Every other programme on TV during January seems to be about weight loss.  Predictable and the same time a little irritating. The Biggest Loser UK, re-runs of Paul McKenna's 'I can make you thinner' and then of course there are the sensationalist channel 4 and UK Living shows about 'half ton sons' and people who have undergone radical surgery for morbid obesity.  The unfortunate thing with this kind of programming is that it is screened at the beginning of the year and then pretty much forgotten about for the rest of the year.  After the festive season, many people have over-eaten and so the penance begins. 

In my experience, the problem with diets is that they don't really work.  Why? - well simply because they have you eat in way that is un-natural and then when you have finished the diet and lost weight, you go back to doing what you used to do, and that of course is the problem.  If you want to shed weight and keep healthy permanently, you need to change the way you eat on a permanent basis.  Three years ago I volunteered to be a participant in the 'Food Doctor Diet Club' with Ian Marber - The Food Doctor.  There were 10 of us who participated in a 28 day programme whereby we were given a food plan.  We signed a contract and committed to resolutely follow the plan and provide weekly feedback to the editorial team about our progress.  We also had photographs taken before, and there was then a '28 days after' photo shoot.  The Food Doctor approach is very much based on the GI principle, i.e you eat little and often, combine complex carbohydrates with protein, avoid sugar and caffeine. This is a way of keeping your glycemic indexes constant.  I lost 5 kilos in the first 28 days.  By November of that year, I had lost a total of 14 kilos.  I am delighted to report that nearly 3 years later I am still 9 kilos lighter than when I started out.  Why?  Well, because I have educated myself to change the way that I eat and because I love having boundless energy and improved health.

What I learnt from that experience, and what I include in my therapy for weight loss is this:-

1. You need to have a compelling reason to lose weight in the first place.  That can be the image of you wearing some great clothes and looking amazing.  There might be a particular event coming up where you just want to 'wow' people with your new image.  You might just want to love the feeing of being lighter and receiving great support and comments from friends and family about how great you look.  It doesn't really matter what it is, you just need to build up a compelling reason in your mind that draws you magnetically and is strong.  This forms the basis of hypnosis that I do with clients.  When the picture of the 'new you' in your mind is so compelling, when you are faced with a choice as to whether you eat a piece of cake or a burger with fries, you instantly tap into a more compelling picture.  It is a way of training the mind to understand longer term gain, rather than short term gratification. 
2. You need to be committed to the result. With true commitment, all things are possible.
3. You need a plan and you need to stick to it.  I can highly recommend the Food Doctor Diet Club.  I have done it and it works!
4. You also need to take regular exercise.  Burning off calories and excess fat is essential.  You don't have to join a gym but you do need to do at least 20 minutes of exercise 3 times per week that make you out of breath and work over your cardio-vascular system.  If you have a lot of weight to shed, you will need to do more fat burning exercises. 

If you want to be free of yo-yo dieting forever and avoid the predictable January crash diet and de-tox, you need to start eating better permanently.  Make great choices and get the help and education that you need. This is the best investment imaginable in your future.  What you do today will directly impact on the quality of your future life.  Free yourself from the cycle of dieting and adopt some new success habits.