly Diet does not allow you doe drink tea, coffee, sugar alcohols or sugary drinks. These drinks are to be replaced by two liters of ‘sassy water’ (water with lemon, herbs, spices and cucumber added to it) per day.

The four week plan which follows is made up of four 400 calorie meals every four hours. During this phase, dieters will be provided with a list of 28 mix and match breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks along with guidelines to portion sizes and calories.

Pros:

• You can lose over a stone in a month.
• The four day phase really kickstarts your diet and you can begin losing weight almost immediately.
• There is plenty of choice in what you can eat.
• Permanently lose belly fat.
• It promotes fullness and prevents overeating.

Cons:

• The four day plan can be hard to stick to.
• Tea, coffee, sugary alcohol and carbonated drinks are not allowed what so ever.

9. The Grapefruit Diet

The grapefruit diet is a fantastic way to lose weight quick as it promises to help you lose 10 pounds in less than two weeks. The diet is low in calories and low in fat and requires you to cut out carbohydrates. Let me get the list of what you can’t eat out there as quick as possible, that way you knew exactly what you’re in for if you follow the grapefruit diet. You also aren’t allowed to eat sweet fruits, white onions, celery, potatoes, cereal, peas, corn, pasta, crisps, low fat salad dressing, jam, peanut butter or pretzels. That’s quite a lot, huh? Don’t panic though. The list of what you can eat is even longer and from my point of view even more appealing.

The goal of the diet is to play of food combinations in our battle to lose weight. This can help you burn off excess body fat quickly and with little effort. To achieve this however you should never eat between meals however eat until you are full and satisfied to help prevent you from feeling hungry later on in the day. As you may have guessed by the diet’s title, grapefruit or grapefruit juice is consumed at every meal. This is because it contains a fat burning enzyme that helps to turn fat into energy.

The diet can be followed for up to 12 days however if you wish to continue for longer you must wait for 2 days before starting again.

Pros:

• You are allowed to eat red onions, carrots, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, fish, lean meats, mayonnaise, cheese, coleslaw, squash, eggs, regular salad dressing, dried nuts, and much more while following the diet so it’s not restrictive.
• You can lose up to 10 pounds in two weeks.
• You can repeat the diet after a two day break.

Cons:

• It’s no good if you don’t like grapefruit.
• It cuts a lot of foods out of your diet.

10. The Volumetrics Diet

The problem with a lot of diets is that we don’t feel full or satisfied after we finish eating the restrictive meals they set out for us. This diet however focusses on your satisfaction as well as your goals. The diet is based on eating low density foods which are very low in calories but high in volume. They fill up your stomach and make you feel fuller quicker and also for a longer period of time.

Food is divided into four categories on the Volumetrics eating plan which are as follows:

• Category One – Mostly fibre and water rich foods such as fresh fruit, non starchy vegetables, non fat dairy products and broth based soups.
• Category Two – Starchy fruits and vegetables, grains, pasta, beans, breakfast cereal, rice, fish, legumes and low fat meat.
• Category Three – Cheese, pizza, meat, fries, salad dressing, bread, ice cream, pretzels and cake.
• Category Four – Chips, chocolate, cookies, nuts, butter, crackers and oil.

The diet works by selecting foods from each category. For the best weight loss results, stick mainly to the first two categories. You are allowed to eat reduced portion sized of things from category three however you should keep your intake of foods from category four at a minimum.

So there you have it, 10 great diets for women that really do work! Like I say I’ve tried a few of them an do recommend them and those that I haven’t tried I’m now lining up to attempt. They all help you lose weight quickly and safely, the perfect combination. If done right and if you look after yourself afterward you should also be able to keep the weight off (so long as you don’t indulge in chocolate and pasties like I have a habit of doing!). I wish you all the best of luck with your diets. I know how frustrating it can be trying to lose weight but rest assured you’re not alone in your struggle and never will be. Just keep thinking of your end goal and why you’re dieting so hard. I once got told ‘don’t give up what you want most for what you want now’ and whether it’s meant about diets or any other aspect of life it’s completely true.

Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.

(All images sourced via pinterest.com)

We all know what Christmas is like – you put on a bit of weight because you massively over-indulged (as we all do) and now you’re struggling to zip your jeans up… It’s okay to admit that you have put on a few pounds over the festive period but thankfully, Herinterest are on hand to help you sort things out. Are you ready for some tough love?

The fact of the matter is that you will stay fatter, and possibly put on even more weight, if you don’t make the change. Only you can lose the weight that you have put on and sadly, there is no magic pill or potion that will help you lose the pounds that you have put on – only hard work and determination will work for that. Thankfully, there are things that you can do to make life easier. Let’s start with the top 10 smart ways to lose weight after the holidays.

10 – Are you really hungry?

Come on now – are you really hungry or are you just bored? If you thin you might be a bit peckish, don’t run for the chocolate biscuits; opt for a glass of ice cold water instead. Firstly, your body has to work hard (and burn calories) by warming the water up to the right temperature to absorb what it needs from it and secondly, you will be filling up your stomach. Water doesn’t contain any calories but that bag of potato chips does – you work it out.

9 – Don’t be unrealistic. 

If you have put on ten pounds over the four weeks of December, what makes you think you can lose ten pounds in one week? You are going to need to set yourself a reasonable goal if you want to get this done. Aiming to lose all that weight by crash dieting in the first week of January isn’t going to make life any better for you… Ideally, you should be aiming for a weight loss of around one or two pounds per week. Anymore than this and you are going to be doing yourself some damage.

8 – It’s okay to splurge! 

Every now and again, if you fancy that large chunk of chocolate cake, just that large piece of chocolate cake. Allow yourself to have the occasional splurge and you will be more likely to stick to your weight loss regime. How many of you have set yourself new year’s resolutions that you didn’t end up sticking to because you found it too hard?

7 – Cravings only last ten minutes… 

If you are craving something sweet in the middle of the afternoon, give it ten minutes. If you still fancy it after ten minutes, let yourself have it. If you’re not, you have just successfully managed to cut down your calorie intake today. Studies have shown that your body only craves something for around ten minutes so if you allow that time to pass, there is a good chance that you won’t want it anymore.

6 – Make slow and steady changes. 

Don’t rush to the supermarket and replace everything that you would normally buy with the sugar free, low calorie, zero fat varieties. Make the changes over a longer period of time and you will be less likely to notice them and more likely to stick to your weight loss regime. This week, change the butter or margarine that you would normally use. Next week, change the bread for the whole-wheat variety (or 50/50 if you can’t change altogether). The slower your changes, the more you will be likely to stick to them and just makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Don’t worry ladies; Herinterest won’t let you wear that extra weight for very long. With our smart tips, you could get back to your pre-holiday weight before you know it… The sooner you start, the sooner you will get there!

That’s us concluded with the first part… keep your eyes peeled for Part Two which we promise will be coming soon! For now, we wish you the very best of luck with your New Year weight loss.

We know that you are already panicking over how much weight you are putting on over the festive period this year. You might be stressed out to the max but sadly, it’s not making you lose weight. Instead you are eating every mince pie in sight, shoving fistfuls of party finger food in your mouth, and downing boozy alcoholic drinks at every opportunity. If this sounds about right, you should probably learn about the best after-Christmas diet… You might not want to start the full diet now but there is nothing to stop you putting some of the tricks you have learned into practice.

If you’ve massively overblown your calorie allowance, it’s time to get back on track. Those gourmet meals, holiday parties, work do’s, etc. have really taken a toll on your body. You might feel sluggish and bloated. You probably feel a bit stressed. If you want to feel better, you’ll need to try the post-Christmas diet.

Water

Water is essential – you will more than likely be dehydrated because of all the booze you have been drinking. You’ve also eaten a LOT of junk for and need to flush it out your system as fast as you can. Water not only helps you to detox your body but also allows you to rehydrate your poor, tired body back to life.

If you don’t like water, throw some fruit juice into the mix. There are plenty of flavoured fruit juices you can make – as long as the base ingredient is water, you are on to a winner.

