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Weight loss is once again all over the media with the Government's announce that they're "waging war on obesity". Firstly, it's not a war. It's our personal responsibility but it's also the responsibility of the food industry and the NHS. We have been given the wrong advice for years and told to eat a high carbohydrate, low fat diet but you only have to look around to see that advice isn't working. Eating fat will not make us fat but eating a diet high in processed foods which by their very nature are high in fat and sugar/carbohydrate, is the perfect recipe for weight gain, metabolic issues, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and now COVID-19.

The plan to ban adverts on high fat and sugar foods, banning two for one offers on high fat and sugar foods etc is a start but the week after that was announced, the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme launched which includes fast food places selling food that is both high in fat and sugar and very little nutritional value! You can read the latest government plans here.

The simple message isn't eat less, move more. It's eat less processed food and more home cooked, real food. But as I've been reading articles from different people and points of view, I've come to realise it's so much more than what we're eating. That very statement of eating more home cooked, real food, is a problem for so many people who can't cook, can't afford to buy the utensils and saucepans needed, can't afford to waste food if it goes wrong or the family don't like it, have chronic health issues which make the act of cooking nigh on impossible on some if not all the days.

If the government really want to address the obesity crisis, it needs to start with the advice given to the public. We also need to address food poverty which is affecting so many households especially now. I read this blog by the food writer Jack Monroe who explains more about the effect of poverty and can relate to those living in poverty after her own experiences. I found it fascinating, distressing and eye-opening. Yes, vegetables are relatively cheap and that's great when you live in what many would class as a privileged position, but when your benefits have been cut, you're freezing cold, hungry and suicidal, it's a lot more complicated than just the price of food. I urge you to read her blog because it really did make me think how nutrition policy isn't accessible for all. There are large groups of the population not catered for in policy and whilst you can never have a one size fits all policy, perhaps we need to be more inclusive.

The thing is, there isn't a simple answer. We do need to change our nutrition policy and our NHS recommendations, we do need to make healthy food cheaper for those with low incomes, we do need to teach cooking in schools and in the community but we also need to address the mental health of those affected by poverty. We need to address poverty and foodbank use which has risen exponentially during lockdown and no doubt will continue to. We need to do so much more and understand so much more.

Food supplies have largely returned to normal but as I write this, there are many families not just in Sheffield but across the UK who are struggling to feed their kids during the school holidays. There is some provision of free meals in certain areas of the UK provided by places such as the Co-op but this seems to be patchy. Some schools were helping out too but again, it was patchy.

So the answer to addressing obesity isn't a simple one. Weighing children as they go back to school in September certainly isn't the answer to me. It's a surefire way to create a generation who are worried about their weight from such a young age. It doesn't foster healthy eating or body confidence but could lead to a huge rise in eating disorders.

I think the place to start with this is to change our dietary advice, remove the EatWell plate and actually create guidelines based on up to date evidence and that doesn't suggest that your diet should be at least 50% carbohydrates and low fat food. The evidence suggests that a diet based on protein and fat from real food (including animal products) is the best for our health.

I don't know about you but I'm ready for everything to get back to normal now (I appreciate it can't). My partner and I have been discussing what we're going to do in the Winter for exercise. We've loved being able to head out to the Peaks in an evening after work and it's still light enough to get a decent walk in. Or, if he's working long days, we head for a walk through the local park. It's a short walk but it changes your scenery and gets you out the house and away from a laptop/phone screen. But, soon we won't be able to do that. Walking has been so good for my physical and mental health so I want to keep some level of exercise going as does he. The dilemma is what we do. We're talking about this now though because our health is a priority to both of us.

If you've read the About Me page, you'll know I've suffered with crippling IBS. It's now at a point where I can largely go out and not worry about it and that feeling is wonderful. I've also suffered with crippling anxiety, depression and a huge lack of self confidence. Being active helps that hugely. It's important to me to be able to run my business and that means being well. It's important my partner can work, and that means he needs to be well too.

