Top 5 food rules for weight loss

By following these five food tips consistently and maintaining a solid training program, you'll be shifting that fat and feeling a million dollars in no time.

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1. Cut calories  To lose fat, you have to gradually decrease your calories by eating less and cutting out calorific meals and snacks.
2. Good protein  To support muscle tissue, you have to gradually increase your protein. In other words, eat more lean meat, chicken, fish or whatever lean vegetarian source you choose. These foods help speed up your metabolism, keep you feeling full and provide important amino acids. Here are examples of good sources of protein. 
3. Choose carbs wisely  To create the right environment for fat loss, you need to gradually decrease your intake of carbohydrates. In other words, eat less sugar and starches, such as processed grains. Eating too much of these foods can wreak havoc on your bloodstream, increasing hormones that lead to fat gain.
4. Dose up on veg  To make sure you're healthy throughout the process, you need to gradually increase the amount of veggies you eat. Try starting to replace your grains with greens. If you do this, you'll be getting more fibre, vitamins and minerals.
5. Tips to boost metabolism  To support your metabolism, gradually replace bad fats with healthy fats. Adding things like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and fish oils to your diet will help speed up your metabolism and lose weight.Discover more fitness tips here.

How to get started on the Paleo Diet

Before you start, here are some quick guidelines to get you a little more familiar with the Paleo Diet framework. Irena Macri from Eat Drink Paleo talks you through the do's and don'ts

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What to avoid

Grains and grain-based products, legumes, most dairy, processed sugar, processed and seed oils and products containing those (canola, soybean, corn, vegetable, sunflower, sufflower, grapeseed), condiments containing gluten, processed sugar, preservatives and artificial flavours and colours, sugar loaded soda, energy and sports drinks. I also recommend to avoid alcohol for the duration of this challenge. However, if an occasion calls for it, stick to a glass of dry red wine or dry cider.

Foods to eat

A variety of grass fed meat and pasture raised poultry and eggs, fish and seafood, vegetables, some fruit (3-4 times per week for the duration of the challenge), berries, nuts and seeds, grass fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, coconut water, unsweetened tea, fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha drink.

Include in small amounts

Some people avoid dairy completely, especially those with gluten or lactose intolerance or digestive and gut issues. Others include butter, full fat cream, aged hard cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino, some goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese and natural unsweetened yogurt as higher fat, fermented and non-cow milk dairy is easier to digest and has many nutritional benefits. You can usually include small amounts of natural sweeteners like raw honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup and dried fruit, although I would recommend to keep these to a minimum during this challenge.

Which oils to use and which to avoid

Use for cooking and heating: ghee, coconut oil, macadamia oil, lard, duck fat, butter and virgin olive oil (when cooking below 170-180C such as in slow roasting, sautéing and braising).

Use unheated or add at the end of cooking: extra-virgin and virgin olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, pumpkinseed oil, sesame oil, hazelnut oil, unrefined coconut oil, butter.