It’s that time of year again – when we look at trimming down in the new year.

While I still don’t personally do diets, because I would never be able to stick to an eating plan.

But some people like having the discipline of planned meals and exercise programmes.

The Paleo Diet is all about eating meat, nuts, fruit, vegetables and seafood. But no grains, dairy or gluten and minimal carbs.

Celebrities like Megan Fox and Uma Thurman have apparently followed this diet.

The diet supposedly takes one back to the Stone Age when hunters had to gather food in the natural environment. Surprisingly they gathered no legumes like beans, peas and lentils.

Primarily the diet consists of:
1. Lots of Animal fat (meat)
2. Fibre from fruit and vegetables
3. Moderate amounts of essential fatty acids.
4. Foods with high potassium and low sodium content.
5. Foods rich in antioxidants.
6. Probiotics from plain yoghurt.

Avoid:
1 Snacking between meals
2 Salt and sugar – eat honey instead
3 Refined and processed food
4 Ceral grains
5 Legumes and pulses
6 Dairy produce, except plain yoghurt.

So last week at work I took some photos for a newsletter article we are preparing.

While we knew the photo had to be eventually taken, we did it on the spur of the moment. With a bit of begging and pleading. And a few “but you looking so pretty today, perfect for a photo” comments.

I took the photo while joking and laughing with the group of 6 and we got a few good ones, I thought.

I e-mailed it to them and immediately got a response: “Oh Abby, I look so fat!”

This from someone who is neither fat nor thin. Just perfect. And I have told her many times.

She is a young, beautiful, educated woman definitely going places if she chooses, with a matching partner and gorgeous little boy of less than two years old. And she is sweet and friendly.

But she keeps telling me she’s fat!

So I’ve been wondering why women do that. Why make that statement at all?

It’s not like I ever get e-mails saying “Oh, I’m so short/tall/white/black/brown/orange”. Please Photoshop me perfect. Well, not in quite the same numbers nor with the same level of shame and anguish!

Is being more than skinny really that bad? Is it worse than being a rude, angry person. Or a hypocrite? Or a criminal?

Why is there this focus on diets and food in the media? In magazines, on tv programmes. Just about everywhere you can find ways to slim down.

To stay healthy and live longer they tell us, almost with self-righteousness.

Lose some weight – fast or slow. Just do it!

For all the good she has done, Oprah hasn’t helped women’s self-esteem issues where weight is concerned.

When do we see her at her most vulnerable? When she’s confessing her addiction to food or something to do with losing or gaining weight.

She’s a billionaire. And she’s smart with a perfect partner, a best friend above all best friends and cute dogs. And has amazing houses all over the show.

But her weight issues make us not envy her too much. Makes her one of us.

Maybe if we took the focus off weight issues and put them it where it belongs, on being who we are meant to be, women would be less likely to be so critical of their physical selves.

Oprah and my colleague are both successful in many ways (and in their own ways), so they likely think it makes them easier to relate to when they talk about their weight.

But it continues the cycle. Because some other woman hears this, compares herself to the thinnest woman she can find and thinks: “I look fat!”

Another day, another diet, people. And this one is apparently recommended by all and sundry as “the best diet of all”.

It’s for weight loss of course, but also for those with heart disease and for diabetics.

Any diet that encourages eating plenty of natural food is alright with me.

However, as always, this blog discourages diets of any sort. Eating healthy natural food and enjoying exercise in whatever form that makes you happy is the way to go.

But if you choose a diet, here’s another one for Monday. It looks sensible enough to me.

Here’s a day of typical meals on a 2,000-calorie DASH diet at a 2,300 mg. sodium level. Substitutions for a 1,500 mg. sodium level are in parentheses.

Breakfast

¾ cup bran flakes cereal (¾ cup shredded wheat cereal) with 1 medium banana and 1 cup low-fat milk

1 slice whole-wheat bread with 1 tsp. (unsalted) margarine

1 cup orange juice

Lunch

Sandwich—

2 slices whole-wheat bread

¾ cup (unsalted) chicken salad

1 tbsp. Dijon (regular) mustard

Salad—

½ cup fresh cucumber slices

½ cup tomato wedges

1 tbsp. sunflower seeds

1 tsp. low-calorie Italian dressing

½ cup fruit cocktail

Dinner

3 ounces beef, eye of the round, with 2 tbsp. fat-free beef gravy

1 cup green beans, sautéed with ½ tsp. canola oil

1 small baked potato topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream, 1 tbsp. grated, reduced-fat natural (low-sodium) cheddar cheese and 1 tbsp. chopped scallions

1 small whole-wheat roll with 1 tsp. (unsalted) soft margarine

1 small apple

1 cup low-fat milk

Snacks

1/3 cup almonds, unsalted

¼ cup raisins

½ cup fat-free, no-sugar-added fruit yogurt on a 2,000-calorie DASH diet at a 2,300 mg. sodium level. Substitutions for a 1,500 mg. sodium level are in parentheses.

