Weight loss, that seems to often be the theme for January. Which is all good, but I find it slightly frustrating that the answer people turn to is often jumping onto the next diet craze.

Here are my top reasons why not to diet.

1. A short term fix leads to short term weight loss.

Most people want to lose weight forever. Most diets don’t result in this, they lead to some weight loss followed by the weight piling back on again. Go for long term lifestyle changes that you are going to stick to for the long haul.

2. Food is to be enjoyed.

Diets can be very restrictive and frustrating as well a limiting you socially. Food is a central part of life and socialising so it is important to find an eating plan full of foods you like, love and want to eat. Planning in treats is essential, this helps you feel like you have a bit of the “naughty” foods in your life without going over the top. If they are planned in then you know they are coming and can look forward to them. Eat well 80% of the time and treat yourself 20%,the 80/20 rule. I believe in everything in moderation.

3. Swings and roundabouts instead of slides.

Yo-yo dieting leads to your metabolism getting very confused. Instead of swinging from one way of eating to another find a consistent approach to get that weight sliding down steadily.

4. The tortoise wins the race.

Remember the tortoise and the hare story? Sometimes slowly but surely is the way to go and that is definitely the case for weight loss. Aim to lose 1-2lbs a week (0.5kg) and no more. It may not sound as dramatic or seem like you are losing the weight the speed you would  like but in the long term this will work. Too rapid weight loss usually means you are losing fluid and muscle  rather than fat.

4.Go with the science.

A lot of the time diets are not based on scientific research but on someones experience, logic and ideas. There has been a lot of researched into weight loss, so why go with someone’s ideas and not the facts? Be careful of your sources, look for a qualified professional – dietitian or registered nutritionist. Trust a dietitian to give you evidenced based advice you can believe in.

Look out for my next post on HOW to lose weight without dieting and my healthy meal planners that are coming up this month.