Coast nutritionist and yogi’s best tips to shed Christmas kilos

The natural therapies enthusiast says it is possible to lose 3kg a week safely.

Qualified nutritionist, iridologist and yoga instructor Rhian Hunter of Health Hunter Natural Therapies shares her tips to losing the Christmas kilos quickly. Picture: Lacee Froeschl

Two weeks into the new year and there’s no doubt that many of us are wanting a quick and easy way to drop the kilos post festive indulging.

According to Hervey Bay’s natural therapies nutritionist and yoga instructor Rhian Hunter, it is possible to lose up to three kilos a week safely – provided it’s done correctly.

While she said an ideal number should be 0.5kg a week, she understands it’s a reality that people want to shed the kilos fast.

Her general tips to the easiest/quickest way to drop the kilos on the scales are to:

• Restrict caloric intake significantly to 1000 calories a day

• Ensure what you do eat within those calories are low in carbohydrates but high in protein and quality fats

• Avoid pro-inflammatory foods like wheat, gluten, yeast and dairy

Ms Hunter said kickstarting weight loss and keeping it off was where most struggle, but in her book Eat Clean, Live Well she highlights two ways to help.

Qualified nutritionist, iridologist and yoga instructor Rhian Hunter. Picture: Lacee Froeschl

The first involves juice for breakfast, lunch and a nutritious meal for dinner – ultimately restricting calories to 1000 per day for the first three days, then up to 1500 in the four days after.

Ms Hunter said this can see results of 1.5kg to 3kg of weight loss in one week.

“If you continue to eat well and balanced after those seven days, you won’t put the weight back on, however if you go back to eating poorly, drinking alcohol, you will,” she said.

The second involves a “do it yourself” diet guide, which Ms Hunter said was more likely to help with long-term dietary changes.

Go low carb

Examples of low carb fruit and vegetables include berries, melons, mushrooms, celery, cucumber, greens like spinach, kale and rocket, broccoli, zucchini, capsicum and cauliflower.

Other low carb foods include eggs, tofu, fish, turkey and oils.

Choose low calorie and high protein snacks

Like egg white omelette with mushrooms and mixed greens; curried tofu on celery sticks; black coffee with a dash of cream and collagen powder; two boiled eggs with Dijon mustard.

Meal replacements

Ms Hunter said if replacing a meal with a bar will help you, look for something with minimal and quality ingredients, under 300 calories and at least 15-20g of protein.

If replacing a meal in liquid form, make a smoothie with fresh greens, avocado and berries and a scoop of quality protein powder.

Choose one flavour, like vanilla, to make it versatile.

Avoid lists

“These lists find their way into pretty much every diet or diet program,” Ms Hunter added.

Simply avoiding pro inflammatory foods like gluten, wheat, dairy, refined sugar, trans fats, red and processed meats, coffee, caffeinated beverages and alcohol, will result in positive health outcomes.

Ms Hunter recommends doing the kickstarts for one to four weeks, and only if you intend on improving dietary habits thereafter.

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