I am sick to death of listening to the radio and TV about weight loss programs to follow. Okay there are pills, potions, low fat foods, exercise programs, weight loss programs, and stupid dangerous diets that reduce the calorie count so much that it can invoke an eating disorder.

One I keep listening to every morning is the Jenny Craig Program. The thing about these weight loss programs is that they are often very low in calories, which over time will make you add on more weight because the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is slower than normal. Those individuals who miss breakfast are more likely to become overweight. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it invokes the metabolism and keeps it higher for longer. Stay away from sugary cereals like Special K (another con-merchant who uses colour therapy – red – to make you become hungry). All cereals are crap and full of additives – most likely sugar or sweeteners.

One of the best – and lowest calorie – breakfasts is to have two pieces of rye bread toasted, two poached or scrambled eggs, and two slices of bacon. You will take in around 500 calories, but you are also less likely to snack on sugary foods later, and the protein kick will be sufficient enough to last until lunch. Perfect snacks to munch on are nectarines and satsumas. Rice cakes are also good because they often use brown rice which is higher in fibre.

Weight loss programs that you pay for may cause short-term weight loss because of the reduced calories, but do you really want to follow an expensive food program forever? They are after your money. If you’re stuck for some meal ideas and you want to lose weight, write to me for free and I’ll give you some ideas.

To lose weight effectively you must:

• Eat breakfast. It triggers the metabolism to rise, and while you eat your body undergoes thermogenesis (burns calories while digesting). The more times you eat throughout the day the more you will take advantage of dietary thermogenesis.

• Take up weight-training. Muscle is metabolically active, and the more muscle there is in the body the more calories you will burn at rest. Press-ups are one of the most basic body-weight training exercises you can undertake, and they can be performed anywhere. During a press-up, you are holding up almost seventy percent of your own bodyweight. Squats are effective for building the glutes (buttocks) and strengthening the thighs. If you add just one pound of muscle mass per month over the space of three months, you will burn an extra 150 calories per day at rest.

• Stop eating Low-fat food. You think it is good for you, but it may have an opposing effect on you and help you to gain weight. Why? Low fat foods contain sweeteners, and these are often worse than natural sugar. Sweeteners stimulate the brain to produce ghelin – the hunger hormone – so the more you eat of them the more you will crave. How many of us feel guilty staring at a piece of chocolate cake let alone eating the piece? Where is the guilt coming from? The past? Emotional issues? Get rid of these niggling doubts by focusing on the now. Breath deeply through the nose making sure that the belly extends outwards, and exhale through the mouth. Continue five times to make you aware of where you are right now. Fuck the past, future, or how many chocolate biscuits you ate for lunch. Guilt is often what causes unhealthy eating habits. I love maltesers and pizza. Do I feel guilty about chomping a full sized ten inch pizza (or even a twelve inch) sometimes. No! I enjoy the occasional treats.

• Eat everything in moderation. If you want to eat a full sized pizza once a week, look forward to it and savour every bite. Try to eat healthily throughout the week and have a treat once or twice a week. If you fancy roast potatoes, brush the lightly with olive oil and roast until they  crunchy. Roast potatoes are full of goodness and it is okay to eat them every day, just steer clear of the goose fat and stick to Lurpak or olive oil. Add salt, black pepper, and chilli flakes for an added kick.

• Focus inwards at your emotions. Do you emotionally eat because you feel unhappy inside, or is it because of another issue. Begin meditation and learn to breath deeply anytime you feel distress or anxious. Flower Remedies are wonderful and they treat emotions in a drug-free way. I use them. They are also non-addictive and they are to be used for as long as necessary.

• Change for yourself. It is easy to know what is classed as perfection. Supermodels and actresses with size two figures, or those who cake their eyes, face, and lips in natural looking make-up. Forget about trying to look like another. You have your own body shape and muscle mass that is more unique than anybody elses. Why would you want to look like a supermodel and everyone else anyway? Men like curvy women. Those who only date stick thin females are shallow and have their own insecurities anyway. One guy jibed me about my untoned thighs once. He was a fellow Virgo, and I went off him after that because he was obviously looking for supermodel perfection and he didn’t see it in me. I am fit and healthy inside, why do I need to be toned to perfection? I would never change for anyone, only myself. If you want to lose weight, never do it for another person. Do it only for yourself. You, your body, and your mind are here together on Earth for a very long time, so learn to love yourself and your flaws.

• Stay away from fad diets and weight-loss programs. They want your money and their aim is to make sure that you stay on their diet for as long as possible. You will likely lose weight on their program, but you will also gain it if an inadequate calorie intake is sustained. Do you really need your mind made up for you as to what to eat to lose weight? Use fresh vegetables with meals. Use skinless meats and avoid frozen ready meals are these contain additional salt/sugar. Most diets state that you must follow a calorie controlled diet in order for the weight loss program to work anyway. They take out all the measuring and deliver the small portion sizes to you. Instead of chomping three fajitas (as I do), they will send you two. Remember, you pay for that, and what a stupid expense when you have YOUR own mindset as a tool to lose weight.

For beginners to meditation, it can be difficult to let go of the thoughts and relax with meditation. How is it possible to get into a meditative state easily with the tens of thousands of thoughts of both positive and negative swimming around?

Firstly, the way you breathe is important. Most of us do not breathe correctly in day to day life. This is when stress can occur. Shallow breathing (when the diaphragm is not utilized) does not take in enough oxygen to penetrate the body and can cause ailments. Even I do it too, but during meditation you can change all that by breathing correctly.

Make sure that you breathe in through your nose. Fill your stomach with air and then exhale through the mouth. The longer you can hold your breath the more calmer you will feel. Test yourself when you carry out the breathing by placing a hand on your stomach. If it expands you are breathing correctly. When most of us are in a nervous state or stressed, we often take a deep breath for assurance, imagine working on those breaths and reaching serenity.

There are a variety of breathing techniques to use during meditation. Once you start to breathe slowly and correctly, your mind will start to become clear and free of thoughts. This is the exact state you want to be in. Even meditating for just five minutes a day will help. Meditation will help you to feel calmer and gives you some time to get to know yourself, release your negativities, and take control of your mind.

There are some more advanced techniques which I will discuss in my next blog. I hope this blog has helped you to become calmer and appreciative of of helpful meditation really is.

Weight gain can be caused by stress. What do most of us do when we feel stressed? Turn to smoking or junk food to release our feel good endorphins. Okay, chocolate tastes nice and, dark chocolate in moderation is extremely beneficial for heart health, but sugar is sugar and it causes the blood sugar levels to raise to give a feeling of happiness. It is the downside, however, that is the nasty bit.

This is when the body can feel sluggish and turn to more junk food to keep it on an even keel. One of the best ways to calm the mind and, therefore de-stress the body is through meditation. Many of us forget to breath properly. Correct breathing is a fantastic rejuvenator and can stop kill off stress in an instant.

I meditate a lot, usually at night and I use crystals to help me on my spiritual path. With meditation, it is important to focus on your breath and how you feel. Slowly, you will start to feel your mind calm. Meditation is also excellent for insomniacs.

If you feel stressed, do not start on painkillers or anti-depressants, try out meditation too. As well as a stress reducer it may also help you to lose weight. A positive mindset will make you feel good and may help you to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as changing the diet to include more fruit and vegetables.