Why the latest diet doesn't work?

The word diet is hard to avoid when discussing nutrition as your diet, essentially, is what you eat.  What we want to avoid is the type of diet which is based around restriction and centered on weight loss. 

The classic, 'promising latest diet fad' is the problem -this is the demotivating, self-torturous kind of diet which makes you feel restricted and almost always ends in yo-yo-ing back and forth from one scheme to another.  

I know from working in a big high street bookshop that the diet section is wide and varying with hundreds of different ideas promising you the perfect weight.  I also know that when the latest diet book arrived at the shop it was put in the window for a month (if that) before it was replaced by a new improved diet idea. That first book spent the rest of its life bunched in with the other diet books, waiting for someone to recommend it to a friend.

So, why don't these diets work?  They are not realistic.  They offer strict restrictions which are not appealing or motivating.  They often exclude important food groups which leaves you craving for foods which are not in your 'diet plan'. Most importantly, they were not created by you so they don't have your own likes and dislikes taken into account.  Or, they count calories which puts absolutely no focus on the type of calorie you are eating, or its nutritional content.  As far as calorie counting is concerned you could eat nothing but jelly tots but as long as you are below your point count for the day...? Pat on the back!

So what is the best way to get into shape?  Focus on health.

1. Firstly cut down on carbohydrates, but do not cut them out.   

Choose brown rice instead of white, brown bread instead of white.... Slow release carbohydrates such as whole grains help to balance blood sugar more effectively.  Balancing blood sugar is the key to maintaining a healthy body and weight.  For more on carbohydrates and weight gain, follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/why-is-sugar-bad-for-us.html

2. Don't cut out fats.  

We need fats as they are vital for cellular health and brain function.  Without the right fats it is impossible to lose weight healthily.  Choose oily fish, nuts, seeds and avocados. Avoid meat fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats (from convenience and long shelf life foods such as cakes, pies, biscuits).  For more on healthy fat consumption follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/fatit-not-all-bad.html

3. Reduce portions. 

Our portions have grown beyond belief, it is normal to have an overfull plate and feel very full after a meal these days.  Try using a side plate which is plenty.  Your stomach grows when you stretch it, but is shrinks back, so start to put less in it!

4. Snacking is good but be careful what you snack on.  

Choose protein combinations e.g. fruit and nuts, nut butter on oatcakes, hummus with carrots.  Protein stays longer in the stomach for digestion so you feel fuller for longer and your blood sugar remains more stable.

5. Avoid sugar and sweet drinks.  

Sugar gets turned into fats...and not the good ones.  Don't be fooled by 0% fat labels, it is a marketing ploy.  The body converts unused sugars into triglyceride fats and stores them on the liver and muscles.  Sugar is most definitely a bigger health enemy than fat. For more on sugar follow this link: 

http://therealfoodcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/carbohydrates-and-weight-gain.html

Choosing healthy guidelines and limiting the naughty foods to 10-20% of your diet means that you are in charge of your health and that your 'diet' does not need to be a short term thing.  It can be a lifelong way to stay healthy!

Good Luck.

Josie.



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How to de-stress, lose weight AND work?

At an international detox centre I work with people who have hectic lifestyles and endless stresses - so I spend time thinking of ways to make a nourishing diet and lifestyle possible wherever you live. I advise people from all countries and climates with a wide variety of jobs and varying domestic arrangements and I can normally find something achievable for each of them as long as they are willing to put in a little effort.


It is unreasonable to try and change overnight. I think it is best to decide which area needs the most work and make one or two goals which are easy to implement; take baby steps. For example, if exercise is your weakness, decide to walk for half an hour a few evenings a week or go to the gym twice a week. Then, when you have achieved that goal, you can try to 'up that' to three sessions or add another form of exercise like yoga. If you do not manage your goal at first, ask yourself why?


1. Do not fall at the first hurdle, keep asking yourself questions about why, when, what and how it will work? Was it too much too soon? Was it too hard to get to the gym in time? Did you find it too hard to motivate yourself to do an exercise video - would a class with an instructor be better? Can you afford a personal trainer to get yourself going? Can you find a child minder to make time for yourself? Be your own lifecoach. Don't give up, ask yourself why and how? Try not to make excuses, instead attempt to find solutions.

