Nutrition – Actions louder than words

 If you are interested in nutrition or weight loss you will know that the amount of information available on these topics is overwhelming.

Diet ideas, food fads, recipes, before and after pictures and endless posts on social media. There are so many different opinions out there and new ‘scientific’ studies coming out daily, justifying the actions we should be taking.

Forget about trying to find an answer in books or on social media. There is no one-way of eating that works for all people.

My knowledge comes from my own journey with weight loss as well as working as a nutritionist for the past 10 years, helping people achieve their weight loss goals.

What I know is that successful weight loss has very little to do with information. I find that many people are so overwhelmed by conflicting ideas that they get confused, and do nothing. To get results you need to stop worrying about all that, and focus on taking action.

If you have lost weight in the past, you already know what works for you. Start with simple changes: reduce portion sizes, cut back on food in packets and eat more real food, stop eating biscuits and sugary desserts. These actions alone would be enough to get most people well on their way to fitting into their ‘slim clothes’ again.

The best way to set yourself up for success is by being accountable to someone – a friend, partner or professional. This gives you the all-important deadline, when you are going to have to face up to someone and look at what you have been doing. If you don’t have accountability, it is easy to give up and slip back into old habits and behaviours.

Being accountable is one of the key reasons I have been able to keep off the 30kg I lost 23 years ago, as well as lose the 40kg gained over my pregnancies. Every six weeks I pop down to the North Shore for an accountability check in with my nutritionist.  We don’t really talk about food (I certainly know what I need to eat), but it is helpful to talk through the other areas that impact health: sleep, stress, lifestyle and time management. I find that talking this through helps keep me on track and accountable for my actions.

Knowledge without action is worthless. If you know what to do, start walking the talk.