Dieters blog

Need a basic but realistic recipe for a balanced diet? Go for six 'airplane-sized' meals a day, six days a week (no, not the size of an actual airplane…but the size of the meals they serve you on board).

When trying to manage weight, many people make the mistake of eating less frequently – but all this does is make your brain think you are starving, so it slows your metabolism and helps you to hoard as much fat as possible to deal with the famine. Very handy when we were reliant on daily hunting and gathering for our nutrition, but not so great if you're trying to shed a few excess kilos.

Your metabolism burns the fuel (food) in your body according to how much energy you are expending and how much food it is used to receiving: not much energy or not much food and it will slow down to conserve your reserves, but keep your body supplied with a constant and reliable intake of good foods and your metabolism, like a well-stoked fire, will keep burning fast using up higher levels of energy on an ongoing basis. That means you'll burn more energy and lose more weight.

So the message is: to lose weight you may need to eat more of the right foods, more often. That's got to be the best news you've had all day!

So, how much is enough? Have you ever wondered how much your stomach holds? The stomach of an average weight adult can hold about three cups of food before feeling uncomfortably full. The stomach of an overweight person can hold four cups or more before getting the same feeling. Your stomach stretches and expands, so if you're used to eating large meals, it will stretch more than if you're used to eating small meals. But remember it's not what you do 10 per cent of the time that matters; it's what you do 90 per cent of the time that counts. So overeating at the occasional buffet dinner won't expand your stomach but overeating regularly can. The good news is that when you return to smaller meals your stomach gets used to that style of eating and returns to a regular size.

The ideal size meal you're looking for is about the size of those neat little portions they serve on airplanes. Or in other words, roughly the size of the palm of your hand. At every meal you need one palm-sized portion of either protein or carbohydrate and one palm-sized portion of fruits or vegetables. And if you're still hungry, add more vegetables or fruits.

People often ask me how to identify which foods are proteins and which are carbohydrates. A basic rule of thumb is if it comes from an animal or legume then it's a protein, for example red and white meats, fish, dairy and soy products. And if it comes out of the ground then it's a carbohydrate, for example whole grains (such as used in bread, rice and pasta), potatoes and so on. And the rest of the whole foods are fruits and vegetables.

When it comes to getting your head around eating six meals a day people generally get stuck on how to fit in the extra three. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are hard enough sometimes, so how do we fit in those plus three more? The easy way to handle this is to carry healthy snacks around with you during the day. This helps you to avoid overeating at meals or being stuck and having to grab takeaway (which usually ends up being a bad food choice). When I'm on the run I make up my extra meals with snacks like a handful of almonds, nuts, seeds, sultanas or raisins, or a bag of vegetable sticks and something fun to dip them into. I like nuts and seeds because they are loaded with protein and good fat.

The seventh day

The easiest way that I've found for myself and my clients to stick to a healthy eating plan is to eat healthily six days a week and enjoy a 'free day' on the seventh. On free days you can indulge in any treats you want, guilt free.

Being only human, if someone tells us that we cannot have our favorite foods (like chocolate) ever again, we are going to crave them in the biggest way. So I say you can have your chocolate, but go for quality over quantity. Buy your absolute favourite chocolate, but only have it once a week. This way you can get your head around your cravings, you'll have more chance of staying on track and you'll benefit from the added bonus of finding that your favourite food tastes that much better when you do have it.

This 'free day' break in the routine is a treat to look forward to and also signals your body to not go into starvation mode. So enjoy your free day, it's a necessary part of balanced nutrition.

All around the globe, each and every night, millions or eyes are glued to their television sets - but not to catch the latest episode of ER or Desperate Housewives. Not to see who survives in Survivor. Surprisingly, they are spellbound by the efforts of a small group of obese individuals who are trying to overcome the effects of years of overeating.

Forget the bubonic plague, obesity is the new epidemic. Chubby children wobble around the school playground while their overweight moms are busy stuffing shopping carts with sugary and fattening junk food. Then, after a greasy - nutrient lacking "meal", they plop down on the couch at night to watch The Biggest Loser. They see the dramatic weight loss and startling new body shapes beginning to emerge. They decide they want the same results - and begin to wonder if it's possible.

But who has four or five hours a day to exercise? Who can afford their own personal trainer several times a week? And who has the luxury of their own personal adviser on calorie content and smart food choices? I'm sure you'll agree the answer is: few. But you have to remember that this is TV: it's a false situation. The players continue to remind themselves and their viewers: "This is a GAME. You have to make the most of your time here - it's going to be much more difficult out in the real world."

IS it harder in the real world? Most likely. But there are lessons you can get from watching this reality show. You can make it happen for you, as well as for the contestants. Here are three practical and useful lessons for you to put to use immediately.

1. Put Weight Loss First.

In the Biggest Loser household WEIGHT LOSS COMES FIRST. So it should be first in your home also. It seems simple, right? Well it is. As a matter of fact, it IS so simple that most people completely overlook it. They attempt to squeeze exercise and meal planning in between all the other stuff going on in their lives, rather than making it a priority.

Ponder this: what's more important? Getting the weight off and adding years to your life - not to mention a lot more energy - Or watching yet another television show? During the time you would normally be watching TV, sit down with a pen and paper and allot at least one hour a day to planning meals, recording what you eat, and doing some type of physical activity. You still have 23 hours left in the day to do whatever else you want! everything else!

2. E is for Exercise - and Enjoy!

What else is noticeable in the Biggest Loser household? The more exercise they do, the more they appear to like it. They may grunt and groan about it, they might sweat and complain. But as the weeks pass, you will hear them saying stuff such as "I never thought I'd say that I look forward to working out - but now don't feel right if a day goes past without exercise!"

The secret to loving your exercise time is finding what's feels right for YOU. If you hate going to the gym, find other types of physical activity. You'll need a mix of cardio and resistance training - but it doesn't have to be on machines. Jog, swim, play sports, climb a tree, do some gardening, go on a hike... there are an unlimited amount of choices that can be fun for you. Research what happens to various muscle groups - and to your heart - when you exercise, and choose activities that you'll enjoy.

3. Identify the Triggers.

Emotions run high when the contestants have to face their demons. Weight gain is rarely from only a physical cause. If you keep a food diary, and faithfully record not only what you eat but when (and why) you eat it, you'll begin to notice a pattern of emotional eating. What are YOUR triggers? Boredom? Tiredness? Arguments with your loved ones? Stress?

Once you clearly identify what the triggers are, you'll be able to begin working on some strategies to overcome them. This can be as easy as challenging yourself every time you want food. ("Am I truly hungry - yes or no? If I'm not actually hungry, why am I wanting to eat right now? Am I actually just thirsty? If I'm standing in front of the fridge because I am upset, is there anything else I can do to make myself feel better? Is there a long-term solution that will fix this forever?" and so on.) If you aren't ready yet to deal with the true root cause, then you'll need to be preapred with food that won't compound to your problems by adding rolls of fat. Always have healthy food accessible - but also yummy food that you actually enjoy.

These are 3 of the biggest lessons that anybody can get from watching The Biggest Loser. And you'll have the satisfaction and pride of knowing you did it all by yourself.