“I’m on a diet” you say, and there you are, suddenly faced with every diet myth in existence! “Don’t eat after 6 p.m.” “Drink lots of water.” “Eat six small meals a day” “Only eat three times a day.” “Drink shakes”. “Fast”. What does all this information do?  It helps us believe that we are finding a weight loss quick fix, and the truth is there is NO quick fix.

Diet myths lower our self-esteem, and you know and I know the only person who can really control your weight is you, and then it becomes a question of how badly you really want to slip into a smaller size. Moving to a diet that is lower in calories doesn’t mean you will feel hungry all the time. Weight loss is not meant to be torture. You get used to eating less quite quickly. And then your stomach really is bored … and not hungry …

There are 9 major diet myths, and they all seem to be particularly relevant when you hit perimenopause and everything that follows But it’s important to remember that if you start watching what you eat in your early forties, you do not necessarily gain weight in your fifties; although your waist will thicken. Sorry about that.

Are we likely to start watching our diets in our forties? I don’t think so. Probably because we still find it hard to imagine that our bodies will change and that we will gain weight.

Whether you’re just trying to eat healthily or turn back the clock, lose weight or even gain weight … the secret is always going to be in a balanced diet and maintaining the energy balance between your food intake and your exercise output … believe me when I say your stomach is bored … not hungry! 

There are several books with different weight loss ideas that can provide you with assistance; what size do you want to be? If you need help, get help … find the kick in the pants you really need to get you started and keep you motivated.

If you are already, or are about to become, a woman of a certain age, you probably have rabid hormones so try The Hormone Reset Diet

One of my personal favourites is the 5:2 Fast Diet for Beginners … I happen to love fasting and let’s be honest, 500 calories isn’t starvation. In fact, if you decide to take this route, you will be surprised at how much food you eat on 500 calories … and it really works! There is the 5:2 Start book as well as  Diet Recipes for the fasting days and for the 5 non-fast days, as long as you don’t pig out, you can eat what you like. Just not a lot …

Have you found a successful weight loss program? How did it work for you? Did you feel hungry or was it too faddy or what do we need to know? Share …