The 5 for Life Promise
Reduce body fat safely and keep it off permanently, and retain muscle mass, without feeling hungry or deprived.
- Do it for love: treasure your body
- Look after your precious body – care for it and nurture it. Understand why you want to change your weight, and what stands in your way. Check motivations: keep your eye on the ‘why’.
- Commit to practising some healthy eating habits every day.
- Stay physically active – for joy and general health. But know that reducing body fat is mostly about changing the way you eat.
- Manage stress and get enough sleep.
- Eat at the right time
- Identify the reasons why, apart from hunger, you eat. Recognise and challenge them.
- Eat in sync with your circadian rhythm (internal body clock). This means eat early: have breakfast every day, and finish eating at least 3 – 4 hours before going to bed.
- Eat a small meal regularly (every 2 – 3 hours).
- Eat most of your energy before 3 pm and minimise your last meal of the day.
- Eat the right food
- Eat a lot more vegetables, especially green vegetables. Reduce starchy vegetables such as potatoes and sweet corn.
- Eat more protein, including vegetarian protein, and good quality fats from natural sources such as nuts and seeds, and cold-pressed oils.
- Eat less:
- High-carb, high-starch food including potatoes, rice, bread, pasta and noodles
- Processed fats in processed food and deep-fried food; refined vegetable oils.
- Avoid or eat rarely:
- Sugar, including sweetened drinks, fruit juice, lollies and sweets
- Highly processed food such as most processed meats and many pre-made meals, food made with refined flour, and processed cereals
- The ‘danger zone’ – starchy carbs prepared with fat and sugar (e.g. cake, chocolate, pastries and desserts) or fat and salt (e.g. pizza, chips and crisps).
- Drink the right fluids
- Drink more water – aim for at least 3 litres every day.
- Drink less caffeine, alcohol and fruit juice (including no added sugar juice).
- Avoid sweetened drinks (natural or artificial).
- Eat the right way
- Savour food, it’s a gift. Consider its origins and acknowledge its significance in your life.
- Pay attention. Mindful eating helps us enjoy food more and prevents overeating.
- Chew slowly and thoroughly, make each meal last.
- Keep a food journal now and then, to better understand what you eat, when, why and how.