By Sarah-Jane Bailey
Today I am mostly starving, followed by salivating at my children’s plates full of left overs calling my name. Yup, its that time of year…….. ITS NEARLY MY BIRTHDAY AND I MUST BE SLIMMER! Its an annual occurrence, the mid life panic of acknowledging that I am veering towards elasticated waistbands, larger pull me in underwear and popping up a dress size! With this in mind I am opting for a summer diet, which will see me eat a reduced calorie diet that’s been thought to help reduce belly weight the quickest and encourage me to exercise more. Mostly this has been about drinking more gin (dieters friend), eating celery (it’s a myth about the calories) and doing more ironing!
As with any weight loss programme, I would always recommend talking to your GP and doing some research. Its also important to be clear about your weight loss goals and your motivation otherwise you can waste your time and damage your physical and mental health. Do some research on the proposed diet too, but beware of the fruit salad type advice spouted on many websites – people who have loads of cash and rely on their looks for a living have a team around them to sort it all out.
I have been realistic about my body shape too – I need to realise that my potential weight and measurements can be shaped by my skeleton and DNA. I am now old enough to realise that I will never have the body of a super model and that bikini days are long gone.
There are four common female body shapes:
- Apple (triangle downward) Apple-shaped women are broader on top, and have narrower hips.
- Banana, or straight (rectangular)
- Pear, Spoon, or Bell (triangle upward)
- Hourglass Shape (triangles opposing, facing in)
I am a classic fruit salad shape, as I am not sure what shape I would be if I were at my healthiest as it can change all the time. I hold weight on my tummy the most and annoyingly I lose weight on my face (showing off some wrinkles) before I lose it anywhere else. I know that tummy weight can be the most detrimental to my health. I am aware of the health benefits from being a bit leaner, a bit fitter and a bit better. I know that as we age my risk of health disease increase and so does my risk of type 2 diabetes as I start to hold a few more pounds round my middle. I also realise I could be run over by a bus tomorrow and should I not tuck in to some lovely cheese, red wine and fresh bread right now just in case it’s my last day on earth?
So I cut back on my calories, making better food choices such as lots of fruit and veg. I pop to the gym more where I do cardio and weight bearing exercises. I body brush every day and top up my cup with green tea. I go to bed earlier which helps me fast over night. I also fake tan like a pro – it’s a great body boost to make you feel and look slimmer. There is no secret formula to losing weight – just effort.
So I can throw out my bikini but stick with a waistband that’s devoid of elastic for another year – happy birthday me!
