weight loss the holy grail

A shiny New Year spins many people on the ever hopeful search for the Holy Grail that is, the quintessential weight loss diet. It's seductive yet elusive in it's urban myth qualities.

We know it's out there, somewhere (damn it!!) We feel it's presence full of svelte thin-bodied promises yet remains frustratingly just beyond our reach.For those of us that wish to lose weight - how on earth do we truly know how to do it!?

We are under constant attack by diet information with new studies - super-duper diet pills - shakes - books - endorsements and elaborate eating systems, however as a society we are still fat. But it's not our fault, really it's not.We have various "experts" who cannot seem to agree on even the most basic information. We are weighed down with both information and misinformation.

So who do you believe, who can you trust? I can tell you right now that if they have a product to sell, make it your prerogative to check into their claims, as well as their motives.

I am not a MD, dietitian or nutritionist but I have dedicated over 20-years to health and fitness and as a personal trainer I have seen IT ALL when it comes to eating plans that work, don't work and the dirty dozen that do irreparable damage to the body. But not only that, I also speak from experience as I come from fat genes myself. It's not new information or a magic pill. It's common sense.

1. Eat lots of fresh fruit and fruit juices/smoothies in the morning. No cooked, canned or processed fruits - doesn't count people. Do not worry about calories or negate fruits that you may have been brainwashed not to eat such as bananas. Phooey! Your body is designed to 'clean house' in the morning and fruit scrubs like nobody's business - on an empty stomach. What you are trying to do is not interfere with the elimination cycle with food that requires digestion. Fruit digests quite nicely, first thing in the morning, thank you very much.

2. Aim to eat meat/fish/poultry 3 meals a week. We don't need protein at every single meal. Eating that much animal product is good for no one except your doctor and the meat producers. Again, brainwashing from various popular diet gurus who had phenomenal marketing strategies behind them. Remember good marketing is not indicative of a good eating plan.

3. Eat more salads. If you normally have a pretty, colourful garnish salad on the side IT'S TIME TO CHANGE. Move that small salad to a bigger plate and add to it. Make the salad the center of your meal and watch the pounds fall off.

4. Quit eating so much processed foods - stop it right now.

5. And please start eating more raw vegetables. If there is a magic food out there for weight loss, fresh fruits and veggies are it.

6. Limit the amount of dairy products you consume to 3 times a week. This one can be tough, I know. But eating dairy at every meal upsets the digestive system, some more so than others and becomes habit forming. So habit forming we forget there are - in fact - other food groups out there that we haven't touched with a 10-foot fork in a long long time. And if you think low-fat dairy is the answer - read the ingredients. Dairy producers need to load up their product with fillers and sugars so as not to lose the flavour (which the dairy product is now devoid of since the fat has been removed). And so much processing involved in removing the fat. If you want dairy go for full fat = less processing and full of flavour and keeps you fuller longer. Just not dairy at every single meal.

7. Eat more nuts and seeds. They taste good and are soooooooooooo good for the body. Don't get suckered into the fat content of nuts. It's good fat which your body needs to survive. They are packed with essential fatty acids, protein and B-vitamins. They are portable, digestible and quite frankly a remarkable food.