Among my worst parenting mistakes (and there have been many) was the innocent purchase of some days-of-the-week underwear for the girls. I bought matching socks too. WHAT WAS I THINKING? Belle is a Sunday-on-a-Monday kind of girl, but Chloe is a rule-follower. If this behaviour hangs around when she is a teen, I shall put on a robe and rejoice in Biblical style. In the meantime, not having the correct pair of knickers with the correct pair of socks on the correct day of the week spells disaster. And let me admit that while my professional life is somewhat organised, my laundry is not. The likelihood of all three elements coexisting in harmony requires divine intervention. Make that wine intervention. I am currently trying to get the laundry situation under control, whilst typing with my right hand and making lunches with my left. Conclusion? Days of the week underwear should come with a warning label.

You know what else falls into this category? Girls’ Lego. Firstly, implying that girls can only be princesses whilst boys get to be zookeepers, policemen and vets, is absurd. I would quite like to live in a castle, but come on! I am all for including the princess option, but let’s keep the packaging gender-neutral. Secondly, girls’ Lego involves the teeniest, tiniest of bits. Those bits are what hold the entire structure together, so God help you if you lose them. However if you do misplace Rapunzel’s hairbrush and the pink bit that holds up the tower, they’re probably caught up in the washing with Wednesday’s socks and Thursday’s knickers.

My last nomination for parental doom and gloom is glitter. Whose genius idea was that? Small children have lots of enthusiasm and little self-control. This means that evidence of your Christmas craft activity will stay in your house until the day you die. Or until you move. I wonder how many people have relocated because of glitter infestation? (I actually quite like glitter, just preferably not in my green tea or bolognaise.)

But just as parenting is littered with bad ideas, so is dieting. Long-term calorie restriction is unsustainable, with some studies suggesting it slows down metabolism. The problem is that if you do start eating “normally” again, you run the risk of gaining weight more quickly than ever. As you yo-yo your way through the years, your weight can become increasingly resistant to your best efforts. Yes, you can fix that, but not with more dieting. If you want a successful plan that gets you healthy results long-term, look for the following:

1) You need a diet that isn’t a “diet”

Firstly, as humans, we don’t do well when we feel deprived. If you feel as if you are missing out then you will fall off the wagon and experience all the guilt and self-loathing that goes with it. One of my colleagues has always said: “Don’t give up something until you want to!” Watch documentaries and read books that give you the inside story on how your food is produced (see my Facebook page for details). Giving up something you don’t want anymore is easy. Look around for something that allows you to eat better versions of things you enjoy and inspires you to try something new.

2) Follow a “clean” philosophy

There are endless diets and strategies out there: Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, Medifast, Ideal Protein, the Fast Diet, the Zone Diet, raw diets, vegan diets — and to be honest, whilst I have seen lots of them fail, I have seen many of them work. I have watched people lose 20lbs becoming vegan, and 20lbs by following paleo — and yet they couldn’t be more different. One is plant-based, one is rich in animal protein, but when they are done well they have two things in common: lots of vegetables and very little junk. If you are a soda-drinking vegan or a burger-loving paleo person, you are missing the point. Whatever you pick, avoid the convenience items and eat as much real, whole food as you can.

3) Balance your blood sugar

This is important for preventing diabetes, losing weight and feeling great throughout the day regardless of your size. Whatever the marketing angle or spin, the vast majority of successful diets encourage you to eat in a way that balances your blood sugar. It’s the most important thing I teach my clients as it’s usually the primary factor influencing weight loss. Blood sugar levels influence cravings in a major way too, which is half the battle.

There are lots of options in Bermuda for pre-summer weight loss, but do try using this as a basic checklist. If you are interested in finding out about our Nutrifit programme (which starts again next week), check our website or Facebook page. I am not going to pretend it works for everyone — there are always a variety of factors that influence how ready people are and how suited they are to what we offer — but we do get amazing long-term results. Give me a call if you would like to talk it through!

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda