New weight loss trend focuses not on what you eat, but how

Do you believe in the saying: You are what you eat? The hottest weight loss trend takes a new approach, claiming that it's how you eat, not what you eat, that makes the difference in losing weight and keeping it off. David Shaw is a registered dietitian and nutritionist, and he says that there's a problem with all those restrictive diets out there: They only work for a short period of time.

"When it comes to the long haul, not many people can stick to these restrictive diets for more than a year. This makes it pretty clear to me that a focus on lifestyle and behavior is the best way to optimal health," declares David. Instead, he recommends an approach that he calls Attentive Eating, which involves "taking a more mindful approach to what you eat." And, he contends, it's a "simple strategy to weight loss - so simple that it puts many complicated diets to shame."

Mindful and Attentive Eating Explained
"Mindfulness is the process of paying attention to the 'right now' and letting your thoughts and feelings come and go without judgement. It's this mentality that helps resolve the urge to eat and overcome emotions like guilt and regret that commonly arise when we consume foods we think are 'bad'. As a result, we become increasingly aware of our body's internal cues, such as hunger, that drive our desire for food and also stop us from overeating," explains David.

Do you love to eat while you're working at the computer, watching TV, reading a book or even talking on the phone? There's a problem with that approach: You can get so absorbed in those distractions that you won't mentally register what you ate. In contrast, by concentrating on what you are eating without distraction, you can reduce how much you eat.

Tips for Becoming an Attentive Eater:

Become a mindful eater by following these tips:

• Turn off the TV
• Sit at a dining table
• Get away from your desk.
• Savour the taste of the food you're eating.
• Remember what else you've eaten that day. Tip: Keeping a food diary may help

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