Having just read another report about dieting and what we eat, I am still totally confused about what is good for you and what is not.
This report was about how women who do not eat dairy are putting their future health at risk, particularly their bone density.
We all know that in later life women suffer from osteoporosis which is a weakening of their bones leading to easy fractures.
You would think that since this one is a well-stated fact that women, not quite in the first flush of youth, would be more inclined to drink milk or eat cheese as a precaution.
Not a bit of it, non dairy is a fad diet that women kid themselves about, despite the risks.
There are many fad diets around each one promising easy weight loss and healthy bodies. Almost all are not balanced, from cabbage soup, to smoothies right through to the low carbohydrate Atkins diet.
All demonise one of the food groups.
I was caught up in this myself a few years ago when in an attempt to lower my cholesterol I went on the Atkins diet for about two years.
Initially I did lose a few pounds but gradually put them back on.
I never did lower my cholesterol but I developed diverticulitis, an intestinal disease caused by lack of fibre.
You know the stuff you get in carbohydrates!
There are two things here, eating healthily and losing weight.
If you want to lose weight then STOP.
Get off the Internet, do not look at stupid fad diets.
There is one solution that really works and here it is, Dr Jackie’s guaranteed weight loss solution: Make an appointment at a hospital with a nutritionist, tell them what you want to achieve and stick to it, if you find it’s not working then keep a food diary write down every single thing that goes in your mouth and you will quickly identify where the extra calories are coming from.
This works!
If you want to eat healthily then the nutritionist can still help but the best advice comes from your own body.
Do you ever wonder why pregnant women get strange food cravings?
It is because their body is telling them what nutrients it needs. The rest of us get this as well, have you ever really craved something sweet to eat?
That is your body telling you it needs energy, eat something with sugar.
Have you ever had a craving for a glass of fruit juice? That is your body telling you it needs vitamin C.
And similarly have you ever eaten or drunk something that you know you love and suddenly it tastes awful? That is your body telling you it’s had enough of that or the major constituent parts.
Sometimes I cannot stand the juice of the grape, that’s me being told.
Eating healthily is also a lot easier if you buy fresh produce and prepare and cook it yourself rather than take away food, or TV dinners.
The simple act of cooking a meal uses up some calories and you learn to only prepare enough for you instead of that large pizza which you bought two of because it was a special offer.
And stop reading all these contradictory reports.
Jackie@JBeedie.com