Why going on a diet can do anything but help you lose weight...

There are many types of "diets" out there.. the Atkins diet, the 5:2 diet, the paleo diet. You name it there seems to be some sort of diet surrounding it. Many of them promote and talk about quick fixes. Yes, you go on these "diets" and you lose weight, but because the calories you are eating are significantly less than what you would normally be. You lose weight and then decide ok, i've had enough of this "diet", i'm going to go back to my normaly eating now. (And yes i use "diet" in inverted commas to distinguish between diet as in another word for nutrition and "diet" as in calorie restriction).

That is when people get unstuck. Going back to anything normal means that you thought the "diet" was not normal. Your old eating habits then slowly start creaping back on. Those 5kgs you lose, then turns to 4kg, then 3kg, then before you know it you've put on 3kg from when you started on the "diet".

I know how alluring quick fixes can be. They promise you'll lose 3 dress sizes in 2 weeks, which to be honest who wouldn't want to do that. But you the have to think is that 3kg really going to stay off?? and what am I sacrificing to lose that 3kg. Not going to dinner with friends because you're doing weight watchers, missing out on yet another birthday because cake wasn't part of the "diet" that you were trying that month.

Whenever any of my clients asks what my secret was to lose the weight that I did and keep it off I tell them my one rule ... don't go on a diet. One of the reasons that "diets" don't work is that because it is unsustainable to remain on any type of "diet" for your entire life. The reason why i've been able to keep the weight that I lost off is because I made it a lifestyle change. I didn't look for a quick fix, I was prepared to put the hard yards in and work for it.

Start slowly, trying to change everything at once is going to seem overwhelming and you aren't going to want to stick to it. Instead of buying lunch out at work, try and take it 3 days a week, then work up to 4. The same with exercise, start slowly then build up.

Below are my Nutrition rules that I live by -

1. EAT BREAKFAST EVERYDAY - This is where so many people go wrong with trying to lose weight. Breakfast truly is the best meal of the day and the key to losing weight. Starting the day with breakfast stimulates your metabolism and gets your brain working and alert, ready for the day.

2. EAT 5-6 SMALL MEALS A DAY - Eating small meals every 2 to 3 hours, again helps increase and stimulate your metabolism (a higher metabolism means burning more fat even at rest and who doesn't want that!!) and feeding your body before you reach that absolutely ravenous stage makes sure that you don't reach for those high sugar snacks.

3. EAT A GOOD SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEINS AND FATS WITH EVERY MEAL - A complete meal should have a low GI carbohydrate, lean source of protein and some unsaturated fats to ensure that your body is getting all its essential vitamins and minerals.

4. IF YOU CAN'T PRONOUNCE OR DON'T KNOW WHAT ONE OF THE PRODUCTS ARE ON THE INGEDIENTS LABEL YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T EAT IT - If you look at the nutrition label of a food and can't pronounce or don't know what one of the products is, it probably (actually not probably but definitely!) isn't good for you and won't have much, if any, nutritional value.

5. DRINK 2 LITRES OF WATER A DAY - This is one thing that most people underestimate, especially when it comes to weight loss. Water not only hydrates you but keeps you full and prevents you from reaching for sugary snacks that just leave you hungry an hour later.

6. DON'T CUT ANYTHING OUT OF YOUR DIET, JUST SUBSTITUE - I don't believe in cutting out any food group as that is going to be highly unrealistic that you can't eat a certain food for the rest of your life (unless you’re intolerant - then yes) and it's just going to set you up for failure as when you do eat it again .. Uhh Ohh that's when your body will then start to crave it again and you won't be able to stop! So just think substitute not eliminate and everything in moderation (some things more than others obviously).

Hope this all helps and inspires you to make that one small little change that can help a lot. :)