I'm not going to be all preachy and say you should prioritise every aspect of your health right now but it is something to consider. We know being obese raises the risk of serious illness from COVID-19. We also know it raises the risk of so many other illnesses including cancer and heart disease. We live in a world now where jobs are more competitive, not being off sick is important, as is being able to do your job well which when you eat well and exercise, is easier to do.

We don't know how long COVID-19 will be around. There's all sorts of theories as to whether it will weaken and become just another cold or not. I'm not a virologist so I'll leave that to the experts to determine and predict what may or may not happen. We also have no idea whether something like this may happen again. I hope it doesn't but you never know. I like to think that we've not had it because we eat well, we exercise, we try to sleep well. We'll never know if we just avoided being in contact with anyone who had it, were in contact and didn't catch it because we're healthy or had it and were asymptomatic it. But, this has been a wake up call to me. I need to stay on top of my whole lifestyle not just nutrition. If you're eating well but never sleep well, live on caffeine and wine and never off your phone, it's not a healthy lifestyle.

We also succumbed to the lockdown weight gain! Nutritional therapists aren't perfect all the time either! There was a bit too much wine and a bit too much ice cream from the farm shop. However, I've lost that weight now and I feel so much better for eating well, drinking more water and herbal teas and a lot less caffeine and alcohol. So here are some benefits to considering improving your lifestyle:

1. You'll save money on your food bill because alcohol is expensive, as is junk food. When you're only eating 3 meals a day, you save a fortune on snacks! Also, if you plan your meals, you'll save a fortune on those extra top up shops where you go in for milk and a bag of salad and come out £20 lighter.

2. You'll actually feel like your brain works better. When you're not living on caffeine, carbs and alcohol, your brain does actually function better. Your brain needs nutritious food to work better. Things like oily fish such as salmon, steak, nuts and green vegetables plus a few berries here and there are important for your brain health. Vitamin D is also important which in the UK we get from sunlight between April and October. This is best form but some people find a vitamin D supplement beneficial especially over Winter.

3. You'll feel less tired and more energetic. Partly for the reasons above but also, if you're eating better, moving more, drinking more of the right things, chances are you'll also sleep better. It's easy to get into that sugar/caffeine cycle when you're not sleeping well but it becomes a vicious circle. I've currently given up caffeine completely and after a week, I feel much less tired and have more energy. Although it doesn't necessarily feel like it at the time, exercise can also help give you more energy. I'm trying to start my day with a walk each morning until I feel up to going back to running. If I'm tired at lunchtime, I go for a walk to wake me up. I know I'm lucky to be able to do that though and not everyone can!

4. You'll feel more positive about your self and life in general. When you're skin is clearer, you're not bloated and struggling to fit into your clothes, you're not permanently exhausted but haven't really done or achieved much and you actually have a bit of fitness so just a short walk doesn't leave you out of breath, you'll feel better about yourself. Even more so if you've been struggling to lose weight and it starts to come off. If you can build in some more positive thoughts about yourself too, it will really help. I say this as someone who's struggled with quite negative thinking at times and the more I can block the negative thoughts and allow the positive ones through, the happier I feel.

5. You'll be more productive both at work and home. If you're tired all the time, let's be honest, doing more or putting more effort into something isn't high on your agenda. Generally, we go for the easiest option which is often the quickest and most unhealthy so by tackling some of the issues above, it can really help you to be more productive. I find with a clearer head, I can achieve a lot more at work and at home. I can remember what I'm meant to be doing better, don't feel so exhausted by the small things and build that momentum of doing one thing and seeing results which snow balls. Then, everything feels easier and not such a big task.

6. You'll probably lose weight and inches if you're eating better, drinking less alcohol/calorific fizzy drinks, sleeping better and moving more. Even if you don't set out to lose weight, it can often be a (usually) happy side effect. People get hung up on the scales but sometimes the scales aren't moving and the tape measure will be. Weight loss isn't a purely linear thing. Your body has to heal, adjust to the change in food and lifestyle and that means sometimes there can be stalls for a few weeks and then bigger drops but the tape measure may continue to change so don't be disheartened.

