More food and health confusion in the news today.  'They' have gone back on the last 30 years of advice and said that there is really no need to avoid saturated fat etc and that there really wasn't any evidence to say otherwise.

I don't want to say I told you so but ...

You have to take responsibility for your own health and research for yourself (or have someone you trust do it for you) ways to improve your health.  Our nutrition programme takes a common sense approach to food and keeps it simple.

We want our members to focus on predominantly fresh real food for the rest of their lives.  

We don't want to add to the food mania and dictate that they have to be perfect or there is no point.  I have discussed many times that I am an emotional eater and reach for a star bar or something chewy when I'm feeling vulnerable.

I couldn't preach being perfect when I am far from it myself.  And what is perfect for one person will make another feel ill.

I know that I feel better when I limit too many high sugar foods and focus more on proteins and fats but I have a friend who would fall asleep after every meal if we ate the same.

Does perfect really exist on the food front?

Our food chain and way of life has evolved and our thought processes around food have to change accordingly.  If you read a magazine and feel pressured to look like the fitness models inside who are promoting a certain way of eating and you feel that way would be too hard for you.  IT IS.

Don't even try, stick to something you know you can at least do 80% of the time.

The perfect diet is one that gets you results and you can follow without guilt most of the time.

If you like the idea of following a real food based diet start out easy.  

The key is to not put pressure on, if there's no pressure there's nothing you can fail at.  If you can't fail, you can only WIN.

Do the best you can each day, some will be good, some not so.  It doesn't matter as long as you start to include real food in your daily life.

YOU are the most important one in your life, not the media or friends who have done well on x, y or z but YOU.  YOU'RE the one who has a direct impact on your own health and wellbeing, if you want to improve, do it.

Perfect doesn't exist, go for better.  If we all try to be a little better each day the world will be a better place and not just from a food point of view.

Darren 'certainly not perfect' Checkley