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Say NO to yoyo dieting

Guaranteed tips to get you out of the diet loop

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Guaranteed tips to get you out of the diet loop.

1. It’s not a quick fix Stop thinking that you need to go on a “diet”. What you really should be looking at is long-term lifestyle changes.

2. Take it slow It’s recommended that you lose only a few kilos each month and if you want to lose 10 per cent of your weight this should take around six months or so. Rushing to lose excessive weight often leads to less than impressive results that are usually not maintainable.

3. Get help Positive support from your friends and family is essential but don’t be shy about asking for advice and guidance from fitness experts too.

4. Keep moving You need to diet as well as go on an exercise plan to lose weight. If you watch what you eat but don’t get moving then this defeats the objective!

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Did You Know?

Pistachios help calm you down. In a study, people who ate one or two handfuls of pistachios, as part of a healthy diet, saw a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure, heart rate and peripheral vascular resistance during stressful situations.

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More vitamin A Eating carrots with some avocado can help your body produce 12 times the amount of vitamin A, which is essential for a healthy immune system and eyesight, shows an Ohio State University study. It’s not just orange vegetables that get a nutrient boost; the fat in avocados also help you absorb the antioxidants found in other brightlycoloured vegetables.

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Cut The cravings Got a craving for sugar? Distract yourself by playing a game on your smartphone. Recent research shows you can reduce your urge to indulge by 24 per cent if you block the mental imagery with a quick game of Tetris.

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Mustard A diet friend or foe? Friend! You’ll cut 115 kcal and up to 15 g of fat per tablespoon, when you use wholegrain mustard to accompany your steak, or in salad dressings. US researchers found that it’s also beneficial when you’re working out – a phytonutrient in mustard stimulates protein synthesis in muscle cells, boosting lean body mass and physical performance.

67% is how much people with the highest intake of vitamins C, E and selenium reduced their risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those with the lowest intake of these nutrients, a UK study finds.