If you are drinking more booze than usual, you should definitely drink more water. Alcohol isn’t good for the body – water helps to undo some of the bad stuff.

Detox

The body has been filled with absolute garbage over the last few weeks and it’s time to give it a kick-start back to normal business. We don’t advise you go on a full detox diet, but there is nothing to stop you from using some of the tips of the most well known ones out there. It was Beyonce that madrone particular detox diet popular but it proved to be just as harmful as it was slimming. With the assistance of maple syrup, lemon juice and a rather odd Cayenne pepper, she reportedly lost around twenty pounds in order to get in shape for her role int he hit film Dreamgirls. It was a hit – the diet apparently wasn’t.

Extreme Dieting

We don’t like extreme dieting. Cutting your calories down won’t help you to lose weight. Yes it will probably help you to slim down for that big event but long term, you’ll probably end up fatter at the end of it. When you go back to “normal” eating once you are done with your extreme detox diet for the Christmas weight loss regime, you will put that weight you lost back on, and probably a bit more to boot.

Healthy Eating

For the most part, the healthier you eat, the better you will feel and the quicker you will lose that extra weight. The more healthy and fresh fruit and vegetables you will eat, the faster you will lose weight. If you like these foods – go crazy for them. Pile your plate with these nutritious foods rather than the leftover stodgy turkey curries and mince pies. You know what healthy eating is – it’s plastered all over the internet enough. It’s in all the newspapers and magazines. Most of us are just lazy and that’s why we can’t lose weight. The sooner you start to make the change, the healthier and happier you will be.

Why not check out some of the other healthy eating and weight loss articles on the website? Whether it’s the beach body you’re after, or just to shed a few Christmas pounds, we can help you… Are you ready to learn?

There’s nothing worse than eating the same thing every day for a week because you have so many leftovers. Sadly this is the case with many houses around the world after Christmas, simply because people don’t know what to do with leftovers. You don’t need to eat a traditional roast dinner every day for a whole week because you had potatoes, turkey and vegetables left over. There are so many more things that you can do! We decided to show you exactly what you can do with your Christmas Day leftovers… and also how to make them healthy!

We won’t bore you with too many ideas about what to do with the leftover turkey – we feel that we have paid the bird plenty of attention. For now, we are going to concentrate on the things that you can do with the vegetables and the spuds – the good stuff!

Don’t fancy another roast turkey dinner? Why not try a leftover turkey dinner casserole. Literally throw everything into a casserole dish and whack in the over for a few hours with some extra vegetables and additions if you have them to spare. Alternatively, you could leave this to cook all day in a slow-cooker. It’s easy and lazy – that’s exactly what you need while you are feeling sluggish after Christmas, right?

If you want to tang your casserole up a bit, you could add lemongrass and ginger to give it a Chinese-style tang to it. You could even add garlic to add the Italian flair. Honey-mustard is another great sauce style to opt for – we told you there were plenty of choices!

If you have leftover Christmas pudding, why not make a strudel out of it? You could even make a cheesecake if you are smart, mixing cake with biscuit for a crunchy, tangy base! You could make Christmas pudding ice cream, mini christmas pudding strudels or tarts (or bigger ones if you prefer), Christmas pudding trifle, brownies and so much more! Not that we expect there to be any leftover Christmas pudding, of course!

If you have cheese left over from a cheese board, why not make a cheese and onion tart out of it? You can make the tart/quiche/flan bases ready made, and they aren’t difficult to make yourself. You could even consider attempting a souffle but that sure looks like a lot of hard work!

What about a spice parsnip and ham soup to use up the last of the ham and the vegetables you still have. You could throw onion in here, carrots, turnips; in fact, pretty much anything you fancy. You could substitute the ham for chicken, turkey, duck… Again, the possibilities are endless.

You could make a mincemeat crumble with low-fat custard for a hearty winter treat, a rustic soup to warm those cold winter nights, soups, risottos and much ore with your Christmas day leftovers.

