How to Lose Weight Well

1. Identify and Eliminate Your Weight Loss Enemies

You are at war with them. The old expression 'it takes two to tango' only applies if you are actually trying to tango. For just about everything else for which a tango is required to serve as a metaphor (usually some kind of fight) it only takes one. The other person just has to sit there. If you're passive in a war, you lose.

Recognize your adversaries. The food industry, with its processed foods and clever marketing, is designed to make you overeat. These "hyperdelicious" foods trigger intense dopamine responses, making them almost irresistible.

Take action against temptation. Remove all junk and processed food from your home. Identify sources of temptation at work, in social situations, and even in seemingly innocent places like petrol stations or cinemas. Be proactive in avoiding these triggers.

Be wary of "health" foods. Many products marketed as healthy, like granola or fruit juices, can be just as problematic as obvious junk food. Learn to read labels and understand that food companies prioritize profit over your health.

2. Prepare Your Environment for Successful Dieting

GET YOUR PANTRY READY: oh, you don't live in Downton Abbey? Well then go through your kitchen cupboards. Remove all the junk and processed food. Give it away, or frankly, throw it away. Eating it is as much of a waste as not eating it. When you eat it, you become a human rubbish bin.

Declutter your kitchen. Remove all processed and junk foods from your pantry and refrigerator. This eliminates temptation and forces you to make conscious choices about what you eat.

Stock up on essentials. Fill your kitchen with whole, unprocessed foods. Keep a variety of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats on hand. Prepare snacks and meals in advance to avoid impulsive eating decisions.

Equip yourself for success. Invest in basic kitchen tools that make cooking easier and more enjoyable:

• A sharp chef's knife and a knife sharpener
• A good cutting board
• A salad spinner
• A cast-iron skillet
• Heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepans

3. Embrace Vegetables as the Foundation of Your Diet

I'm not interested in clean living and boredom and smiling through my salad while I pretend my life isn't falling to bits. I like gluttony, extravagance and fun. I like to see everyone leaving the table groaning and clutching their stomachs. I want to be able to tap my belly at the end of a meal and feel it's taut like a snare drum. But that doesn't mean I have to gain weight. I serve mountains of vegetables.

Make vegetables the star. Fill most of your plate with a variety of vegetables. They're nutrient-dense, low in calories, and help you feel full. Experiment with different cooking methods to make them delicious and satisfying.

Learn to cook vegetables well. Simple techniques can transform vegetables into crave-worthy dishes:

• Roast vegetables with olive oil and herbs for caramelized flavor
• Sauté greens with garlic and lemon for a quick side dish
• Use spices and herbs liberally to enhance flavor without adding calories

Incorporate vegetables into every meal. Start your day with a vegetable-packed omelet, enjoy a large salad for lunch, and make vegetable-based soups or stir-fries for dinner. The fiber and water content in vegetables will help you feel satisfied with fewer calories.

4. Rethink Your Relationship with Protein and Fat

Fat makes you feel good. You need fat for your body to function. And it doesn't do you harm in the ways that are commonly believed. This is not a low-fat diet. You do need to be a little wary of the sheer density of calories in fat: a tablespoon of olive oil is over a hundred kcal. But fat doesn't stimulate your body to release insulin (see Carbs, over the page) and it doesn't make you crave more.

Embrace healthy fats. Contrary to old beliefs, fat is essential for satiety and overall health. Include sources of healthy fats in your diet, such as:

• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Olive oil
• Fatty fish like salmon

Prioritize protein. Protein helps you feel full and preserves muscle mass during weight loss. Include a source of protein with every meal, such as:

• Eggs
• Lean meats
• Fish
• Legumes
• Greek yogurt

Balance is key. While fat and protein are important, be mindful of portion sizes. A balanced plate should include vegetables, a moderate portion of protein, and a small amount of healthy fat.

5. Simplify Your Approach to Carbohydrates

You gain weight if you eat too many calories. Low-carb diets stop you eating too many calories. If you take the bread and beans and ketchup out of a fried breakfast, it's a pretty healthy meal.

Understand carbs' role. Carbohydrates aren't inherently bad, but they're often easy to overeat. Focus on complex carbohydrates from whole foods rather than refined carbs from processed sources.

Be mindful of portion sizes. Carbs can quickly add up in calories. Use smaller plates and be aware of serving sizes, especially for foods like pasta, rice, and bread.

Choose wisely. Opt for nutrient-dense carbohydrate sources:

• Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats)
• Legumes (beans, lentils)
• Fruits and vegetables

6. Exercise for Health, Not Weight Loss

If you want an example of how a little exercise allows you to diet less, then look no further than professional cyclists. I spent some time talking with the nutritionist for the Sky Sports cycling team. It's his job to fuel the riders during training and during the Tour de France. He was fascinating about the starvation they endure. The cyclists really don't want to be carrying a single extra gram up the hills and so they starve themselves thin. These are athletes who are burning thousands of calories a day on their bikes and they're all dieting to get ready for race season.

