I have been seeing so many posts about weight loss recently, and about girls wanting to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time and people recommending diets, pills etc. I am not a nutritionist BUT hopefully this post may inspire you to do your research and improve your lifestyle!

Here are the FACTS:

- diets are short term solutions - you cannot keep up a diet for the rest of your life. You will end up miserable and when you stop dieting, you WILL gain the weight back.

- pills DO NOT work. Please stop destroying your body in order to look good for other people.

- starving yourself for a week to lose weight is NOT okay. You will gain the weight back!

- binge eating is an eating disorder - other people have gone through this, just like you! There is no shame in it!

- fad diets DO NOT work: these are things such as the ‘grapefruit diet,’ fit tea etc

- you cannot cut food groups out of your ‘diet,’ this will cause health problems! You NEED every food group for your body to function normally. Please please unfollow anyone who tells you otherwise. However, it is sustainable for you to decrease your unhealthy fats and instead swap them for healthy fats. It is possible to decrease your intake of carbs but you still need them!!

This is what may happen if you cut food groups out of your ‘diet’:

- low energy, you may struggle to get out of bed in the morning, you may find yourself struggling to stay awake throughout the day etc

- headaches

- irregular periods

- lack of motivation

- skin breakouts

- weight gain

- so many other serious health disorders, just do not do this to yourself unless recommended by an actual nutritionist!!

Facts on weight loss:

- to lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit. This means you must eat under your maintenance calories. It is that simple! Calories in < calories out. However, you must do this gradually and sustainably in order to get long term results.

1) calculate your maintenance calories. There are lots of calculators on google for this exact purpose.

2) download an app such as My Fitness Pal in order to guide you along the way. This app allows you to input each food you’ve eaten and even has some foods from restaurants.

3) be active! Find out what you enjoy in terms of sport and do it! If you enjoy taking classes and other people motivate you, find some classes and commit! If you enjoy lifting weights, go to your local gym and ask a coach to help you begin. If you enjoy cardio then go for runs etc etc I can guarantee there is a sport you enjoy and this is what will get you your results.

- saying this, numbers are not everything! Do not get bogged down with this. I, for one, do not count calories but instead eat smaller portions and just watch what I eat. My results may not be as quick or good as those that do, but this is the most sustainable and healthy method for ME.

- stop weighing yourself. Please. Just don’t. A high number on the scale does not mean you are ‘fat.’ Remember, muscle ways more than fat! Your number does not define you.

- the way you look is the least interesting thing about you (in the words of a very very good youtuber who motivated me to begin my journey - ‘natacha’)

- water is literally everything. Honestly, just drinking more water will get you results. Carry a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go and you will find yourself drinking more and your skin may clear up and you may lose weight just from this simple change!

- do your research. Understand how your body works. After all, people may leave out of your life, you may go through heartbreak etc etc but you will always be you! Embrace it. Push yourself to be your best. Start today, you might aswell spend a month making a change than spend a month doing nothing. I guarantee your self esteem will increase ten fold, you will have more energy, and you will be happier for it.

I would also recommend joining a Facebook group or investing in a good guide for your goals. There are many many guides online but do your research before beginning one! Not all of them are healthy for your body.

There are many groups such as ‘gains for girls’ etc on Facebook and many youtubers you can follow and join their community. I personally love gracefituk, Natacha and Whitney Simmons.

Feel free to comment below how you’ve improved your lifestyle or any tips for other people you may have. Positive vibes only though please!