Whoops no column last week as I completely forgot what day it was. The school holidays and camp schedule have had me in a spin.

It’s hard to remember you have a day job when you are involved in yet another game of Frozen.

Chloe has confused the word “coronation” so I have been receiving invitations to her “coordination” all week.

I know I should correct her but I don’t want to break the spell as she dashes around preparing for her very royal occasion!

As fun as it’s been though, I confess that if I hear “Mummy, let’s pretend you’re Anna and I’m Elsa…..” one more time I am going to hide in the cupboards.

More appropriately I should hide in the middle of the room with my eyes closed, giggling hysterically.

Why is it that our reasonably intelligent children take so long to grasp the concept of “hide and seek”?

Next week however it’s back to business, with all my classes resuming after the holidays.

I have great groups right now for both Natural Kids and Nutrifit, and we’re seeing lots of significant changes!

When it comes to the adults, although we celebrate the weight loss milestones (which can be so motivating for some), I am just as excited when I see the critical shift in thinking that makes adopting healthy eating permanently so much simpler.

Here are five key bits of advice that I teach my clients that should help you move on from dieting dogma too:

1. Stop obsessing over calories

Calories in vs calories out is old school nutrition. Although there comes a point when it is of course relevant, it misses the point that it’s the quality of the calories that matters most.

For example, if you avoid all high calorie foods, you would miss out on nuts and avocado, both of which have huge health benefits.

It’s much easier to eat healthy, wholefood in moderation.

When nutrient needs are successfully met, your body doesn’t send so many hunger signals.

People often ask me what the calorie content is of my recipes or weekly meal plans.

The truth is, I don’t know. I have never counted them or needed to count them … we still get excellent results.

Some people who have been counting calories for years find it a hard adjustment, but ultimately liberating!

2. Explore (but don’t get limited by) your food philosophy

Most people are addicted to food in some shape or form. Whether it’s fried food, sugary food, salty food or simply, too much food, many of us have a hard time navigating our current “food environment”.

Although it’s a modern day marvel that food is so plentiful and cheap, it’s also a major problem.

We don’t have to physically “hunt & gather” our food (so we are more sedentary) and the junk is prolific and addictive.

Being “good” usually means depriving ourselves of things that we want — which never lasts for long, especially when we are tired or stressed.

The big shift occurs when we stop eating badly because we want to, rather than because we have to.

This amounts to saying “I don’t eat that” rather than “I can’t eat that”.

There are so many inspiring books and documentaries out there that will help to get you thinking about your core food values, including the books “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver and “In Defence of Food” by Michael Pollan.

The documentaries “Food, Inc”, “Genetic Roulette”, “Forks Over Knives” and “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” are also great.

Just a word of caution — whether you get swayed by the vegan or paleo arguments, or whether you simply stick to a “clean” approach, keep listening to your body.

Many things make sense on paper but food sensitivities and metabolic variances also play a role — meaning that often, different things work for different people at different times.

3. Make health, strength and vitality your target

It can never be just about your weight. Sure it’s exciting if you need to drop 20lbs and you do.

I have jumped up and down with delight in my office and shared my clients victories as they have defeated the scale.

But the results last longer (dare I say, forever) when my clients are just as — if not more — excited by the improvements in the way they feel.

Discovering and revelling in new found strength and vitality are major motivators!

4. Connect your long term goals to your day to day decisions

I have Julia Pitt to thank for this. If you don’t already read her Success Coaching column in this paper, then look her up!

Julia really helped me understand how important it is for my clients to connect their long-term goals to their day to day decision making.

Many of us know that we really want to lose weight, feel fit, be healthier etc, but we don’t often explore the detail behind why.

It’s easy to put off “being healthy” til “tomorrow” when faced with cocktails or a slice of chocolate cake.

But if you have really explored your goals, and if for you, being healthy also means more pride and self-respect, less irritability and a better relationship with your partner (less tired!) then those are much more meaningful motivators.

So make a list. Write down what you want for yourself and why you want it. What will happen if you achieve that goal? What will happen if you don’t?

5. Create a supportive environment

It was an anorexic client that helped me understand the major challenge of our current food environment — the constancy.

She explained that she felt like it was easier to get a break from alcohol or drugs, but that it was impossible to get a break from food.

Like it or not, food is everywhere — and it was always taunting, torturing and exhausting her.

The non-stop mental battle was completely debilitating — and to varying degrees, it’s true for many dieters too.

So my last bit of advice today is to do everything you can to create a supportive environment.

There are many things you can’t control, but some things you can.

Ask for support from your friends and family — let them know you would love their help being healthy (and why it means so much to you), so that they are less likely to bake you cookies and more likely to share healthy recipes.

Petition your worksite to remove the sodas and just have water in the meeting rooms. Get the “kids” junk out of the house — they really don’t need it either.

Create non-food related family traditions: go for outdoor adventures instead of for brunch, book fitness classes or programs instead of dinners, complete a milestone together — run a 5K, walk the End to End …. the opportunities are endless.

Before I sign off, a completely shameless plug. If all this has got you thinking, consider joining me for Nutrifit in May.

We have lunchtime and evening options available and we discuss all of the above and more!

Nutrifit isn’t a diet, it’s designed to help you discover a healthier way of life permanently — and I promise that you’ll have fun along the way!

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.