Fairlady LoseIt: Handbook 2025

1. You must not use the content in The LOSE IT! Handbook as a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional. You should seek medical advice from a qualified professional before starting any weight-loss programme. 2. The LOSE IT! Handbook provides educational information on weight-loss management and is intended to assist users in weight loss. The magazine team cannot give medical advice or a diagnosis. 3. The information and material in The LOSE IT! Handbook are intended as a general guide to assist with weight loss and do not take into account individual circumstances. The magazine team will not provide any form of assistance or support in individual cases, nor give feedback on any information you submit to the magazine. 4. You use The LOSE IT! Handbook and the…

IF you’re wondering why you’re reading a low-carb magazine when drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Wegovy are so successfully being used for significant weight loss, read on! First of all, it would be ridiculous to maintain that these drugs are not a solution to the worldwide obesity crisis. They have been shown to be very effective in terms of weight reduction, and they are potentially extremely useful with regard to more than 40 other ailments too. According to a recent article in the UK Times, ‘The study, the largest so far to look at the impact of the medications, followed 215000 US military veterans with diabetes who had been prescribed a type of drug called GLP-1 agonists, including semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, and tirzepatide, which is sold…

THE RIGHT STUFF We all know that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can result in CVD, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity. But, according to top British nutritionist Federica Amati, you don’t have to give up all the good stuff – it helps just to make better choices. She recommends eating bacon no more than once a week, and eating sliced cooked ham from a butcher the rest of the time; choosing tinned mackerel and sardines over smoked salmon, which is high in salt and preservatives; enjoying two squares of good chocolate a day instead of muesli or low-carb bars packed with artificial sweeteners, additives and emulsifiers; and eating real cheese as opposed to ‘cheese-like’ products. Also, nuts are good for you! They’re full of fibre, and are thought to release more GLP-1…

A gonising stomach issues, bone-grinding body aches, deep fatigue and a jelly wall of brain fog. These used to be my familiar companions. Sometimes, they visited all day, every day. But not today! Today, these are just four items left on a list I call ‘40 symptoms I reversed with the carnivore diet’. People have different reasons for starting to eat carnivore, including weight loss, illness and wanting to look buff. My reason was chronic can’t-leavebed illness. I was half-dead, and I mean it when I say that the carnivore diet gave me my life back. Quick backstory: I had my first episode of illness at 23. In my 20s and 30s I saw a stream of doctors and healers, who all told me it was stress. By my 40s…

One of the reasons our cravings are so interesting is that if we learn to read them properly, they can shine a light on what’s going on in our bodies. It’s quite strange that we accept this as a factor during pregnancy but tend to disregard it the rest of the time. The fact is, your chocolate craving could mean so much more than just a need for sweetness or reward. Wanting something sweet is one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, but there are others, including pervasive tiredness, cramps, migraines and headaches, brain fog and difficulty sleeping, not to mention high blood pressure and fragile bones. When you take into account that magnesium deficiency is widespread – according to statistics published by the World Health Organization in 2014 (and…

Remember the bulletproof coffee frenzy? That rich blend of coffee, butter and MCT oil was a keto staple and energy hack. Now, a new trend is brewing (pun 100% intended): proffee. Trading butter for protein, fitness enthusiasts, busy professionals and health-conscious individuals are redefining their morning coffee routine. But what exactly is proffee, and does it deliver on its promises? Dietitian Mbali Mapholi, who practises at Netcare Olivedale Hospital in Randburg, gives us the scoop. What is it? As the name suggests, it is a blend of protein and coffee, typically made by mixing a protein shake or protein powder with brewed coffee or espresso. Mbali says it has gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts and those looking for a high-protein energy boost. ‘Unlike regular coffee, which primarily provides caffeine, proffee…