7. You'll reduce the risk of so many diseases, not just COVID-19. We all know that a healthier lifestyle reduces the risk of disease. People who eat well also tend to have better immune systems so avoid as many of the more minor illnesses such as colds and stomach bugs etc. Sleep is also a key part of the immune system. There is so super food that can prevent disease except for real food and as little processed food as possible.

Diets, weight, healthy living etc are a hot topic of conversation right now. It's not just in the media but also social media where there are thousands of people giving dangerous advice and recommending products that are just a fad. The one thing evidence consistently points to is reducing our carbohydrate intake. This is not what the NHS guidelines state but the evidence does support it and we need the guidelines to catch up if we have any hope of tackling the obesity epidemic and the associated diseases. There are more NHS practitioners waking up to the fact we need to change our advice but sadly there are still far too many pushing our high carb low fat diet which just doesn't work for the vast majority of people.

So what exactly do we mean by low carb? We mean eating less than 50g of carbohydrates per day. It means ideally eliminating sugar except from an occasional piece of fruit, limiting carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Essentially, it's going back to a diet our ancestors used to eat. It's got very limited processed food and is based on meat, fish, eggs, some dairy and vegetables. Depending on how strict you are will depend on whether you eat more starchy vegetables like carrots, butternut squash etc or just stick to lower carbohydrate veg such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, courgette etc.

Why? Too much of our diet is based on processed food. We're seeing people with horrendous nutritional deficiencies because they're simply not eating enough fresh food. This has been exacerbated by the rise in vegan, fake meat alternatives which are just highly processed. I have issues with a vegan diet being nutritious enough but it can be done if you eating whole, unprocessed food and supplement. However, we have people who are eating such poor quality food that they're malnourished and obese at the same time. We have an epidemic of diseases such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue which were really uncommon just a few years ago. We have a rise in diseases which we know are related to poor diet e.g. type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease etc but also things such as mental health. Evidence shows that diet can impact mental health positively if you eat well.

A diet high in sugar and carbohydrates has many effects. It affects blood sugar control because the pancreas needs to release more insulin to keep blood sugar levels in a normal range. Fat and protein rich foods have a smaller impact on blood sugar hence they're recommended for people with type 2 diabetes or pre diabetes. If you're insulin dependant, make sure you consult your GP or diabetic nurse first. It raises the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. We now know that what we once blamed fat for, is in fact caused by sugar and processed food especially when it comes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, furring of the arteries etc. We also now know that those most severely affected by COVID-19 are those who are metabolically unhealthy, not necessarily overweight or obese, metabolically unhealthy. There are sometimes genetic reasons for this but very often it's down to poor diet.

Low carbohydrate diets are also one of the most effective ways of losing weight. Believe it or not, we don't need carbohydrates from foods such as bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal etc in our diet. We can consume adequate amounts from vegetables and limited fruit. Why limited fruit? It's still sugar. And whilst fruit does have some nutritional value, there are other more nutritious sources of vitamins and minerals such as green leafy vegetables and steak. Berries are the best type of fruit to eat as they have the least sugar but also contain antioxidants.

Foods to be eating/using:

• Green veg (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, courgette, cucumber, celery, lettuce)

• Meat (ideally not too much processed meat such as ham etc)

• Fish

• Eggs

• Olive oil

• Butter

• Coconut oil

• Dairy (if you're struggling to lose weight it can be worth giving this up for a while to see if it makes a difference)

• Berries in moderation (no more than 80g each time)

• 70% + dark chocolate if you need something sweet

Food to avoid:

• Anything containing 5 or more ingredients. It's too processed

• Anything low fat

• Bread

• Cereal

• Pasta

• Rice

• Potatoes

• Sugar in any form

I'm writing an e-book which will be available soon with more information plus recipes in it but before that's finished, here are my top tips:

1. Make a plan! Plan your meals and have a list of meals that you know fit the bill. There's loads of inspiration on the internet, I have some low carb recipes on the website and on social media. If you have staple ingredients in then you'll always be ok. Make homemade ready meals to keep in the freezer for the nights you're too tired/can't be arsed to cook.

