Monitoring your weight loss

If you are using alli then you will find it helpful to record your weight loss progress. This will enable you to review your weight loss and to highlight any areas where you may need to make a few adjustments. It also acts as a confidence booster if you feel that you are not making as much progress as you thought. Reviewing your progress to date enables you to see how much weight you have lost which encourages you to continue.

Note your progress

This also acts as a ‘food diary’ in which you write down what you have eaten on a daily basis. Please be honest with this and note down exactly what food you have consumed. If you succumbed to temptation and ate a bar of chocolate then note this down, even if you ate healthily for the rest of the day.

You can keep a handwritten diary and/or a spreadsheet if you prefer as a means of recording your weight loss.

Use this with others weight loss tools such as measuring your waist circumference or your body fat levels. If your clothes feel looser or you find that you can tighten your belt a few extra notches then this is a sign that you have lost weight.

Avoid becoming a slave to the scales

Weighing yourself is important but avoid becoming obsessive about doing this. There will be times when you lose more weight than others and it is easy to become discouraged if this is not reflected on the scales. But our weight fluctuates on a daily basis especially in women. This fluctuation can cause small increases in weight which is usually due to fluid retention before the start of menstruation.

So, look for other signs that you have lost weight. Having to buy a smaller size in clothes is one sign as is increased energy levels, improved self-confidence and a positive outlook in general. What you may find is that the scales show an increase in weight. If you are following a regular exercise routine then this increase will be due to a change in your body composition. Your muscle mass will have increased whilst your body fat levels will have decreased. Muscle is denser than fat and burns more calories at rest which is good news if you are trying to lose excess adipose. Weighing scales cannot distinguish between fat and muscle which is why you may see an inaccurate figure. Sometimes it is better to be guided by the fit of your clothes and physical changes to your body rather than your weight.

Dealing with cravings

The important thing to remember is that you are human and being human means that you often give in to temptation. If you give in to a craving then accept that it has happened and move on. Look at ways of dealing with cravings so that you know what to expect the next time it happens. Often you will find that those cravings for food are in fact, a sign of being thirsty. Drink a few glasses of water if this occurs which will also ensure that you remain hydrated. Keep fresh fruit, raw vegetables such as celery or carrots or a few oatcakes to hand if you feel the urge to snack.

Look for ways to occupy yourself when the cravings arise and to take your mind off food generally.