The world is a dangerous and uncertain place. But the panic and fury this week was nothing to do with Brexit, the Russian threat or the continued risk of a terrorist attack. It was due to a well known diet organisation removing from their list of all you can eat food a yoghurt and redefining it as restricted food. Apparently this was a result of concerns that if you eat twenty pots a day you won’t lose weight. Dieters were not happy but some fitness writers were ecstatic.
It does seems a bit odd that anyone could believe that eating copious amounts of a 99 calorie product would not sabotage their diet. But I know lots of people that have lost weight using this organisation. It does focus on healthy food and there is the community element. Lifelong friendships have been forged. I have used it a couple of times but always putting the weight back on.
All diets rely on a calorie deficit being created. How you get to that sweet spot is completely down to you. It is possible to lose weight eating all sorts of crap. Many evangelise about what is on trend at that moment in time. But the real measure of a good diet is it’s sustainability. And that is dependent on challenging why we overeat or are inactive. It can be very complex.
My weight problem started when I discovered beer back in my 20s. I discovered beer. Since then, like many women, I have tried numerous diets. They are successful in the short term but I always put the weight back on.
This all changed in 2014 when I started to follow a low carb diet with high intensity exercise and weight training. I’ve had some hiccups on the way but I remain at a healthy BMI even if my body fat percentage needs a bit of work.

The photo on the left is probably me at my fattest. I was approaching a BMI that would have made me obese. The second photo is me enjoying a rum and coke this summer. 
I do have to focus on a fairly consistent approach to nutrition due to the medication I take. Too much vitamin K food can reduce the effectiveness of Warfarin whilst alcohol has the opposite effect. 
Last week I mentioned the problems I was having with my Warfarin prescription. I raised the concern with my GP practice. As I started to prepare my complaint I read their Care Quality Commision (CQC) report. The practice is in special measures with a improvement notice to improve the safety of patients on high risk medication i.e. me! Plenty of ammunition to support a complaint . However, I didn’t get to that as the problem was sorted out. I’m not sure who was at fault. The pharmacist or the GP practice. My money is on the GP.