2. Share with people who will support you not ridicule you and claim you'll die of a heart attack after your first day. Ask your work colleagues (if you're back in work physically) and family/friends to support you buy not bringing round things like biscuits, chocolate etc.

3. Trust the process. Your weight might fluctuate but stick with it. There's so much that goes on in our bodies than we ever consider so if you don't lose weight immediately or lose lots, don't worry. I recommend measuring yourself as well as weighing yourself because sometimes the inches come off but weight stays the same for a while.

4. Most people fall into 1 of 2 camps. Either all or nothing or cut down a bit at a time. Figure out which one you are and plan accordingly. If you're all or nothing, do a food shop as soon as you can and get started.

5. Shift your mindset from this being a diet to a lifestyle. That means, there will be weeks where you've got it all figured out, eat amazingly, don't drink a drop of alcohol and keep your coffee intake in check. There will also be days/weeks where you're out/away/seeing friends and you do eat fish and chips and ice cream and wash it down with beer. It's life and it's a balance. I don't have many of the latter days but I would say there's very few weeks that go past where I'm completely perfect.

Got a question? Get in touch:

Email: hannah@eatnourishlive.co.uk

Winter is rapidly approaching and you may or may not have seen that I'm running my first low carb challenge! I'm having such a good time and it's great to see people engaging and taking action to improve their health. I'll be running a bigger and better FREE challenge in January to help you kick off the new year healthily. I can't wait for 2021 and have high hopes it's going to be a brilliant year.

So I wanted to ask you a question. your viewing my website, so probably thinking about improving your health or addressing an ongoing issue. What's stopped you before now? What's stopped you taking action to improve your health? This is a question I asked my challenge participants because it's such an important one to understand. If you can work out what's stopping you then you can work out what you need to work on to help you make the changes more sustainable.

Most people actually know what to eat, the struggle is implementing it and overcoming challenges to change our relationship with food. In the UK in particular, food and alcohol are the go to for whether you're sad, happy, celebrating or commiserating. It's out treat to ourselves but often what we choose isn't a great quality high welfare steak, it's a takeaway made using the cheapest ingredients possible. That's not really a treat is it?

If you have a sugar addiction or comfort eat, often it stems from a life experience, not a lack of willpower as so many people often think it is. There are a lot of feelings associated with food and people will eat for many different reasons including:

• Sadness

• Loneliness

• Guilt

• Boredom

• Lack of self worth

• As an escape

• Anxiety and depression

• Form of self sabotage

• Tiredness

How many of these do you relate to when you actually sit down and think about why you do eat the way you eat? How many of them are excuses that you keep making e.g. tiredness? I was listening to a coach who said are you more committed to the excuses of your old life or the actions of your new life? It was a real wake up call. If you don't like where you are right now, ask yourself what you're most committed to. Is it being stuck where you are now or is it taking action to move forward and create a better life for yourself?

You don't need to take a massive step to start, in fact, sometimes it's better to take some small steps. Build your confidence up and start to feel more positive about it. Tell your brain you can do it so you start to remove some of the negative programming. There's nothing like setting yourself a goal and smashing it, whether that's nutrition, business, life, it feels great to see that you can do something and it helps to change the story in your head from I can't to I can. Getting your brain on board is the most important thing. You might need some guidance from a professional but you have to want to change and be prepared to do the mindset work too, they can't automatically reprogram you.

The reason so many diets fail is because of our beliefs around them and the fact we view them as short term solutions to longer term, deeper routed problems. We focus on the deprivation and everything we have to give up rather than what we have to gain. Changing our language from diet to lifestyle gives more flexibility for the odd night out or holiday without the usual guilt afterwards. No one is perfect all the time, even nutritional therapists. A healthy lifestyle allows for that and removes the guilty feeling that you've eaten over your calorie allowance or whatever your counting because there's no need to count calories. It's a truly freeing feeling to no longer be living in that world of working out what you can fit into your calorie allowance or not eating because you're genuinely hungry but already at your limit.

