The low-fat craze has gone too far. I talk to clients all time who are upset and confused about low fat.

"Cyndi, I've cut out most of fat. I only eat low-fat, fat-free products. Why aren't I losing? I'm actually gaining weight!"

We need to clear up something right now. just because it says "low-fat", doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want and still lose weight. Sorry. sad but true.

We seemed to have forgotten all about calories. And contrary to popular belief, calories do count. And eating only low-fat foods will certainly cause you to eat more.

Diets with less than 20 percent fat leave you hungry, unsatisfied, and more likely to overeat.

If you keep chowing down on just carrot and celery sticks all day, you will be much more likely to snap. "I want some ice-cream and I want it NOW!"

Fat increases your sense of satiety, so you'll eat less. Fat will also give you a fuller feeling for a longer period of time.

When my kids want an afternoon snack, I can give them some raw carrot sticks and they will be back in about 20 min. wanting more. If I give them some raw carrot sticks and whole grain crackers with some almond butter on them. It will more than keep them out of my kitchen till dinner.

A diet rich in essential fats and oils works to increase metabolic rate and improve entire system of energy production. With this increase in metabolism, weight loss is not only possible but also inevitable. Blood sugar levels are balanced and food cravings become a thing of past.

Besides hindering weight loss, dramatically reducing your fat intake can bring on additional health problems. Low fat diets can increase your risk of heart disease by decreasing HDL's (the good cholesterol) and boosting triglycerides. It can also raise your risk for gout and gallstones.

For women, cutting back on fats will wreck havoc with your hormones. A healthy hormonal system relies on "fats". When you are experiencing things like, missed or irregular periods, menopausal symptoms, pre-menstrual syndrome, dry skin, and oily skin. your hormones are not functioning as they should. You need fat.

However, (this is really important, so listen up) all fats are not created equal.

Saturated fats should be avoided. They create all problems we just discussed. These would include fatty meats, whole milk, cheese, ice cream, and chocolate (that one hurt). saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature. Some of fats that should be included are:

While working on a task do you feel mentally "pulled" in opposite directions? For example, part of you says "hurry up -- get it done", while another part says "slow down, this has to be done accurately". Is your way of doing things different from someone else’s way of doing things? You may feel comfortable planning as you go, without writing things down, while a co-worker prefers to create detailed, written action plans and to-do lists. Are you are asked to complete tasks you do not enjoy because they do not come naturally to you? You may find it easy to work on projects that have a lot of interaction with people, but not compiling statistics for quarterly report.

All three of these conflicts are related to a person’s behavioral design. Simply put, your behavioral design describes how you prefer to naturally behave. Everyone has a combination of following four styles. However, one style is usually more prominent.

*Some people focus on bottom-line, are very results-oriented and prefer to work at a rapid pace. *Others enjoy interacting with people and being in spotlight. They like a high degree of people contact. *Some individuals prefer to work "behind scenes" and enjoy planning process while working in a slow, deliberate manner. *Others are attracted to detailed work such as data analysis and copy-editing.