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Nutrition & Dieting/Questions Answered by Expert Cari Corbet-Owen

SubjectDate Asked
Learning some tips1/26/2012
  Q: Cari, I'm an old-hand at AllExperts, and used to be an expert here myself many years ago (MS ...
  A: ...well here are some links to the relevant pages about those topics on my website and then I do go ...
stagnant weight loss1/26/2012
  Q: I am 21 years old. I currently weigh 69.7kg at height 167cm. I have been trying to lose weight ...
  A: ... well a weight of 69.7kg's at your height it doesn't sound to me like your body wants to lose ...
Perseverence & Willpower1/19/2012
  Q: ...... I'm almost 61, 6', and about 260 pounds. Since I was about 11, I've always had issues with ...
  A: Well I had to smile when I read your letter because it sounded just like something that I could have ...
Diet and Healthy Safe Weight Loss8/31/2011
  Q: I am 34 years old and 240 lbs. and I am 6' 1". I made a decision to lose weight and get in shape. ...
  A: I may not be able to answer all your questions but I'll do my best. First of all, weight on a scale ...
not losing weight8/27/2011
  Q: I am 15 years old, 5'11", and I am a very active athlete. I have been on a diet for about three ...
  A: Here are a couple of things I'd take into consideration: 1) Everyone has different body shapes and ...
Making exercise fun8/17/2011
  Q: I was wondering how to make exercise fun and not a chore?
  A: Please forgive me for not re-writing all these ideas.... you'll find ideas here: ...
Weight Gain7/23/2011
  Q: I am at the point of no return. I seem to be gaining weight and it is not coming off like I had ...
  A: I don't have a way of knowing how long you've been running but....one thing you do need to remember ...
Reply to your question7/16/2011
  Q: I originally weighed about 350-360. I went down to 248 and I am weighing in at about 268 now ( this ...
  A: It sounds like you're doing so much right. Some of the things that come to mind are how many ...
weightloss7/14/2011
  Q: Right now I am 287 and actually don't look that bad. However, I'm going for 245 (ideal weight ...
  A: Your very best sign IS hunger, because if you're starting to feel light-headed or dizzy you've ...
weight loss7/3/2011
  Q: i want to ask about best pills and capsules available in market which are effective in weight loss ...
  A: I think that what you need to consider is how you spend your time because being active will ALWAYS ...
weight loss7/3/2011
  Q: i want to ask about best pills and capsules available in market which are effective in weight loss ...
  A: ...I'm afraid you may have to ask another expert this question because I am absolutely against all ...
Weight Gain6/21/2011
  Q: i am 28 yr old male weighing 60 kg. i do exercise regularly from past few months and also following ...
  A: I'm afraid this really isn't my area of expertize - the best way I know to lose weight is to go on ...
What to do..??5/22/2011
  Q: Hey Cari :) I'm a 15 year old girl, I'm 5 5" and I weigh 133 lbs. I'm also Mixed Nigerian-Canadian ...
  A: African women (I'm from South Africa) genetically have larger butts and thighs (as you've already ...
Weight Loss5/12/2011
  Q: I had an ED, which I still feel I struggle with. I need to lose about 10-15 lbs to get to a healthy ...
  A: Well done for recognizing that you need to gain some weight to get to a healthy weight. Being an ex ...
Over Weight5/12/2011
  Q: Hope u r in good mood and health. i m 38 yrs old. hight 5 ft 4 inch. weight 74kg. i want to reduce ...
  A: //www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm I am not a believer in teas, potions, pills or patches for ...
weight loss5/3/2011
  Q: If i only eat 1000 calories everyday and dance (mostly freestyle) for 30 minutes, drink my 8 cups of ...
  A: Firstly you do not need to lose weight because you are not overweight and 1000 calories per day is ...
Is this a good plan to lose 10lbs?4/21/2011
  Q: Okay there needs to be a little bit of back story first. My friend needs to lose 10lbs ASAP for the ...
  A: ...sounds like a pretty good plan. I like your thoughts about junk food - don't try to ban it ...
Breakfast4/9/2011
  Q: Cari I know the accepted 'wisdom' is to eat a hearty breakfast to 'kickstart your metabolism' but I ...
  A: ... I'm with you on these thoughts..... I think you'll find this article on breakfast myths ...
to lose weight4/7/2011
  Q: My weight was before 65kg but now my weight is near 90 or 100 kg. I try to control what i eat but as ...
  A: Exercise always helps - so here is some information on the benefits of exercise and how to make it ...
Worried about my sister3/28/2011
  Q: I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to have a discussion with my sister about ...
  A: I remember being EXACTLY where she is. Where I had complete scale-itis - that scale completely ...
Help2/20/2011
  Q: I have been trying but nothing is working. I really want to lose a lot of the tummy fat. I hate my ...
  A: So here's what I want to suggest. Let's tackle this on 3 fronts: Eating, Exercising and Accepting. ...
weight loss2/1/2011
  Q: for the past 4 weeks i have been really determined to lose weight and have been eating healthily ie. ...
  A: Leanne - I know this may not be what you want to hear, but you really DON'T want to ...
Confused!! Please help...1/13/2011
  Q: Here is my problem and let me know if you can help me anyhow, cause I gave up myself! First of ...
  A: Have you considered that your body doesn't want to lose weight because it's already within normal ...
I want to go back1/10/2011
  Q: I'm a 32 year old female, not overweight, but trying to be healthier and lose a bit of weight. ...
