How did you go over the latest lockdown? I found it harder than the first one earlier in the year and other people I’ve spoken to have said the same thing. For whatever reason, it just felt tougher and it was easy to turn to mood food to deal with lack of routine, boredom, lack of interaction with others and feeling a bit unsettled about life in general.

Anyway, it’s over for now and time to move on, to drop the extra kilos and get back into eating well again. It is inspiring to notice that the days are lengthening, the spring flowers are out and the birds are nesting. Are you ready to throw off a layer or two?

So how do you get yourself back on track?

Go back to basics!

Nothing works better than going back to the basics – they work! And forming a routine again makes life a lot easier than jumping from one thing to another.

• Make a plan for the week. Factor in time to do your food shop, to prepare meals ahead of time and also factor in time to exercise.

• Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. Find someone to walk with. Join an exercise class if you are a group exercise person, participate in an online exercise class if you don’t want to leave home to exercise. Regular, moderate exercise helps amp up your immune system as well as improving your mental health.

• Make a deal with yourself (or me!) that you will only drink alcohol at the weekend (that’s two days, not three).

• Cut back your portion sizes if they have grown. It is so easy to gradually put more on your plate.

• Eat ‘real’ food, food that generally goes off if not kept in the fridge (meat / chicken / fish / eggs / dairy / veggies).

• Keep it simple, keep it healthy. You don’t need to eat a gourmet meal every night!

• Include half a meal of veggies at lunch and dinner. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to cut back on fibrous, low calorie veggies. They are good for your gut health, mental health, immune health and fat loss. They also bulk out your meals.

• If you are serious about fat loss, accountability is huge. Either by coming in for regular appointments and/or by keeping a food and exercise diary.

Spring here we come! If you would like some help to get back on track, please contact me now.