So if you're thinking about changing your health, losing weight or addressing a long term health problem, try asking yourself these questions:

• What's stopping me from moving forward?

• Am I more committed to my old life or a new life?

• What does the new life look like?

• What first step can I take to help me get there?

The honest answer? However works for you.

The only thing I would say is keep processed food intake to a minimum and focus on fresh home cooked food.

I think we have become guilty of forgetting that everyone is different. Everyone's metabolisms work at different rates. Everyone's insulin production is different. Everyone's hormone balance is different. Everyone's gut health is different. So when people claim you'll lose this much weight in this time frame, it's unlikely to be true. Maybe that's how quickly they lost weight and how they found it but it isn't necessarily your experience.

There are some things that nutritionally I don't agree with but there will be things people don't agree with me on. I'm not always right and part of my job is to work with you to find ways that work for you. both in terms of yielding results and actually being sustainable for you It isn't me that's following the plan and building it into my life. I can make suggestions and guide you whether you work with me 1 to 1 or buy an off the shelf plan.

The plan is rarely followed 100%, people tend to find a few things that work for breakfast and a few more things for lunch or use leftovers from the night before then have more varied dinners. Some people prefer to meal prep everything for the week ahead whereas others cook daily.

There are some "diets" that may work better than others (I use the term diet to represent what you're eating not to imply you should go on a diet or view this as being on a diet). Seeing changes as long term lifestyle changes is important. A healthy lifestyle isn't perfect 100% of the time. Food is important and enjoying it is also important. It gives flexibility for things like holidays, meals out, special occasions. No one is 100% perfect all the time, they just might not show it on social media.

Having a healthy relationship with food is also important and understanding what is behind your relationship with food is so important for long term change. Willpower will help but very often the reason you've not succeeded isn't lack of willpower, it's something else. Both our weight loss programmes address this because it's fundamental to success. The first step is to want to change. Just giving money to someone isn't going to magically make it happen overnight.

Another key area is to get support and accountability. It's so much easier if the people you live with support you. They may not eat exactly what you're eating but having that support is priceless. If you live on your own, ask a friend or family member you know will be supportive to keep you accountable or sign up to a programme that offers the support you need.

At this time of the year, it's not uncommon for more people to suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) . Add to that the stress of this year and it's not surprising that many people are struggling this year with their mental health. Diet does play a role in mental health but I do feel it's important to also acknowledge that medication is sometimes necessary and diet alone can't always reduce symptoms.

There are several lifestyle and dietary factors which can support your mental health. Managing stress is really important for supporting mental health. Finding ways to reduce stress and manage it better is important. Although it's easier said than done, trying something like meditation, yoga, pilates or walking or finding a craft or hobby you enjoy can really help to reduce stress levels.

Drinking less alcohol is another important factor in improving your mental health. It's easy to use alcohol to help take the edge off the day or to help you sleep better or because it's been a difficult day and you deserve it. Alcohol is a depressant so not only depresses your mood but also slows everything down in your body. Reducing alcohol can have a positive effect on your mood and also your liver. Having at least 3 alcohol free nights a week is important.

There are also several foods you can eat to support your mental health. Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as oily fish including salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel etc. It is recommended that we all consume 2 portions of oily fish per week for the health benefits. If you don't eat fish, it might be worth considering a supplement or including more chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, seaweed and walnuts into your diet.

Ensuring you consume meat and fish which are a source of B vitamins is really important. Whilst you can get some B vitamins from plant sources, vitamin B12 is only found in animal products so taking a supplement is vital if you don't eat any animal products. Eating a range of sources of meat and fish is important as it provides good quality protein. Protein is important for balancing blood sugars which can affect mood.

Eating a range of vegetables, nuts and seeds is also important as these contain minerals vital for supporting the brain to function, not just for mental health.