See Lila's tips published in Longevity magazine to age-proof your skin and body through your diet. Click here

Monique's guide on how to choose a safe, effective weight loss plan...

The Atkins diet, the Zone diet, the Cookie Diet- fad diets come and go as quickly as fashion changes in New York. If these diets were really effective no-one would ever have a weight problem. Here are some ways to spot a fad diet:

1.      Dramatic statements

This is probably the biggest warning sign of any fad diet. Any diet promising that you will lose 20kg in a month is a fad diet. Weight loss is only healthy and sustainable at a goal of 500g to 1kg per week. Also look out for statements like “eat all you want and still lose weight”, and terms like “effortless,” “easy,” “guaranteed,” “breakthrough formula,” and the like. 

2.      Restricting foods

A diet that tells you to completely eliminate a certain food or food group from your diet should send alarm bells off in your head. Not only is it unsustainable, but restricting a food or an entire food group will exclude vital nutrients and put you at an increased risk for developing nutritional deficiencies in the long run.

Monique gives us tips on some waistline-friendly breakfasts

Your mother was right- breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A nutritious breakfast is essential in providing the energy you need for a long day ahead of scheduled meetings and never-ending deadlines. Research shows that those who eat breakfast are more likely to lose and maintain weight loss than those who forgo this healthy meal. It is suggested that a healthy breakfast will keep you fuller for longer and prevent reckless overeating throughout the day.

Looking for an eating plan to support your gym training while building muscle and losing fat?

Click here to see the eating plan Lila did for Muscle Science Lean Body!

Article from Slimtrack.co.za:

There has been recent debate about low carb diets, here are my thoughts on the subject:

The High Protein, Low Carb diet such as recently proposed by Tim Noakes is not a new one – it keeps on coming back into fashion. But like many fashion trends, it is one of those diets that it would be best to forget (shoulder pads, anyone?).

Read the rest of the article here

Your child has your eyes, but does she have your weight concerns too?

There has been much research done into the relationship between a parent's attitude towards their weight and the effect it has on a child's body image. In addition, the research that I did for my Masters study showed that over 50% of 8- and 9-year old girls wanted to be thinner and had already tried to lose weight in the past. Also, the degree to which parents commented on their child's weight was found to have a significant effect on how happy the child was with their bodies.

Therefore the best thing you can do to ensure your child has a healthy weight and body image is to avoid talking about your own weight and avoid commenting on your child's weight. Rather set a good healthy eating example by letting your child see you eating in a balanced way and exercising regularly.

Here are some more tips to improve your child's body image:

• Focus on health – not weight
  
• Avoid commenting on other people’s weight (e.g. other family members, celebrities, people on TV, etc)
  
• Exercise together as a family and make it fun
• Get your child involved in cooking - this will improve their attitude towards healthy food
• Encourage healthy snacks
• Limit fast food
• Have healthy treats on hand (e.g. fresh fruit, yoghurt, popcorn, crudites and hummus, etc)
• Don't label food as “good” or “bad”
• Eat meals together as a family - research has shown that this also helps to improve children's attitudes towards healthy food and also makes them more likely to make healthier food choices
  

With February being the month of Love, isn't a good time to look after your heart?

You can love your heart by:

• Going for annual cholesterol checks
• Avoiding saturated fat (e.g. butter, red meat) and trans fats (commercial biscuits, pies and crisps)
• Eating more unsaturated fats (e.g. avo, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fatty fish)
• Exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
• Keeping your weight in check
• Keeping your blood pressure healthy
• Avoiding excess salt and pre-packaged foods
• Eating more fresh fruits and veggies
• Choosing fat-free dairy products

Have a great month!

Hi all!

If you feel like you are constantly forgetting where you left your keys, or forever finding your colleagues' names are at the tip of your tongue but not quite close enough, perhaps you could do with eating the right foods to boost your memory.

Click here to see the Destiny Man article about memory-enhancing foods that I was quoted in

For those vegetarians among you, who are pregnant, or planning for a family, see this Beeld article that I was quoted in

And lastly, here is some info on the immune-boosting properties of mushrooms from a Sunday World article I was quoted in