2. If your diet is lacking, start by adding a green smoothie to your day, begin by adding good stuff rather than taking bad stuff out. Then once this is in place, add a salad once a day and take away something you know is bad for your health (e.g daily diet coke).


From my experience the best results come when you make a slow and steady change. It is so easy to lose motivation and slip back into old habits when you try to cut out EVERYTHING and try to do EVERYTHING. It is simply not achieveable and starts a cycle of 'I will start again tomorrows' and encourages feelings of failure and guilt. Horrible things, we want to avoid!


Tips for Fast Ways to Get a Nutrient Rich Diet


Superfoods - a little goes a long way.

Green Smoothies - prepare in the blender the night before and then whiz before work.

Supplements - a multivitamin to fill in the gaps.

Green Juices - before breakfast or dinner get your vitamin fix.

Raw Foods - keep snacks cut up in the fridge ready to grab.

Preperation - raw food snacks/brown rice salads in tuppaware for lunch night before.



Best of Luck.

Josie

How to start juicing?

Fresh, homemade juices are something I thought sounded like hard work.  When I lived in the UK I started to think about making them. The first thing that came to mind was that I would have to choose and pay for a juicer.  The thoughts usually stopped there; I did not get very far. 

However, when I came to Thailand to work in a detox centre where there was a juicer at my disposal, that first pathetic excuse was abashed with no defence. 

The best thing about juicing is the nutrient density. Imagine trying to eat two carrots, two handfuls of spinach and a stick of celery before you leave the house in the morning?!  With juicing you can fit the abundant goodness of all of these things into one juice as well as having room for an energy boosting breakfast.  A brilliant start to the day!

I have to admit (and no-one can deny) that a juicer is not the easiest piece of equipment to clean first thing in the morning. However, if you rinse it immediately, it really only takes a couple of minutes and is well worth the time.  

All fresh juices are packed with goodness, green veggies are packed with chlorophyll which helps to build our bodies in so many ways - it is the life inside all greens.  Think about energy being taken from the sunlight and creating luscious green life, this energy will give us an extra surge of life too.  Green juice is a delicious way to get a chrolophyll injection.  

Green veggies also supply our bodies with almost all the trace minerals we need as well as live enzymes needed to cleanse and detoxify. 

At a cellular level, your body will thank you!

So, how do you get started? 

Buying a Juicer

When it comes to juicers, you get what you pay for.  I recommend identifying your budget then going online and doing some research.  We are lucky enough now that there are endless reviews and choices at our fingertips.  A slow speed juicer is recommended as it is more gentle and does not heat the produce with a high speed blade.  I think it is best to pick something within your budget and if in the future you want to invest in something better, then you can.  I should add: the more you pay = the less parts there are = the easier the washing up! 

What to Juice?

As with the smoothies, I really think it is good advice to experiment with fruit and veg that you like.  It is good to start with a base of something sweet such as apples, carrots or beetroot and add dark green leafy veg such as kale, spinach or watercress.  Choose a balance you like.  

It is worth paying extra for organic when juicing as you are taking in such a large volume that you don't want an instant hit of concentrated pesticides along with all the goodness.  Again, it comes down to affordability, but do the best you can.  Always scrub veg well and peel any non-organic veg.  

Finally remember to chop all veg according to your juicers preference.  There should be directions which tell you how much your juicer can handle. A juice explosion could be a messy moment.

Below are some ideas to get started with.  You could start really simply with blends like carrot and ginger/apple and celery/cucumber and lime and try some more adventurous blends as you get used to it.

Beetroot Ginger Zinger

2 Beetroots

1/2 cup of Kale

Piece of root ginger to taste

If you decide to do a beetroot juice then do not wear a new white shirt.  I learnt this the hard way!

Pineapple n' Basil

2 Cucumbers

2 sprigs of Thai Basil

1 cups Pineapple

If you cannot access these ingredients experiment with local produce; swap pineapple for apple and thai basil for normal basil. 

All the best for now...Happy juicing.

Josie

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