Breakfast

¾ cup bran flakes cereal (¾ cup shredded wheat cereal) with 1 medium banana and 1 cup low-fat milk

1 slice whole-wheat bread with 1 tsp. (unsalted) margarine

1 cup orange juice

Lunch

Sandwich—

2 slices whole-wheat bread

¾ cup (unsalted) chicken salad

1 tbsp. Dijon (regular) mustard

Salad—

½ cup fresh cucumber slices

½ cup tomato wedges

1 tbsp. sunflower seeds

1 tsp. low-calorie Italian dressing

½ cup fruit cocktail

Dinner

3 ounces beef, eye of the round, with 2 tbsp. fat-free beef gravy

1 cup green beans, sautéed with ½ tsp. canola oil

1 small baked potato topped with 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream, 1 tbsp. grated, reduced-fat natural (low-sodium) cheddar cheese and 1 tbsp. chopped scallions

1 small whole-wheat roll with 1 tsp. (unsalted) soft margarine

1 small apple

1 cup low-fat milk

Snacks

1/3 cup almonds, unsalted

¼ cup raisins

½ cup fat-free, no-sugar-added fruit yogur

Apparently the latest diet craze amongst celebrities like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Aniston and the like is…wait for it…baby food!

You’ve read that right! BABY FOOD!

Has the world lost its collective mind???

Not even babies want to eat pureed food. Have you seen their faces when they have to eat a jar of food while the rest of the family eat whole foods?

Not exactly ecstatic, are they?

If you think about it, it makes a small bit of sense though. The potted food is obviously safe enough for the tiniest members of our society, so it must be healthy and safe enough for you and me.

In theory!

I would rather eat cabbage soup and Special K every day than eat mac&cheese flavoured with peaches out of a jar!

Actually no. I have never eaten cabbage soup in my life as depriving oneself of a variety of food is the fastest way to gain weight again.

But that’s just me. And I don’t do diets.

Gorgeous Jennifer Aniston who doesn’t look like she needs diets, is said to eat 14 jars of baby food a day to stave off hunger.

I guess it’s whatever floats your boat. It’s bikini season in the southern hemisphere and if I was being photographed in all my bikini wearing glory for all the world to see, I too might be eating pureed baby food.

Probably not though.

Jennifer Lopez, Giselle Bunchen, and even the newest Duchess of Cambirdge, the former Kate Middleton, are said to have followed the Dukan Diet. It was invented to a French physician, Pierre Dukan.

With it being spring in the northern hemisphere, the thing to do is to get in shape for bikini season.

Not that our southern suburbs sisters (and brothers) are neglecting diets. I know of a few people getting in shape for winter!

Anyway, the basic Dukan diet goes something like this:

Phase 1 — eat as much lean protein as you want, take 1.5 TBS of oat bran daily, and drink 1.5 L of water (about 6 cups).  That’s it.  No veggies.  No fruits.

Phase 2 — stick with the unlimited lean protein, but this time every other day you can add in unlimited non-starchy veggies (like green leafy veggies and celery are examples).  And, up your oat bran to 2 TBS per day.

Phase 3 — unlimited lean protein, veggies are now allowed daily, 1 piece of fruit, 2 slices whole grain bread and 1 or 2 “cheat” days where you eat whatever you want.

Phase 4 — this is where you’re supposed to maintain.  There are no “rules” per se, outside of 1 day per week going back to one of the all protein days in Phase I and continue with the oat bran, 3 TBS/day at this point.

This blog of course does not believe in diets. We eat what we want, when we want in moderation. Food, as with anything in life, requires balance.

Oh and of course exercise and do fun things outdoors with the people you love.

But we are not judging those who choose differently. So there you go…another diet for those who do them.

Michelle Obama’s arms have probably gotten more coverage than her husband’s policy decisions.

Apparently women have been asking their personal trainers how to get their arms like Mrs Obama’s pretty much like some wanted the Rachel, Victoria Beckham or even Farrah Fawcett haircut over the years.

According to Women’s Health it isn’t as easy as a hair cut though.  And I can testify to that fact.

Michelle Obama has a full body workout – doing cardio, weight training and a whole host of other training to look as gorgeous as she does.

From her photos you can tell that she doesn’t have much body fat anywhere – much less her arms.

I found this workout for arms on Women’s Health – although it doesn’t only target arms.

Personally I do yoga exercise most days (around 6 days a week), weight training with 2kg dumb bells, walk most week days for 30 minutes as well as pilates (or other strength training about 3 times a week). Plus when I get the courage again, I will add road running to that list in the next few weeks.

Even though I don’t look anything like Mrs Obama, I absolutely love training and feel lifeless and drab when I don’t.

If you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can’t get rid of a little paunch here and there, you’re probably just not drinking enough water.

Most people don’t drink enough water.

