Most people are familiar with the “Food Pyramid” , which was created by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide nutritional guidelines.   At the base of the pyramid are foods you are advised to eat most of: breads, grains, cereals, and pasta.  The next layer is vegetables and fruits, advising 3-5 portions per day.   Dairy and meat make up the next layer, and fats and oils are at the tip, indicating you should eat them sparingly.

People who want to lose weight should remember that the Food Pyramid is a general guide, not a dieting tool.  It is far too vague for this purpose, and some of its claims are even scientifically unfounded!

Let’s start at the top, with the advice to eat fats sparingly.  This is over simplistic at best.    Some fats are undoubtedly bad for you- particularly man-made trans fats which are widely used in margarine.  They cannot be used well by the body, so they collect in the artery linings, causing blockages which lead to strokes and heart disease.   It’s also harmful to consume too much saturated fat, which is found in red meat and dairy.  However, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats which are found in nuts, olive oil, and fish are good for the body, and encourage it to burn calories efficiently- keeping your weight down!

The second problem with the Food Pyramid is that it encourages people to base most of their meals on carbohydrates, without making any distinction between good and unhelpful types.  Starchy carbs which are found in white bread, pasta, potatoes and white rice are the mainstay of the average American’s diet.  All these types of food create glucose in the body, which quickly pumps sugar into your bloodstream, followed by insulin spikes.  The surge in blood sugar and insulin is followed by a sharp plummet, causing a drop in energy and an appetite trigger.  So, if you just eat these types of carbs, you will probably end up overeating, and could even be at risk of diabetes.

The key is to eat carbs from whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread and pasta.  Your body will take longer to digest them, avoiding insulin spikes that create hunger cravings.  The slow steady effect on blood sugar will also protect you against heart disease and diabetes.

The protein layer doesn’t distinguish between which types are best for you, either.  Red meat should be eaten sparingly by those trying to lose weight, because it is high in saturated fats and cholesterol.  Chicken and fish provide a much leaner source of protein.  Beans and nuts are protein sources too, and packed with essential vitamins and minerals.  Milk consumption is encouraged as a source of calcium, but whole milk is high in saturated fat, so skim is best.

There is no mention of alcohol, which many people need advice about.  For the dieter, it should be avoided because it contains high amounts of calories.  Excessive consumption harms the liver, but in moderation, alcohol can help protect against heart disease.

Finally, the Food Pyramid makes no attempt to guide people on the other major cause of weight gain- lack of exercise.  If you want to lose fat and see results within a few months, it is far better to eat a good balance of natural fats, whole grain carbs, and plenty of fruit and vegetables, combined with a regular exercise program.

The most common weight loss mantra is “Eat Less and Exercise More.”  But what if you really are doing this and not getting any results?  You might be making a common mistake,  by not paying enough attention to your metabolism.  Your metabolism is the series of chemical processes that converts food into energy and is responsible for how many calories your body burns.  Your metabolism is influenced by diet, lifestyle, age, and gender.  The faster the process happens in your body, the more calories you burn.  If your body senses that calories are in short supply, your metabolism will slow down to conserve them- this is why semi-starvation diets are ineffective.  You might even end up putting on weight while depriving yourself of nutrients and becoming tired and cross!

Here are the best 10 ways to maximize your metabolism and burn off as many calories as possible.

1. Don’t cut down to very low calories.  A calorie shortage will be sensed by your body and your metabolic rate will slow down.  You will lose muscle and water rather than fat.
2. Try eating 6 small meals per day rathe than 3 large ones.   Include as much lean protein, fruit and nuts as possible.  If you are short of time during the week, try and prepare a batch of food at the weekend that you can keep in the refrigerator.
3. Don’t skip breakfast.  Breakfast kicks off your metabolism after the night’s break.  A mixture of lean protein and fruit is ideal.
4. Some fats are healthy!  Essential fats are found in nuts, olive oil and fish oil.  An excellent snack is a small bag of almonds or cashew nuts- so ditch those carb loaded chips and take the healthy option.
5. Cut down on sugar.  Probably the most common piece of nutrition advice but true.  Controlling insulin and blood sugar level prevents you from gaining fat and makes it easier to lose.
6. if you know your lean body mass- your body weight minus fat, then eat 1.1g of protein per pound of lean body mass.  If you don’t know, 1g per pound of body weight is a safe estimate.
7. Avoid alcohol.  Alcoholic drinks add hundreds of calories to your system and prevents fat from burning effectively.  For men, it is especially disadvantageous as it reduces levels of fat burning testosterone.
8. For a healthy drink option, choose green tea and water.   They won’t increase metabolism, but they will keep it ticking over smoothly.
9. Keep your bed times and rising times as consistent as you can to keep your metabolism settled.  If you can’t avoid shift work, stick as closely as possible to the other advice here.
10. For a metabolism boosting work out, use a mixture of strength training with medium level weights and interval training.  Complete 8 perfect repetitions per set.  This method will take less time than a regular cardio workout, and by challenging your body, you will continue to burn off calories even after you stop exercising.  This is because your muscles will take up energy repairing themselves and returning back to a resting state.

Follow these tips to gain muscle tone and shed fat, and set your metabolism on a positive course.  Remember- healthy eating isn’t a miserable process of depriving yourself of food so you are exhausted and irritable.  In fact, this is a sure way to damage your health and slow down your metabolism.  Any weight difference is much more likely to be water and muscle tissue than fat loss, defeating your aim.   Your body will try its best to hang on to those precious calories, so fat loss will be minimal.  Instead, adopt an informed and steady approach to nutrition and exercise.