I have a very complex list of things you must do if you want to lose weight and eat healthy:

1. Eat the foods you enjoy, but eat less of them.

2. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

3. Most importantly, stop stressing about what you eat.

If you can follow these simple guidelines, then, in my opinion, you’re eating perfectly.

Of course it’s important to eat “real food” over food-like substances. But if you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, you’re already doing this.

I could also advise you to avoid flavoring your food with salt and sugar. But if you’re eating a lot of herbs and spices, you’re already doing this, too.

Finally, we could talk about the importance of having a healthy relationship with the foods you eat. A lot of overeating and obsessive/compulsive eating that takes place today is a result of unhealthy relationships with food. But if you’re enjoying the foods you eat and are not stressing about what you eat, you’re already avoiding this problem, too.

Simplicity is always the goal with the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle. That’s why simple guidelines are all you need in order to maintain healthy eating habits.

Want to make the Eat Stop Eat plan even more effective? Incorporate an interval training exercise program.

According to research, high intensity exercise – such as interval training – increases your body’s ability to recover better than prolonged low intensity exercise (Brockman et al, 1993).

Clinical research also shows that a more pronounced reduction in subcutaneous adiposity (the fat just under the skin) occurs when high intensity interval training programs are utilized rather than traditional endurance training programs (Tremblay et al, 1994).

Exercise regimes such as the Tabata protocols were designed by Japanese sports scientists to condition athletes using interval training. Their research showed that “high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly.” (Tabata et al, 1996).

Interval training, however, is a highly demanding exercise program, which could be too stressful for many individuals. Most experts agree that low intensity, long-duration exercise is preferable for the general public because it “results in a greater total fat oxidation than does moderate intensity exercise.” (Thompson et al, 1998).

Successful weight loss begins with a change in your diet. Next, follow a resistance training program to maintain muscle mass. When you begin following a weight loss lifestyle like Eat Stop Eat, try adding interval training exercises to your routine.

For your physical and mental health, you should also include traditional long, slow cardio exercises, like walking, as part of your fitness program.

My advice is as follows – Eat to lose weight and exercise to maintain or build your muscles. If you have extra time, try interval training or traditional walking to see if you can lose even more weight. If you do, that’s an added bonus. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to stop interval training and try something else.