Focus on overall health. Exercise is crucial for overall health, but it's not the primary driver of weight loss. Don't rely on exercise alone to lose weight, as it's difficult to out-exercise a poor diet.

Find enjoyable activities. Choose forms of exercise you enjoy, as you're more likely to stick with them. This could be walking, swimming, cycling, or strength training. Aim for a mix of cardio and strength exercises.

Set realistic goals. Instead of focusing solely on weight loss, set performance-based goals:

• Increase the number of push-ups you can do
• Improve your running time
• Enhance your flexibility

7. Live Well to Lose Weight Well

Losing weight well is even harder than learning the guitar and, while this book does contain rules and advice, I think you could ignore most of it if you understand one important thing: if you want to lose weight and maintain that weight loss you will have to change your life.

Holistic approach. Recognize that weight loss is not just about food and exercise. It involves your entire lifestyle, including sleep, stress management, and social relationships.

Identify barriers. Reflect on what has prevented you from losing weight in the past. Common barriers include:

• Emotional eating
• Lack of time for meal planning
• Social pressure to eat unhealthily
• Stress and poor sleep habits

Make sustainable changes. Instead of drastic, short-term measures, focus on small, consistent changes you can maintain long-term. This might include:

• Gradually increasing your vegetable intake
• Slowly reducing portion sizes
• Finding healthier ways to manage stress
• Improving your sleep habits

8. Master the Art of Cooking Simple, Nutritious Meals

Georgie is the perfect partner in all these respects: she's an awesome cook and happy to make a recipe reasonable for people with busy lives. Sure, a 72-hour veal stock might improve the dish. But a cube will do. The recipes in here are delicious and are exactly the kinds of food that I eat every day to maintain my weight or, when I need to, lose some.

Keep it simple. Focus on mastering a few basic cooking techniques that can be applied to a variety of ingredients. This might include:

• Roasting vegetables
• Pan-frying fish or chicken
• Making simple salad dressings

Meal prep. Dedicate time each week to prepare meals and snacks in advance. This helps avoid impulsive food choices when you're busy or tired.

Experiment with flavors. Use herbs, spices, and citrus to add flavor without calories. Some versatile options include:

• Garlic and lemon for vegetables and fish
• Cumin and coriander for beans and lentils
• Cinnamon and nutmeg for oatmeal and fruit

9. Navigate Social Situations and Temptations

There will be setbacks and difficult days but I'd prefer you didn't think of it as falling off the wagon. I'd prefer that you stepped off the wagon, had a break, deliberately had a day or two where you didn't try to run a calorie deficit, and then got back on the wagon again. I'm not trying to sign you up to a lifetime of no booze and no ice cream. But I think you should be deliberate about your choices around those things.

Plan ahead. When dining out or attending social events, look at menus in advance and decide what you'll eat. This helps avoid impulsive choices.

Practice moderation. Allow yourself occasional treats, but be mindful and intentional about them. Enjoy them fully without guilt, then return to your healthy habits.

Develop strategies. Have a plan for common challenging situations:

• At parties, focus on socializing rather than food
• When dining out, ask for dressings and sauces on the side
• Keep healthy snacks with you to avoid impulse eating

10. Understand the Science of Hunger and Satiety

Your stomach isn't like a petrol tank that clicks off when it's full of vegetables. Your brain is constantly measuring what's entering your bloodstream – fat, sugar, protein – and if it's not getting enough it'll be sending out signals that it wants more.

Learn your hunger cues. Distinguish between true hunger and emotional or habitual eating. Pay attention to physical signs of hunger, such as a growling stomach or low energy.

Eat mindfully. Slow down and pay attention to your food while eating. This helps you recognize when you're satisfied before you become overly full.

Balance macronutrients. Include protein, healthy fats, and fiber in your meals to promote satiety. This combination helps stabilize blood sugar and keeps you feeling full longer.

11. Embrace Occasional Indulgences Mindfully

Georgie wouldn't let me just have the pudding section say: "chop up a piece of fruit". She's right. Some nights you need pudding. Especially if you're entertaining. Or dining with your special person. Or alone in front of the TV.

Allow for treats. Completely restricting yourself can lead to binge eating. Include occasional indulgences in your diet, but do so mindfully and in moderation.

Make healthier versions. Experiment with lighter versions of your favorite treats. For example:

• Use Greek yogurt instead of cream in desserts
• Try fruit-based desserts like baked apples or poached pears
• Make homemade ice cream with frozen bananas

Savor the experience. When you do indulge, give it your full attention. Eat slowly, enjoy every bite, and stop when you're satisfied. This helps prevent overindulgence and increases satisfaction with smaller portions.

Last updated: October 7, 2024