If you can’t seem to get that weight off, try drowning your sorrows in nature’s magical weight-loss mineral. It works, and here’s why:

• The metabolism of fat.  If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. 
•  The problem is that, though many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to. What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years of “survival mode”. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn’t need.
• One recent finding, as irresponsible as it may be, that caffeine increases the body’s fat-burning potential has many people loading up on coffee before going to the gym. Caffeine is in essence, a diuretic, and diuretics dehydrate. Caffeine may increase the heart rate, causing a few more calories to be burned, but this is at the expense of the muscles, which need water to function properly. Never mix caffeine and exercise. In fact, your best bet is to stay away from caffeine all together. It’s a big bully that pushes your friend water out of your system.
• Water is the best beauty treatment. You’ve heard this since high school, and it’s true. Water will do wonders for your looks! It flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving you with a clear, glowing complexion. It also makes your skin look younger. Skin that is becoming saggy, either due to aging or weight loss, plumps up very nicely when the skin cells are hydrated.
• In addition, it improves muscle tone. Iif your muscles are suffering from a drought, you won’t notice a pleasant difference in your appearance. Muscles that have all the water they need contract more easily, making your workout more effective, and you’ll look much nicer than if you had flabby muscles under sagging skin.
• “Eight glasses a day? Are you kidding?!” It’s really not that much. Eight 8-ounce glasses amount to about two quarts of water. This is okay for the average person, but if you’re overweight, you should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight you carry. You should also up this if you live in a hot climate or exercise very intensely.
• This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. It’s not healthy at all to drink too much water at one time. Don’t let yourself get thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you’re already becoming dehydrated. Drink when you’re not thirsty yet.
• Do you think water is yucky? Drinking other fluids will certainly help hydrate your body, but the extra calories, sugar, additives and whatever else aren’t what you need. Try a slice of lemon or lime in the glass, or if you really think you hate water, try a flavored water. Just make sure you read the labels. Remember that you’re going to be consuming a lot of this fluid. It’s probably a good idea to stop drinking water a good three hours before you go to bed. You know why.
• “How cold should it be?” This is debatable. Most experts lean toward cold water, because the stomach absorbs it more quickly. There is also some evidence that cold water might enhance fat burning.
  On the other hand, warmer water is easier to drink in large quantities, and you might drink more of it without even realizing it. Do whatever suits you, here. Just drink it!

When you drink all the water you need, you will very quickly notice a decrease in your appetite, possibly even on the first day! If you’re serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. If you’re doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just be what’s missing.

Written by Maia Appleby.

During the few sunny days we’ve had this spring, I wore t-shirts and immediately noticed that I’d picked up some weight.

Even though I started eating more healthily at the start of September.

I even made my easy vegetable soup recipe for those times when I got too lazy to make a proper meal for lunch or supper.

Many eating plans and diets suggest snacking on fruit, nuts, certain health bars, yoghurt etc. inbetween meals.

What are those people trying to help us lose weight or help put more on?

What ever happened to eating 3 meals per day?

Since I’ve started snacking between meals, I’ve noticed that I’m actually putting more weight on.

Everything revolves around planning and eating meals.

It used to be so easy in the days when people were actually a lot less heavy than we are now. 

We ate at breakfast, lunch and supper.  And we had proper meals at each meal time.

No obsessions with food and watching the clock on the best time to start eating.

So I’m cutting out on snacking and only eating my three meals a day without obsessing over healthy snacks.

I try to get my vegetables and fruit and nuts in during meal times and for the rest and I eat sweet treats on occassion.

No more obsessing about healthy food for me.

The other day I was discussing clothing fashion and store sales with my friend when she said “they never have our size on sale!”

Innocent words you would think, but my thought was, “what size does she think I am???”

Even though I’ve always worn a size 32 until recently, I have been wading through the size 34s on the sales rack.

My friend says she wears a size 36!

She never works out though and I do nearly every day of the week!  For heaven’s sake, I completed my first half marathon a few months ago.

Admittedly I have been tucking into the puddings after supper on cold winter nights.  And we’ve had a few of those in good old Cape Town this past winter.

And we’re always looking for an excuse for a party at work.

And my family loves eating good food.  Not to mention my friend baking and selling biscuits!

But I’ve never had to worry about my weight before.  I never weigh myself, other than at medical check ups once in a blue moon.

 So now I am thinking of starting my first.diet.ever. Although I will first try and cut out extra cups of tea and coffee and drink water instead.

And maybe only have dessert on Sundays. 

I certainly exercise enough…but apparently exercise doesn’t do much for weightloss.

How could this happen????

Will men never learn?

Yesterday my colleague and I were standing at the tea trolley making our beverages when we ran out of full cream milk.

He suggested I rather use the fat free version as it was anyway better for me!

“What?!!!” I asked not very nicely.

“Are you saying I’m fat!!??”

Fortunately for him he finished making his tea and never said another word.

I of course couldn’t leave it at that.

What can I say? I was having a bad day!

I told everyone who would listen that he suggested I use low fat milk.

All my female colleagues who heard the story reacted in horror and asked him how he could make a suggestion like that to any woman.

He sheepishly apologised and said he didn’t mean it like that, but it changed nothing!

Now I’ve never been overweight a day in my life, but PMS does things to a woman. It makes the most balanced (or how we’d like to think of ourselves) person act out of character and it does make us feel fat.

But seriously, regardless of the situation, no man should ever suggest low fat anything to any woman.

Unlike an ex-boyfriend who (suspiciously) once asked whether I put on some weight around the stomach area.

“Don’t worry,” I said to him, “I’m not pregnant, if that’s what you’re thinking!”

They deserve what they get after that!