Just drop ONE bad habit at a time

Now i f you are rushing through life, living off ready-meals, propped up by caffeine and sugar, drinking too much and eating all the wrong things, as i was, a healthy diet can seem an insurmountable mountain.

But you know that something has to give.

try keeping a food diary for a few days. it’s a great way to help you pi ck up patterns of unhealthy eating — you might be skipping meals during the day, then overeating in the evenings or rushing around on a caffeine and sugar roller-coaster, never finding time to sit down for a proper meal.

i’m not going to suggest anyone gives up everything they love — no matter how unhealthy their diet or how much weight they want to lose. all i suggest is you think about how you eat, commit to reducing, and then let go of just one thing and focus on all of the fantastic foods you can include in your diet.

if you focus your efforts on just one thing, you will be making a start, and very often that small step is enough to allow you to break bad-for-you ties and forge new associations with food.

For some clients i suggest cutting back on, then cutting out, takeaways; for others it’s obvious the problem could be sugar, or wheat, or dairy or alcohol.

addressing, acknowledging and reducing your dependence on any one of these evils is the first step to positive health. once you cut out one, move on to the next. these are the most common dietary stumbling blocks and the ones i suggest you tackle first — one at a time:

SUGAR

THE white stuff has been corroding our diets and our health for years — it makes us fat, increases our risk of heart disease and diabetes, and is known to contribute towards premature ageing (everything from wrinkles to alzheimer’s).

it’s being drip-fed into us, often unknowingly, in so many different forms. But it is possible for anyone to break their sugar addiction once they know what and how to eat.

it’s a tough one to quit, but abstinence — for seven days — is the best way. the less sugar you eat, the faster your taste buds will adapt and the quicker your cravings will go.

the r esults could be i mproved energy, better sleep, clearer skin, l osing weight, better bowels, focused thinking, less pain, and brighter moods. My clients say their taste buds start to change as the cravings diminish and making healthier choices stops being a battle.

ALCOHOL

IF you don’t rely on alcohol and you drink sensibly, then fine, but be aware that a few drinks are a quick route to derailment (both while we’re drinking and when we’re trying to deal with the hangover the next day).

Just a few glasses of wine contains more sugar than a chocolate bar. alcohol can also l ead to huge blood s ugar f l uctuations, which directly impact your energy levels, food choices and waistline.

if you think you drink a little too much and want to work on improving your health, the best way is abstinence — but only temporarily, especially if you want to lose weight. in time, you will be able to enjoy wine occasionally, but it’s a good idea to avoid it becoming a nightly habit. if you lead a busy social life, try alternating the nights you drink or cherry pick two nights a week when you can drink.

GLUTEN

this protein, found in wheat, rye and barley also crops up in pre - packaged f oods and sauces. it can irritate the gut lining even in those who are only mildly sensitive or those suffering from coeliac disease (an autoimmune condition triggered by the consumption of gluten).

research reports that our bodies struggle to digest gluten and react with bloating, nausea and IBS — more people are suffering because of the huge amount of gluten in their diet.

if you suffer from frequent and unexplained fatigue, head fog, eczema, asthma and joint pain try a period without eating gluten to see how you feel.

Even in those who aren’t wheat sensitive, you should diversify your sources of carbohydrate so you aren’t eating a ‘monochrome’ diet of wheat, with bread, pasta and baked goods at every meal.

DAIRY

ALTHOUGH dairy has many positive attributes, there is increasing evidence to suggest it might be best avoided for some, or at l east kept to a minimum.

Milk is one of the seven most allergenic f oods and could trigger both digestive and systemic health problems s uch as eczema, asthma, increased mucus production and low mood.

it’s been estimated that more than two-thirds of the world’s population is sensitive to lactose, the sugar in milk, which may contribute to digestive issues such as diarrhoea and wind.

Despite the protestations of the dairy industry, milk and cheese are not essential for bone health — nuts, seeds, legumes, small fish and greens such as broccoli provide better, more absorbable sources of the calcium your bones need.

CAFFEINE

THERE are many reported health benefits of caffeine, so i don’t advise clients to give it up, but it is a good idea to be aware that if you over-use, it you may be in a cycle you need to break.

i recommend limiting yourself to two cups of good-quality tea or coffee a day and keeping it clean (no sugar, milk, syrups or sprinkles).