• Never skip breakfast! It gets your metabolism going for the day.
• Eat low-fat protein with every meal. Protein stays in the stomach longer and staves off hunger. Good choices are broiled skinless chicken, fish, tofu, cooked egg whites or a protein supplement.
• Replace white bread, potatoes and pasta with high-fiber choices such as wholegrain pastas and breads, and yams or sweet potatoes.
• Eat water-filled fruits and vegetables that make you feel full.
• Include some fats. Those found in nuts, avocados, olives and cold water fish protect against heart disease.
• Remove all “no-no” foods from your home and office. Be ruthless. Don’t talk yourself into keeping that chocolate cake for your next dinner party. What is not in your immediate reach will not be eaten.
• Don't eat while watching television. You will tend to eat faster and therefore crave more.
• Don't eat when you are upset about anything. Not only will this cause stomach upset, you will also likely eat more. A brisk walk around the block is a far better move. It will help relax you and burn off more calories.
• Record everything you eat and when you eat. Be vigilant. People who diarize their food intake and eating habits are more successful in losing weight and keeping it off.
• If you fall off the wagon once in a while, be grateful that you are in good company. Just jump back on again as soon as possible and be extra vigilant for the next day or so. Throw in an additional walk to make yourself feel extra saintly.
• Most importantly, get enough sleep! Not only will it help fuel you for more physical activity the following day, it may also help accelerate weight loss. The hormone leptin - an appetite suppressant that also increases the metabolic rate - is secreted during deep sleep.

Always check with your doctor before commencing a weight-loss program.

Green Tea, CLA and Weight Loss

Green tea contains high concentrations of compounds known as catechin polyphenols. These work to intensify the rate of thermogenesis - the process whereby heat is generated in the body by burning fuels such as fat. In one study, investigators measured the 24-hour energy expenditure of 10 healthy men receiving green tea extract (containing 50 mg caffeine and 90 mg epigallocatechin), or a placebo each day. The study authors reported that, compared to those taking a placebo, the subjects who took green tea extract had a "significant increase" of four percent in daily energy expenditure¹.

Supplementation with CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) has been shown to improve muscle to body fat ratio, and to decrease the deposition of fat, particularly on the stomach. CLA appears to reduce body fat by enhancing insulin sensitivity. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that a Scandinavian research team found that, after one year’s use, CLA increased the lean body mass of humans while decreasing fat mass. Study participants also had lower blood fat and cholesterol levels after taking CLA².

1. Dulloo, A.G., Duret, C., Rohrer, D., et al. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechins polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dec. 1999: Vol. 70, pp1040-45.

2. Gaullier, J-Michel, Halse, J., Høye, K., Kristiansen, K.,  Fagertun, H., Vik, H., Gudmundsen, O., Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 year reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 79, No. 6, 1118-1125, June 2004.

Overcoming a Plateau
When pounds aren't dropping fast enough...

If you have been losing weight regularly but your loss has suddenly slowed down, you have probably reached a weight-loss plateau. During a plateau, fat loss is either very slow or appears to have stopped altogether. There are different reasons for reaching a plateau, but the most common cause is the body’s adaptation to an increased level of activity and/or reduced calorie intake.

Many people, on reaching a plateau, either launch into calorie deprivation mode or increase their physical activity to the point of exhaustion. (Neither of these actions has the desired effect.) Others become morose about what they view as a personal failure and often give up on their weight loss regime.

If you have reached a weight-loss plateau, it is wise to remember that most plateaux last only one to two weeks if you carry on with your program. There is no need to restrict calories (which will encourage further metabolic slowdown) or to over-exercise, which can result in the breakdown of muscle. If you are at a stage of your program where you have planned to increase physical activity, there is no reason not to. Just don’t overdo it in the hope of spurring your body to further weight loss.

The best way to help your body overcome a plateau faster is to add a small amount of physical activity to that which you are already doing. For example, if you are walking for 20 minutes each morning, add another five minutes to your workout.

Remember that cutting back further on food intake is likely to be counter-productive, encouraging your metabolism to enter “famine” mode. Many trainers suggest instead a small increase in calories during a plateau.

Finally, make sure that you leave no more than three hours between meals or snacks.