Remember to take the usual notes into account and your Christmas leftovers could be just as healthy as you would want them to be – replace butter with low-fat spread, make sure you use lean cuts of meat, don’t fry anything and use low-fat or low-calorie substations where possible… Let’s end the year in style!

**Photos of the delicious goodies found on Pinterest.com

We all know that there’s only so many things that you can do with turkey after Christmas, right? There’s turkey curry, turkey soup, turkey stew, turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole…. Need we go on? It seems that there is a common misconception that this is all you can do with your Christmas day leftover’s. You would be surprised at exactly what you can achieve with the main ingredient of turkey!

We decided that it was time for Herinterest to take a closer look at imaginative and new ways to use turkey leftovers. We are sick of eating stodgy curries and dry sandwiches. We want something new and exciting and if we do, that means you do too!

We are determined to have a good Christmas this year without putting on too much weight so we are going to share with you the best recipes that we could find for healthy turkey leftover meals… Want to see what we found?

What about something like apricot, turkey and cranberry turnovers? It’ll take ten minutes to cook after ten minutes to prepare and will make 8 servings…

You’ll need a few ingredients, of course:

• Oil, salt, pepper, oregano, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 small onions, mayonnaise
• 500g of turkey – minced up
• An egg
• Dried breadcrumbs
• Sesame seeds
• 2 x 23cm shortcrust pastry in rolled sheets
• 100g of each: cranberries and apricots

The recipe is actually super simple to follow – you throw some oil into a pan along with oregano, onions, garlic and pepper and once they are pretty much done, you chuck them in a bowl. In this bowl you should then add the turkey mince, salt and pepper, 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise (lighter is better) plus the salt and pepper. Give it a couple of minutes and then pop in the breadcrumbs and egg to stiffen it all together. Once this has been achieved, throw in the cranberries and apricots and give it a good stir. You should have 8 evenly sized squares made out of your pastry sheets and you’ll need to spoon the mixture on to them before folding into a triangle shape and sealing the edges with egg. You basically use the egg as glue to make them stick together – isn’t that smart? Once they are triangular and sealed, brush some more egg on the top and sprinkle a few sesame seeds on – this adds a lovely crunch to them! You’ll need to pop some salt on and make a hole in the middle so all that hot air can get out and then you’ll need to pop them into a preheated oven – 190C or Gas Mark 5 for about 25-20 minutes. You’ll know when they are ready!

These are a really easy way to jazz up some leftover turkey and they aren’t too unhealthy either! There’s about 400 calories per portion with these so maybe have one as a replacement for the meat in the main meal. You can accompany them with a nice spinach salad for a real super-food boost!

For something a bit greasier for the hangover, why not cheat and have a turkey and apple burger? This is definitely less calorific than a Big Mac, and each burger will have around 400-500 calories, depending on how smart you are.

You’ll need some stuff to hand:

• 350g turkey – minced up
• 4 trimmed and chopped (finely) spring onions
• 1 cored, peeled and treated cooking apple
• 1 small orange – the rind only
• 25g pine kernels
• 75g breadcrumbs
• Fresh black pepper
• 1 beaten egg
• Sunflower oil
• 1 apple (whichever you prefer)
• Healthy homemade mango chutney (or chutney of your choice), apple wedges in the place of chips, and bread rolls. Obviously a healthy bread roll is a good idea here as well. 

Again, you have a very simple recipe to follow and you can even do them in the BBQ if you want an excuse to get it out… In a large bowl you are going to want to chuck your turkey mince, spring onions, orange rind, grated apple, breadcrumbs and pine kernels. You’ll want to throw in enough salt and pepper to suit your taste too. Mix it all together so it’s good and mixed, and then throw in the egg. Once again, the egg works as a glue and from here you can gran the mixture and make four equal sized burgers. You could make 6 smaller ones if you wanted to – this is all down to you. Ideally you are going to want to let this burgers sit in the fridge for half an hour or so so they set hard enough to then cook, which you can do on a BBQ, in the oven, in a pan or even on the lean mean grilling machines that we’ve all got in our kitchens. We guarantee that these are tasty enough to suit your Boxing Day hangover, easy enough to make to suit your limited abilities, and moreish enough that you might not want to share them. You serve them with the chutney of your choice, an apple ring, in the healthy buns. You could even swap the apple slices for a healthy salad, or even make your own potato chips in an air fryer or similar for a healthy yet guilty pleasure…

These are just two recipes that we found simple enough to make with your bloated, hungover selves on Boxing Day. Don’t you think you could give them a go? Make sure you come back and let us know if you do!

