3 reasons why diets don't work

Unfortunately there are a lot of fad diets out there which has led to confusion of what to eat – the cabbage diet, low carb diet, intermittent fasting – the list goes on! In fact billions of pounds are invested across the globe each year, by people seeking to lose weight. As a qualified nutritionist I always advise against any fad diets as they do not work and I will tell you why!Restrictive diets that may result in weight loss initially, are unlikely to lead to a healthy weight in the long term. In fact dieting is actually a predictor of weight gain and body dissatisfaction.  Weight loss diets are generally quite difficult to maintain due to being low in calories, too restrictive and socially isolating. The problem is when we cut out food groups, we focus on them more until we eventually binge on those banned foods and the diet cycle starts all over again.A prime example is the Keto diet, which is a high fat and protein/ and low carb diet.  A high protein intake can have a negative effect on bone and kidney health, and too much saturated fat in the diet can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, so this type of diet shouldn’t be followed in the long term. Do not forget that fruit and vegetables are also carbohydrates meaning going on a low carb diet would mean restricting essential food groups and making it almost impossible to meet the 30g of fibre guidelines, which is essential for good gut health.There is also the Alkaline diet, the theory here is to keep the body's pH at between 7.35 and 7.45. Alkaline-promoting foods including fruit and vegetables, tofu and certain legumes are  promoted whereas acid-promoting dairy, meat and processed foods are banned. Cutting out meat and dairy means losing out on essential nutrients like calcium, iron and iodine.

Eat the rainbow and dance in the rain.

But fear not! You can achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by being physically active and eating everything in moderation (you don't have to cut out any foods). With a balanced eating plan, it's what you leave in rather than what you remove. For this to be successful, you need to:

• Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
• Include a variety of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain.
• Include lean meat, fish, poultry or plant based alternatives.
• Include milk, yoghurts, cheeses or dairy free alternatives.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake.
• Choose foods low in salt.
• Limit alcohol intake.
• Consume only moderate amounts of sugars, and food and drinks containing added sugars. In particular, limit sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Eat less processed foods.

My ideal plate consists of one palm sized portion of protein, one handful of carbohydrates, two handfuls of non-starchy vegetables and one thumb-sized portion of healthy fats! It is time to ditch the miserable diet and stick to a healthy, balanced plate with everything in moderation.  Try some of my tasty recipes to get you started.