By Siobhan O’Neill White

September is often the busiest month of the year for slimming and fitness clubs – for many of these
businesses, it is even more busy than January! As the children go back to school and routine
becomes the norm again, we start to think ahead to Christmas and the party season and the dread
of the LBD (Little Black Dress!).Covid has played havoc with many of our waistlines (mine included unfortunately!) and while it’s good to focus on a healthier attitude to sweets and treats in general, instead of putting huge pressure on yourself to achieve something huge like losing a stone or two before Christmas, how about setting some smaller, more achievable goals instead? We can help! In 2018, we ran a free weight loss group on mams.ie and it was very successful. The aim was to lose half a pound a week by making small changes. Increasing your exercise, cutting down on alcohol, drinking more water, cutting down on fizzy drinks – just these changes alone can bring great results. We all supported each other and it was in a non judgemental way, which really spurred everyone on. I find that, when I want to lose some weight, small changes are the way to go. Instead of cutting out all your favourite treat foods in one go and radically changing your diet, make small changes that are more realistic. So, don’t just quit frothy coffees and a chat with the girls, instead opt for a flat white and have a glass of water on the go at all times. Sometimes, we think we’re hungry when in fact, we are just thirsty. If you fancy a scone with that coffee, earn it, by walking to the café. That way you won’t feel guilty afterwards! When it comes to weekends, go easy on yourself. You don’t have to quit all your favourite things. You can still have a take away but limit it to one a week and if you are having a glass wine, think about drinking white instead of red as its lower in calories. I love soda water with splash of lime cordial, few cubes of ice and a slice of lime, it feels like a drink but no hangover the next day! Instead of reaching for crisps, have other snacks at the ready. Mini crackers and cheese are a good option if you want something salty but don’t want to devour a tub of pringles. And popcorn is a brilliant option – just go easy on the butter. We will be restarting our mams.ie weight loss club again this September, it is free of charge for mams.ie members, all you need to do is create an account at mams.ie and then subscribe.