1. They start the day empty.  There is no better way to bring your metabolism to a screeching halt than by missing your first opportunity in the day to rev your fat-burning engine by eating breakfast.  And, there is no better thermogenic food to include at breakfast than protein in order to enhance satiety, improve fat loss, and curb sugar cravings.

2. They skip meals and snacks.  Eating every few hours keeps your energy up and prevents you from becoming ravenous and subsequently overeating at your next meal.  Not all snacks are created equal however.  Healthy snacks are those that are balanced in nutrients and release energy slowly over time.

3. They cut out carbohydrates.  It’s not the carbs that are the major issue; it’s the type of carbs.  The low-carb craze unfortunately didn’t make this distinction, and consequently failed so many.  Eradicating an entire macronutrient category from our diets contradicts the current science that shows that certain carbohydrates can be a strong ally in weight management.

4. They opt for artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.  Recent research has shown that people who use artificial sweeteners, like aspartame and sucralose (Splenda™), are heavier, more likely to have diabetes, and more likely to be insulin-resistant compared with non-users.  Consuming foods that contain artificial sweeteners radically upsets our biochemistry and actually evokes sugar cravings.

5. They avoid all fats, even the healthy ones.  Among other benefits, there is strong evidence that suggests that the right kinds of fats can make you healthier, more muscular, and leaner, as well as improve your cardiovascular health.  Sadly, despite the anti-fat wars of the 80’s and 90’s, the incidence of obesity has doubled from 15% to 31% during this time, and heart disease continues to remain high.