Happy Eating!

You could always take a look at some of the other delicious healthy eating ideas we’ve come up with. After all, nobody wants to get fat over Christmas!

 **Photos of the delicious food were found on Pinterest.com! 

If you want to indulge this Christmas without getting fat, you should probably know how long and how hard you will need to exercise in order to burn for those extra calories you are putting in your mouth.

Let’s say you have a nice six ounce (approximately) glass of red wine with your Christmas dinner. That’s about 150 calories you are adding to your daily total. When you consider that you are meant to have around 2,000 calories approximately for the average adult female, a couple of glasses of red wine could make all the difference to your diet. 3 glasses of wine is 450 calories. That’s almost a quarter of your daily total.

In order to burn off the 150 calories from that glass of wine, you will need to walk for around 35 minutes at a “normal” pace in order to burn it off. You may also consider doing around 14 laps of the pool. That’s what it will take to burn off that glass of red wine… It almost begs the question – it is really worth it?

The same could be said for a nice big slice of a luxury apple pie. With the trimmings (cream/custard/etc.) you might find that your desert could contain 500-600 calories! When you add that to just ONE glass of red wine, that’s about 700 calories! You’d need to do a 5k job to burn off that apple pie with an average mile time of around 10 minutes!

You should probably know how much turkey is going to cost you calorie-wise too – let’s imagine that you have grabbed yourself a turkey breast weighing around 6 ounces. This could contain around 200 calories. You can add plenty more on if you help yourself to the skin as well. You’d need to enjoy ice skating for around 45 minutes to burn that turkey breast off. Add a crusty white roll with lashings of butter and you’ll add another 200 or so calories to the mix. You’d need to go to a spinning class for 20 minutes to burn that roll off.

This may all seem rather daunting but when you think of the trouble and stress that normally accompanies the festive period, you’ll soon find yourself burning off those calories. Lugging boxes down from the attic, trying to hump the Christmas tree into the living room, and hanging decorations for what feels like hours could actually be burning off 300 calories per hour so why not crank up the Christmas tunes, put a festive hat on and go a little nuts with the kids? Dance around as you are decorating your pad for the festive period and you could end up burning up to 500 calories per hour. How long do you think it will take you to put your Christmas decorations up this year… #justsaying

Think about the amount of shopping that you do… We’ve already mentioned that 35 minutes of walking at an average pace could burn off 150 (approx.) calories – how long do you think you will be walking around the shops this Christmas? You’ll burn around 100 calories per hour just pushing a shopping cart down the aisles of shops. Again… how long do you think you will spend wandering aimlessly around the grocery stores this year? Think about the potential you have for calorie-burning here! If you pack your own bags and carry them to the car, you’ll burn off even more. It’s not all bad news, eh?

What about all the times you have family and friends over at Christmas and need to clean up before they come? That furious half an hour of dusting you did just before they arrived will burn off around 75 calories. That 15 minute crazy mopping session you had in the kitchen and bathroom will have burned off around the same calories too. When you throw the vacuum cleaner around, you’ll killing over 100 calories for every half an hour, and if you rush to do the ironing to wear that outfit you forgot to launder before, you’ll still burn off around 75 calories over half an hour too. You have the potential to burn off a lot of calories here ladies – think about it!

There are plenty of ways that you can EASILY burn off those Christmas calories. A slow yet steady hours-long walk with the dogs after dinner could burn off around 250 calories. If you manage to find the park and find a ball or a stick to throw to your dog, you’ll burn off even more. Why not take advantage of the situation and take your partner along? Did you know that half an hour’s worth of kissing will kill off about 30 calories! Every little helps so why not get smooching?

