text: Crash dieting will make you fatter in the long run. This is because your body goes into starvation mode. The human body is designed to hang onto fat in case of famine. This is something that we have carried with us since before we were living in caves and evolved because food sources were less certain at that time. We live in a modern world now where there is plenty of food. But our evolution is still in the caves and our bodies do not recognise this (unfortunately). Hence the minute we cut calories drastically to try to lose weight quickly, our bodies behave as though each meal will be our last. The end result is our metabolisms slow right down. That is why we often end up fatter after a period of crash dieting. \n\nWhat you need to do is try to shift your mindset and make a lifestyle change that you will stick to. This calls for a new way of looking at food and eating for the rest of your life. The problem with diets is most people see them as short term fixes. Once they have achieved what they want to achieve (i.e. weight loss), lots of people just go back to their former eating habits - then they are surprised that the weight comes back again - in spades!\n\nNutritionists everywhere agree that a healthy, balanced diet is the key to good health. Focus your diet on variety - primarily brightly coloured vegetables and fruit (no more than 2 pieces of fruit a day - 3 in a pinch) with more focus on vegetables. Give up mayo and fatty dressings. Cut fat off meat - visible fat - and remove the skin from chicken. Cook with any method that does not involve adding fat. Do not eat anything in breadcrumbs or pastry. Reduce bread but if you can't, eat wholegrain bread. Reduce fats generally. Minimise fast food. Drink water instead of fruit juices and diet soda (I posted something here about diet soda earlier - it is not our friend!). Cut out ALL processed foods - white anything, sugar, candy and cakes. Instead, snack on nuts (or raw vegetables not dried fruit). \n\nMost of all, accept that you did not get fat overnight and you will not get slim overnight either. Tell yourself that this is a long term solution and you are willing to do the whole haul for the sake of your health.\n\nIf you decide not to follow these principles and instead try to crash diet again, chances are in 6 months - a year's time, you will be looking back still fat (if not fatter) and asking the same question about weight loss.