[chazzyb31]

Hiya,

Sounds to me like the diet you're following is the Beverley Hills diet, which is all about food combining. The thing is, it's very difficult to eat carbs without protein. Most carbs contain some form of protein (yes people, plant life contains protein!), so it really is a falacy that you can eat one without the other.

And who wants to eat like that anyway? The primary reason an eating plan fails is because of "forbidden" foods. If something is forbidden it becomes all the more tempting. You need to find a plan that allows you to indulge in your favourite foods so that you don't fall off the wagon. Instead of some faddy diet, why not try to eat more healthily? Look at the choices you make and try to make better ones. Eat lean protein, like fish and chicken (grilled, boiled, baked or poached, NOT fried) and, if you must have red meat, be sure to cut all visible fat off the meat before cooking. Stay away from meats like bologne and pepperoni, as they have a high saturated fat content. A small amount of fat in your diet is OK, as long as it's the right kind. You want to look at vegetable and seed oils (olive oil, sunflower oil, etc.), just don't go overboard with them; a little goes a long way. Stay away from mayonnaise and salad dressings, unless they are very low fat or fat-free. Eggs are OK, but if you have a problem with cholesterol you shouldn't eat too many. I save mine for the weekend when I make a cooked breakfast; I grill 100% lean pork sausages with bacon medallions (all visible fat removed) and I either poach or scamble the eggs with no fat. I like to add poached mushrooms and grilled tomato and, if I'm particularly hungry, 2 slices wholemeal toast with 2 tsps reduced sugar jam - heaven!

If you want to eat bread, go ahead, but choose wholemeal bread instead of white to ensure you get plenty of fibre. Also, don't eat more than 2 slices a day so that you don't go overboard. Knowing that you can have those 2 slices will go a long way to helping you stick to your new healthy eating plan. But if you do eat more than you should, don't beat yourself up. Just start again at the next meal and take it from there. You're only human, after all.

Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. Frozen are good too, but tinned can be dangerous. Make sure they are tinned in their own juice, not in syrup. Dried fruit is good too, but because of the natural sugar you shouldn't eat more than a couple of ounces every day. Get a good variety into your diet so you don't get bored - boredom is the biggest killer for any healthy eating plan. I'm a big fan of bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, oranges, kiwi fruit, melon and fresh pineapple. I try not to eat more than 2 bananas a day, as they have a high sugar content. Grapes are also high in sugar; a portion is 10 grapes, so go easy on them. But berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, so they're great for you. If you find they're too sour try mixing them with some apple or a handful of raisins. If that's not enough, it won't kill you to add some artificial sweetener. Beware of fruit juice. Because of its high sugar content it is easy to consume too many calories. This is why it is better to eat the whole fruit, rather than drink the juice. You also benefit from the natural fruit fibre when you eat fruit.

I know that many people on this site are of the opinion that carbs don't fill you up, but I disagree. Personally speaking, when I want to binge it's carbs that I reach for. I love potatoes, pasta and rice and there's no way I could give them up. There's no reason not to eat them. If you want them, have them. Bake or boil your potatoes in their skins and eat the skins too. Choose wholewheat pasta and brown rice (they're not nearly as disgusting as people say they are - I'm rather partial to brown rice). I like to have my pasta with a home-made tomato sauce. I soften an onion (without fat) for 5 mins before adding 2 cloves garlic, 2 tins chopped tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Bring it to the boil then let it simmer for 15 mins. I like mine quite smooth, so I whiz it with a hand blender. I also like to add olives on occasion. You don't need very many olives to get the flavour. I use around 14 olives if I intend to whiz it up and it makes a very tasty sauce. This quantity serves 4 people.

You might like to try eating a high-fibre cereal for breakfast. I'm partial to porridge. You don't need more than an ounce to fill you up until lunchtime. I like mine with either a handful of sultanas or a banana. If you don't fancy porridge, what about Weetabix or Shredded Wheat? Stay away from muesli as they often have added sugar. It's also very easy to eat too much, as an ounce doesn't look very much when you weigh it out. This is because of the nuts, which weigh a lot.

Use skimmed milk if you can, or semi-skimmed if you can't stand skimmed. If you've been used to full-fat it'll take a bit of getting used to, but stick with it and you'll get there - I did.

If you're determined to stay off the carbs, try alternatives. Wrap home-made burgers in a lettuce leaf instead of a burger bun. Boil some swede and mash it up just like you would a potato. Use it to top a shepherd's pie or have it on the side.

Jazz up your food with lots of herbs, which have so few calories you can't count them. I use tons of garlic, coriander, basil, oregano, chilli and Tabasco sauce.

Above all, enjoy your food. It shouldn't be a chore; life is too short. I have lost 39 lbs to date and am eating like a queen. I only put on weight when I succumb to my monthly chocolate cravings, but it comes right off the following week.

With all the exercise you're doing there is no reason you shouldn't reach your target well ahead of schedule. Keep up the good work. If you need any moral support give me a shout.

'Bye for now,

Chaz