Hands up anyone who's ever tried a diet, slimming club, 'magic' pills, eating one food for 7 days, the apple/chicken/nuts diet... They all sound very 90s now, in a world where we're much more focused on giving ourselves hip new designer labels like Paleo, juice master, alkaline and raw till 4.
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So what's the problem with keeping up with the trendy foodies on Instagram? The fact is, for most people every one of these labels is just like those cheap fashion pieces you have in your wardrobe - temporarily satisfying, suits your current lifestyle and looks good to others around you.
ANY new eating plan will work initially if you suddenly stop burying your head in a bucket of Ben and Jerry's, drinking wine 'some' nights (read 'all nights'), and give up eating fast food on the go.
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Hooray, the magic happens - you lose weight, your skin starts to glow, you've got much more energy and your friends want a piece of this in their lives too. You wear your label like a badge of honour and talk about it enthusiastically all of the time; this is definitely going to become your permanent designer lifestyle from now on...
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But the honeymoon period starts to wear off, and you stop wearing your new foodie label full-time. The effort of preparing food each day instead of buying it, loses its shine. Getting get up earlier to exercise so that you can enjoy a breakfast bursting with carbs afterwards feels like too much effort most days.
You'd stopped going out socialising so that you could really concentrate on fixing your diet (aka changing your life), but the pull of cocktails and canapés is proving too strong. After all, you don't want your friends thinking you've abandoned them, do you?
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So what's the secret solution to avoiding another food infatuation faux pas, but managing to fix your diet and lifestyle forever? Prepare yourself because it isn't popular, chic or currently in vogue... but the simple answer is healthy eating.
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See, there's nothing new and shiny with that label, it's the same old message that we hear over and over again. In fact, we know it so well that if we actually listened to our own common sense, the diet industry would instantly lose the fat wads of cash we keep paying them for quick fixes and miracle cures.
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What most people don't realise is that the sad image of how boring healthy foods look and taste can easily be changed. Ban soggy salads, and bring on bowls bursting with colour, texture and flavour. Try simple food swaps - white rice for brown, white bread for wholemeal, go decaff for your morning cuppa. Add one small change at a time and challenge your taste buds to try something new at least once a week.
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You don't have to give up desserts either, just make simple and delicious versions that don't contain ingredients and preservatives you can't even pronounce. There are hundreds of recipe sites that cater for any intolerances or a dislike of certain ingredients, so you could wow your friends with amazing creations that really fit with living a healthy lifestyle.
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We live in a society filled with instant gratification, so anything less than immediate results won't do. But the daily damage we inflict on our bodies can't ever be fixed safely or healthily in a few days, weeks or months. It's taken you a long time to get your body where it is today, so why not give yourself the ultimate makeover from your own kitchen, and make healthy eating your timeless little black dress?
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