Our quick quiz will help you discover your weight-loss hurdle and how to get over it!
If you’ve ever attempted to slim down and then quit soon after, we don’t need to tell you how hard it can be. ‘Dedication, willpower and organisation are all needed to stick to a diet,’ says nutrition expert Hayley Pedrick (habitude.co.uk). ‘Many are short-term strategies rather than long-term healthy habits, so it’s easy to slip. There’s also no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and personality and lifestyle can have a huge impact.’
Answer our questions to find out how to deal with your weak spot.
Take the test
1 You wake up…
Sluggish
Snoozy
Too comfy to move
■ Like you only just went to sleep
2 Your average day is…
Busy
Pressurised
■ Manageable
Up and down
3 You could do with some more…
Time
Support
Positive feedback
■ Sense of structure
4 Most people would describe you as…
■ Outgoing
Ditzy
Non-stop
Emotional
5 You struggle with…
Letting go
■ Reining it in
Planning
Mood swings
6 You hit your peak cravings at…
■ Dinnertime
Afternoon
Lunchtime
Mid-morning
7 When dieting, you really miss…
Cake
■ Boozy dinners
Baguette and crisps
Coffee and a croissant
See how you scored
Mostly
YOUR DIET DEMON IS...
ANXIETY, STRESS AND TIREDNESS
Being stretched too thinly makes dieting challenging. ‘Levels of stress hormone cortisol rise when you’re stressed, causing blood sugars to initially spike and then crash, making you crave sugary, fatty foods for a quick energy hit,’ explains Hayley. ‘Sleep deprivation can also trigger the release of appetite-raising hormone ghrelin.’
SORT IT
✣ When stress levels soar, remove yourself from the situation, make a cup of tea and refocus.
✣ Take at least 30 minutes for lunch, away from a desk or the TV, with your phone switched off.
✣ Prepare a healthy evening meal of protein and vegetables – cooking from scratch will help to relax you. Eat before 8pm, and plan a wind-down schedule that allows you to shift from ‘stress mode’ to ‘recovery mode’.
Mostly
YOUR DIET DEMON IS...
DISOR
