Some of the questions I am invariably asked by my clients are: What’s the best diet to follow? Which diet book should I buy? Should I join Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Sure Slim? What fat blaster tablets work the best? Which exercise will make my backside smaller and tummy flatter?

The list goes on and on.  My answer is always the same.  Unfortunately there is no secret diet, book, weight loss program, tablet or exercise that will unlock the door to your answers.  The answer has been under your nose the whole time and it is available to everyone!     

Bookstores have huge sections dedicated to health and fitness, particularly weight loss.  A lot of popular fad diets state that their diet recommendations alone are sufficient enough for weight loss and no exercise is required.  If this were true, there would be so many more thinner people in this world, don’t you think?  No one in their right mind could honestly believe that they could achieve any long term, permanent physical changes without exercise, could they?  But they do. 

Many people, especially women, put themselves on a calorie restrictive diet, which actually causes lean muscle loss, which slows down their metabolisms and makes fat loss even harder!  They can often lose a lot of ‘weight’ on these diets but it is usually a lot of water, quite a bit of muscle and only a little fat.  So, even though they may have lost 5 or 10kg on the scales they haven’t actually lost much body fat.  As soon as they resume their normal eating patterns, they almost always regain all the weight plus a little more, having not learnt that only a lifestyle incorporating sensible eating and exercising regularly = long term results.

Artificial products are usually quite devoid of nutrients and their intake should be limited, not only for weight loss reasons but especially for health.  Products such as bread, pasta, and anything down the confectionary aisle should be reduced in anyone’s diet. Generally, packaged food = bad food.

Adequate daily amounts of protein, fats and carbohydrates can and should be obtained from as natural a source as possible.  I always encourage my clients to eat as much real food as possible, as close to nature as it is first provided to us. 

Excellent sources of protein are available from lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, whey protein powder, small amounts of natural yoghurt and white cheeses. Essential fats are important and should be obtained from nuts, seeds and good oils such as flaxseed and olive oils.  Butter can be used but margarine must be avoided.  Plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit should make up the bulk of your carbohydrate intake with small amounts of oats and brown rice.  If you must eat bread make sure it is the whole grain or rye variety, wheat and yeast free, which is available everywhere.

We have had it drummed into our heads for many years that we need copious amounts of carbohydrates for ‘energy’ and to meet our ‘fibre’ needs.  What has happened though is that most people over consume refined carbohydrates which are devoid of nutrients and full of ‘dead’ calories but which are quick and easy to consume.  Granted—everyone is different, but I do not agree that it is necessary for people to consume so much of their calories in the form of breads, pasta, cereals, muffins, muesli bars, white rice etc, especially for energy or fibre reasons. Why it isn’t encouraged more, especially by health professionals, for people to consume as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible?  The high levels of nutrients, fibre, water and energy that one will obtain from eating fresh foods is far greater than anything that can be found made in a factory. And if after eating all the fresh produce you can there isn’t any room for bread, pasta and muffins then great!  But I’m sure all the manufacturers of these fancy products on our supermarket shelves would disagree, so shhh!

So there are no particular diets, special foods, extraordinary exercises and there is no secret tablet available that will replace a little hard work, discipline and determination.  A lifestyle incorporating sensible food choices, regular cardio vascular exercise and resistance training will set you on the road to superb health and fitness. 

* There are a few books and websites I do recommend: refer to the ‘WE RECOMMEND’ section for more details.

© Kylie Pogson 2005 

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