It might surprise you to know exactly how many calories you have the potential to burn off easily this Christmas. Wrapping presents (half an hour equals 60 calories), dancing around at the party (200 calories per half hour) and cooking the Christmas dinner (75 calories for every painstaking half hour) are all quick and easy way to burn calories and therefore prevent piling on the pounds at Christmas. It’s often the little things that can make the biggest difference such as putting music on or having a bit of fun with your chores. Why not give some of these a shot this year and let us know how you got on with it?

While you’re here, why not take a look at some of the other Christmas weight loss and healthy eating stuff we’ve been talking about… You never know what you might find:

• Easy Christmas Food Swaps for a Healthier Christmas 
• Top 10 Tips to Make it Through Christmas without Getting Fat (Part A)
• Prevent Piling on the Pounds at Christmas

**These brilliant photos were found on Pinterest.com

We all know turkey as the thing you eat for days after Christmas Day because your husband/dad/best friend bought the biggest turkey they could lay their hands on and once the skin was ripped off the bird, no one really ate much else from it.

Before you get depressed about how many days you’ll be eating turkey curry for, let us remind you of one very simple fact – YOU CAN DO SO MUCH MORE WITH TURKEY THAN CURRY & SANDWICHES! We talk about this in greater detail shortly, we promise you. You can make sausages, burgers, bolognese, pizza, stews, casseroles, salads, sandwiches that will knock your socks off and much, much more!

This is something that should come as good news to you. Turkey is one of the healthiest meats out there and does so much more than just subdue your hunger. We don’t mention it in our investigation of so-called “super foods” but maybe we should have done…

Protein

We know that turkey contains protein and that is something we’ve already covered. What we haven’t covered is exactly how good the protein found in turkey will be for your body. You need this to stop your muscles wasting away. Children need it for their growth spurts. Elderly people need it to nourish the cells in the body. It helps to build both bones and muscles, and helps with maintenance and development.

Sadly, most protein rich foods are high in fat content. Turkey is not one of these foods. Turkey goes the other way entirely. Raw light meat in turkey will contain just 0.3g of saturated fats per 100g. Lean, raw beef on the other hand, has 1.7g of saturated fat per 100g. Do you see what we mean?

Selenium

You’ve heard of selenium but you’re not entirely sure what it is… It’s okay – that was us too before we investigated things a little closer. Our lack of knowledge about it means that most of us aren’t getting enough of it, but this is actually very important to assume your immune system is working as well as it should be plus preventing and protecting against damage to the nerves and cells in the body. We told you it was important!

Foods that are high in selenium include fish, lean meat, eggs and brazil nuts. Turkey, as you may have guessed, contains amazing amounts of the nutrient. 100g of lean turkey will give you about 20% of your daily recommended intake of selenium, and once you throw the brazil nuts and boiled eggs into the salad with spinach that you should be making, you have a dish that is high in selenium, low in calories and low in fat too! What more could you possibly want?

B Vitamins

B Vitamins are another vital thing in your diet and comes in plentiful amounts in the good old Christmas turkey! Before you throw that Boxing Day turkey curry in the garbage, be aware that the B vitamins that you can find in turkey help to unlock energy from the food that you eat. Unless you want to feel sluggish after your meal, this is important. It will help to beat fatigue, reduce the tiredness that you will feel throughout the day plus keeping your red blood cells healthy. Why not try grilled turkey with a side order of roasted new potatoes and garlic roasted asparagus… It’s lovely!

Phosphorous

Another one that you’ve probably heard about but not really understood is phosphorus. This is needed for the development of the bones in the body, and also for normal growth. Just like the selenium, this mineral helps to unlock and release the energy within the food that you eat and in turn, this will make you feel better in general. There’s quite a few foods that will contain this and aside from turkey, you will find that best are grains, dairy food, rice and poultry.

