The One Diet That Really Does Work.

So what is the latest weight loss diet in the news? You may or may not be surprised to learn that according to the prestigious medical journal The Lancet it is the low fat diet – but for all the wrong reasons.

A United States-based study has been published of a large meta-analysis involving more than 68,000 non-pregnant adults. US-based epidemiologist and lead author Deirdre Tobias said she was not surprised to see low-fat diets were not effective.

So what else did this analysis find?

Low-carbohydrate or Mediterranean programs lead to greater fat loss when followed for at least a year.

Reduced-fat diets only led to greater weight loss when compared to no diet at all

"We've seen over the last several years and decades that low-fat diets were promoted as the way to lose weight but nonetheless if you look around we saw that rates of obesity skyrocketed during the same time."[1]

The One diet that DOES REALLY Work.

There is a 10 step, very low tech, uncomplicated approach to losing weight that I find works every time. It is so simple that most people needing to lose a few kilos can’t believe it is that easy - but it is true.

Here is the secret…… The one diet that does really work is the healthy eating approach that you can sustain long term. It’s the ONE that you can stick to as part of your lifestyle

Setting the goal:

1.       Set a realistic time frame to achieve an ideal weight goal (goal for life – not the Christmas party work function)

The Food

2.       6 – 9 cups of vegetables each day including two pieces of fruit

3.       Small amounts of protein at every meal

4.       Reduce all added sugar in your diet from drinks, pastries, cakes, biscuits, low-fat anything – to lower your food cravings and reduce your sugar spikes – let’s face it - they are exhausting

5.       Eat real food – less than 10% of your food each week should come from a canned, bottled, packaged or boxed container that has had preservatives, emulsifiers and chemicals added. You know which isles in the supermarket I am talking about J

6.       Eat good fats from nuts, good oils, avocados

7.       Lower your coffee and alcohol intake and increase your water consumption

 The Lifestyle

8.       Exercise – yes this is part of your diet. Minimum of 30 minutes per day to begin – increasing to 45 – 60 minutes 3 or 4 times per week. The recommended level for women and men is 150 minutes per week.

9.       Get plenty of sleep and use meditation or some other form of relaxation to lower your stress levels (cortisol) which can be telling your body to store fat

Compassion

10.   Forgive yourself for the occasional indulgence and allow yourself to get back on track at the next meal

I know that looks easy – but the reality is that sometimes getting started can be hard. Your lifestyle needs to support your health goals. We all have our own ‘stories’ and ‘life experiences’ that can get in the way.

If you have ‘ic’ (diabetic) an ‘ism’ (hypothyroidism) or a ‘syndrome’ (metabolic) you may need a little more coaching and advice.

But the good news is that when you approach weight loss from a whole person perspective those short term changes can become your long term lifestyle. You can leave the fear, obsessions, negative self-talk and low self-esteem behind. YAY.

As a nutritionist and clinical hypnotherapist I work with my clients to help them align their goals, eating plans and personal commitments to achieve the outcome they want.

[1] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/low-fat-diets-no-better-for-weight-loss-than-higher-fat-intake/6899628