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Obesity is a global epidemic with more than 29% of men and 56% of women overweight or obese in South Africa. It might have something to do with our hearty Sunday lunches or indulging in one too many braais. But when all is said and done a healthy lifestyle makes for a healthy weight. That is why you need an eating pattern that revolves around variety, balance and moderation.

Dish up a plan.

Losing weight and keeping it off is all about creating a plan that is simple, enjoyable and adaptable to your dynamic lifestyle.  The first step is to commit to changing your eating and exercise habits. You will have to introduce regular physical activity to your everyday routine and gradually make small changes to what you eat with a realistic weight-goal in mind. Try and control your food choices and the way you prepare meals. Once you’ve considered all of these steps, you are ready to adopt a suitable weight loss plan.

Eating those emotions?

It might sound strange but for a lot of people food is more than nutrition. They use it as a coping mechanism when they’re bored, anxious, tired or dealing with emotions. As comforting as it may seem, grabbing that box of chocolates every time you fight with your boyfriend or scoffing down that bag of droëwors when your team loses can lead to overeating. If you are an emotional eater, simply keep a record and jot down what you eat, when you eat and why you eat. Take some time to reflect on your recordings and find out what triggers your eating. Once you do this, you will find it easier to make simple changes.

Another way to break the habit is to take your mind off eating unnecessarily. Listen to music, take a walk around your block, catch up on housework like laundry or go to the driving range. It is all about finding a balance between eating and your emotions, while still enjoying what you eat.

Should you really have that second helping?

Most of us don’t recognise when we are truly hungry which also contributes to overeating. So next time, ask yourself if you’re really hungry and if you’re not sure, wait 20 minutes and ask again. When hunger strikes, think about the last time you ate and if it’s less than three hours, it may not be real hunger. Also, try and have a healthy snack like ready-to-eat fruit or vegetables on hand to tie you over until your next meal.  To help recognise real hunger, eat small meals every three to four hours until you learn what hunger feels like and if you overeat at mealtime, get back on track with your next meal.

That’s how the cookie crumbles.