TO DIET OR NOT TO DIET, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading up on the different types of diets for work.

Google produced 17,400,000 results when I typed in the word 'diets'.
Wikipedia lists at least 50 types of diets.

It is pretty overwhelming the type of information you can get online.
Would you like to try the hay diet or the banana diet that caused a scarcity of bananas in Japanese supermarkets?

Do they work? And if they do, how do they work?

The matter of fact is that for most people, fad diets don't work.
Restriction has never worked for humanity simply because we rebel.

It goes as far back as Genesis, where God said to Adam

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

And as we all know, Adam ate from that ONE tree which he was not allowed to eat from.

What more with diets like the Atkins, where you are not allowed to eat of an entire food group.

FAD DIETS JUST DON'T WORK.

So, we say eat well, everything in moderation, don't diet, bla bla bla.
That doesn't really help much with weight loss does it.

How do we eat well? What is moderation?

Well, here goes my take on how to 'eat well'. (Disclaimer: Please don't ask me if I do this).

1. Watch your dairy products.

Switch now.
If you have full fat milk, switch to skim/low fat.
It's not only good for weight loss but your heart will be thankful because of the reduced amount of saturated fat (really bad fats),



















Same goes with cheese, sour cream, cream, yoghurt, butter.
I know most people hate low fat cheese. Switch anyway, it'll just make you eat less cheese which will ultimately be good for weight loss.
A tip with the yoghurt is to go for 'diet yoghurt' rather than 'low-fat yoghurt' because of the sugar/calorie content.

I like Yoplait forme.

































2. Buy expensive snacks

Be it, the better brand or the smaller, portion controlled packets, which cost more.

That way you buy it less often and you savour it more.

For example with chips, I've been trying to buy the Red Rock Deli Chips (which cost 3.50 on sale) compared to Smith chips (2 for 4 dollars).



























They come in smaller packets, taste better, have less saturated fat, and calories. And you save fifty cents in the process of buying.

3. Fast food

I think I've written about this before.
Avoid it if you can.
































But if you must, chicken options are usually better than beef options. Diet soda is usually preferable for the reduced calories. And hot chips, the bane of my existence, share it with someone or stick to the small size chips.


4. Fruit/Vegetables

Make smoothies.
Salad.
Dips.
Juices.
Grate them.
Disguise them.
Blend them.

As long as you eat them. It doesn't matter how, where and when. Just eat them.

















I don't care what the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating says. Eating 5 potatoes a day doesn't count as 5 servings of vegetables.

5. Buy good proteins sources (meat/fish/tofu/nuts)

Yes, they'll be more expensive. I know.

But they're worth it. Same theory as the expensive snacks (see no 3). It will help with portion control and the difference in amount of fat is worth the extra 3 dollars.


And to end on a positive note, everything in moderation is the key to good health. =p