Of course, with all the good there must occasionally come some bad. In the case of turkey, certain parts of the meat can contain high amounts of saturated fat which isn’t good for your cholesterol. There are things that you can do to avoid this, of course, and one of the best is to know which parts of the bird are right for you. For example, the dark meat will contain more fat than the white meat in its raw form. Dark meat has 0.8g saturated fat and white meat has just 0.3g. Roasted dark meat can contain as much as 2.0g in 100g! That’s such a great jump!

That’s all that we can find really for the bad in turkey… It’s a great thing that it only has one con for all those pros! One final pro that you should probably know about before you go running to grab the turkey leftovers is that the lean breast meat can contain as LITTLE as 150g in 100g portion. Roast lamb can contain 240 calories plus, depending on how it is cooked! Again, that’s a pretty staggering jump!

Have we convinced you of the good about turkey yet? If we haven’t, check out some of the other posts on the site. We guarantee you’ll be hooked once you’re finished!

As much as we would love to say to you that the snacks you put in your mouth at Christmas is bad for you, there’s a high chance that you are not going to stop eating them. We all know that Christmas is for splurging – it wouldn’t be the same without a naughty desert or a glass of festive tipple! Thankfully, with our simple hints and tips, you could have a healthier Christmas and still enjoy all those snacky-little foods that you love to nibble on!

Make your own! 

Mince Pies

If you make your own mince pies, you can make open-topped ones. This may not seem like a great effort to make to stay healthier this Christmas but think about how many of these mince pies you are likely to eat, especially if you take them to parties with you. The open-topped idea means that you are consuming less pastry which is generally the worst part of this festive delight. You might also want to consider making the mince pies with filo pastry to make them less calorie-ridden and easier on the digestive tract that conventional pies. When you look at it this way, it just makes sense – one sheet of filo pasty contains around 40 calories. One sheet of puff pastry has over 600 calories. Even if you use five or six sheets of filo pastry to make luxurious mince pies, you will still be consuming less calories than the puff pastry versions. They will be lighter to enjoy too!

You can even liven up the mincemeat a bit to make it heather by adding some chopped apple. It’s a simple tip but one that could save you a whole load of calories during the Christmas season.

Nibbles

Rather than putting out bowls of calorie-ridden nuts and savoury snacks, make your own healthy treats and cut back on calories without sacrificing flavour. Instead of using bags of crisps that can contain over 200 calories per bag, make your own dried vegetable crisps. A few of our team starting buying these from Boots and they are delicious and have most definitely gone down a treat. Take a look online for some recipes and you’ll see how easy they are to make too!

You could use poppadoms, rice cakes, oatcakes and even homemade healthy treats to put out in place of the conventional nibbles. We promise you that your guests will love the exchange!

Dip-Dipping

You can’t really have a festive gathering without dips. What else would you dunk your breadsticks in? There are ways that you can substitute unhealthy, calorie-packed dips for the healthier ones. Salsa, for example, is a great substitute for the tubs of sour cream and chive dips that you always have with your Doritos. Low fat yoghurt with a handful of herbs also make for great dips and you can experiment with different flavours for plenty of fun opportunities! Again, take a look around the internet for homemade healthy dips for a good idea of what we mean.

Simple swaps!

Easy peasy substitutes are what you are looking for at this busy time of year, right? We’ll bring the very best ones right now:

Swap the ready salted crisps for plain tortilla chips or handmade chips (healthy ones, of course!)

Swap the salmon and cream cheese bite-things for sushi-style salmon instead!

Swap the pastry tarts for the filo pastry ones – just like we mentioned in the mince pies!

Swap an onion bhaji for a satay stick and you could be saving almost 50 calories per nibble!

Swap the salted peanuts for some pretzels and again, you could be saving over 70 calories! 

There are plenty of things that you can do to make Christmas this easier for you and these healthy Christmas snacks are just the tip of the iceberg. Why not take a look at some of our other festive healthy eating articles to have a much healthier Christmas this year:

•  Top 10 Tips to Make it Through Christmas without Getting Fat!
• Easy Christmas Food Swaps for a Healthier Christmas

The delicious Christmas grub was found on Pinterest.com