Today I have another exciting guest blogger for you! Our wonderful blogger is one of the beautiful ladies that took part in my last Naturally Slim (now called Flourish) program and she is sharing with us some brilliant beginner tips.

Often beginning to eat a bit healthier or embarking ob losing weight can seem daunting, no knowing where to start – well fear not this wonderful post  will show you how it is done in a normal but super naturally healthy way!

Before I leave you, I wanted to let you know that I will be starting the next Naturally Slim program on 28th July (now called Flourish). If you can’t wait until then keep your eyes peeled over the next week for some exciting news…

But without further a due here is a beginner’s guide to weight loss and natural health!

A Little Bit About Me.

I work 8-5 each weekday for a Scottish news/public affairs company. While I LOVE what I do, the deadlines, ever-changing agenda and last minute research requests can leave me feeling properly pooped by the time I hit the couch in the evening. And became my excuse for remaining on that couch right up til bedtime. I assumed because I am vegetarian that my meals and diet were healthy (it’s got the word veg in the title for crying out loud!) but, though most people would consider me to be pretty slim, in the last four years I’ve steadily increased in weight by about a stone and a half. Now that’s no biggie, but I couldn’t help but feeling now was the prime time to do something about it. I assumed learning more about healthy eating and beginning to exercise would be hard so thought ‘let’s get ahead of the game and kick the flab’s butt before all but my nearest and dearest have even noticed it’s there’. And I’ve got to tell you – winning idea.

Enter Naturally Slim…

I loved the concept of NS as it was broken down into really easy to understand concepts and accompanied with a serious dose of moral support, tips, recipes and suggestions from Kezia. I lost a stone but more importantly I lost the desire to lose the weight; I knew I was eating healthily and mindfully so the numbers seemed much less important!

Differences I Found:

• More energy – oh my goodness, this one is my favourite!
• Less weight – I won’t be entering in ‘tiny person of the year’ or doing any marathons any time soon but the difference is there to see and feel.
• Seriously yummy food. Turns out I really like simple, fresh ingredients
• Less guilt – hmmmm, maybe that one might be my favourite too!
• Better mind set – I understand what I want to look for in food so I know it when I see and also know it when I make a decision to enjoy a treat anyway.

Top Tips From One Beginner To Another

1. Ditch the white pasta, noodles rice, cous cous etc. I thought this would be hard, really hard but in actual fact it proved to be very easy and painfree. My local supermarket has wholegrain versions of all these products. If you are worried you won’t enjoy them (there is a slight difference in flavour/texture) make sure and try them in a big hearty sauce to begin with where the differences will be less noticeable.
2. Think of ways to save time in your day to make room for things that might take longer. I discovered I could walk home from work almost 10m quicker if I changed my shoes and really started marching. That extra time could be spent making your own hummus or doing a little extra exercise when you arrive. Healthier and quicker, what’s not to love. Sidebar: after a really pants day that time can also be used for guilt-free napping. Win.
3. Stuff vegetables with other vegetables. Does this require further explanation? Probably not. An easy way to make a whole meal with only veggies and without much work. Example: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1262642/italianstyle-stuffed-aubergines but really thinly chop any vegetable and fry with a few tasty additions (herbs/spices/little bit of cheese/big bit of cheese) before stuffing in a larger roasted veg and you’re probably on to a winner.
4. Find exercise you enjoy. I don’t like to be seen sweating. That is just fact, so when I discovered the amazing range of free videos out there I was delighted. The bonus with this way is that it’s free, quick, easy to tailor to your mood and can be done in your own home (my flat’s tiny so if it works for me it can work for you!). What’s more important though is that you do something that you enjoy and think of ways to encourage you to do this. For me that was leaving the yogamat lying out and putting my laptop beside it before so that when it came time there were very few excuses possible!
5. If you absolutely love it, and don’t want to, don’t stop. I have a cup of black coffee everyday with a generous teaspoon of sugar. I love it. Honey and other alternatives I’ve tried change the flavour and (in my view) not in a good way. I will try other options when I come across them but until them I’m not going to sweat this little luxury.
6. Meal plan. A day ahead, a week ahead, a month ahead, it doesn’t really matter but creating a plan, thinking about whether it’s as good for you as it could be, buying the food and having the lovely well stocked fridge were definitely key to my success and sanity.
7. Good snacks. When there’s an avocado in the fridge, fruit and nut mix on a tub at my desk and chopped veggies ready to go suddenly the walk to the corner shop for crisps seems like a really bad idea…

Wow – what brilliant tips! So so good and what a mindset shift, no more dieting people just healthy choices for life.

What things are you finding most difficult about losing weight and getting healthier? What would your top tips be?