  A: Obviously your body is reacting to a big and sudden change of diet - especially a high content of ...
How to increase breast size and overall weight of body12/22/2010
  Q: I am 25 female and got married 10 months before. My height is 5.4 and weight is 47. Before marriage ...
  A: I'm afraid you might have to ask another expert to help you with increasing your breast size and ...
university weight gain12/5/2010
  Q: but i have a lack of control over what i eat i have a poor sleep pattern as well :( . at the moment ...
  A: It may help you to put up some pictures of yourself with the body you'd like on places like your ...
Breakfast and metabolism issues?11/24/2010
  Q: Cari Since you like questions about intuitive eating maybe you have an opinion on this. I am 50, ...
  A: ..well eating breakfast is a pet hobby horse of mine because I think we've got it all wrong and ...
6pm binge!!!11/22/2010
  Q: Hello! I am a 23 year old female and recently I decided I had started to get a bit out of shape and ...
  A: Well done on already losing 2 stones. Here are some of the ideas I have...firstly, snacking ...
weight loss7/13/2010
  Q: I am 16 and have only recently started worrying about my weight.About 6 months ago i went on the ...
  A: please don't resort to drug pills - they are harmful to your body and they are addictive, and please ...
Benefits of Counseling to overcome eating issues7/6/2010
  Q: first thanks for taking time to answer questions for free. Little background: Nov 2009 weighed ...
  A: there are many reasons why we can gorge and not feel full and I'm not sure why your acid reflux ...
To swim or not to swim6/23/2010
  Q: I'm 21, 5ft 6" and weigh about 12 stone. I'm looking to lose about 1st / 1.5st. I get bored of the ...
  A: I'm a psychologist and not a sports physiologist... but here is my 2 cents. Anything that helps ...
how do i lose weight fast and easy?6/13/2010
  Q: ...please help me I've been trying so hard and i just cant seem to lose it...please please give me a ...
  A: After years of going through this and that diet, all I can say is that I found that wasn't the ...
Ditching the Diet!6/5/2010
  Q: It concerns intuitive eating. I cannot begin to count how many diets I've read about, tried, then ...
  A: You're exactly on the right track... and yes, when we are truely tuning into what our body wants ...
gaining weight4/14/2010
  Q: ok so i know a lot of people ask how to "LOSE" weight, but my question is how can i "GAIN" weight? ...
  A: (http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html). So it works like this: when you ...
losing wieght4/8/2010
  Q: I am a 13 year old girl from the United Kingdom and I wiegh 10 stone 3 lbs which kind of sucks for ...
  A: It sounds like you have a good sensible head on your shoulders. Here are some links to articles ...
Intuitive eating3/31/2010
  Q: I have lost a few stone through counting calories over the past few years and have kept it all off ...
  A: I can so relate to losing weight and going up and down on diets. For me personally, intuitive ...
Cortisol?3/23/2010
  Q: I am a 51 year old guy struggling with mainly abdominal obesity and bloating. I have determined that ...
  A: and that made me wonder how well you sleep because there is a pretty strong link between lack of ...
Weight Loss3/11/2010
  Q: I've been exercising regularly (about an hour 4 times/week) for 2 weeks and "eating right" (minimal ...
  A: Nope you should be encouraged! Muscle (on a scale) weighs 3 times what fat does and the more you ...
exercise/nutrition2/2/2010
  Q: I am 39 years of age and run 8 miles every morning, and also do 30 minutes of kettlebell training ...
  A: You don't give any details about your body size so what I'm going to say is that you may not need to ...
weight loss1/31/2010
  Q: i lost 8kg in the last 2 monthhs by eating healthy food and walking 2 hours every day.the problem is ...
  A: I'm sorry but this really is too little information for me to be able to be much help. so much ...
diet and weight lifting1/28/2010
  Q: i have a question about diet and weight lifting. if i eat healthy and lift weights, will i become ...
  A: sounds like you're making some important decisions for yourself and your health. Eating healthy is ...
Will I see any results in weight loss from this?1/23/2010
  Q: I basically just started to eat just fruits and vegetables and whole wheat bread lately. My goal is ...
  A: eating fruit and vegetables and foods high in fibre is a good combination and dancing to Michael ...
Teenage Weight12/6/2009
  Q: i've had a major surgery at birth. i have a huge scar from that. and i also have not lost my baby ...
  A: Lissa, dear Lissa....I'm going to give you an answer that is the most difficult short term answer, ...
bad eating habits12/3/2009
  Q: I have a female friend who is 21. She is 5'5 and I do not know her weight, but I would assume she is ...
  A: 600 calories a day is considered a VLCD (very low calorie diet) and to follow that up with not ...
weight11/13/2009
  Q: how can we loss weight without diet? how can we burn calories ?
  A: I hope you don't mind me referring you to a couple of webpages but I've been asked this question ...
travelling11/8/2009
  Q: i have been travelling for the past 6 months and have put on a lot of weight, i think its because i ...
  A: Being out of routine and being tempted with all kinds of foods that you haven't perhaps tried before ...
fat loss11/2/2009
  Q: I'm 14 y/o, 5'5 and 126 poundss. I've never worked out before, but i believe that this would be a ...
  A: Here's what you need to remember - this is the time of puberty when you body is going through lots ...
How to handle weight gain of daughter10/30/2009
  Q: My thirty daughter has been gaining a few pounds every year since college. My ex-wife, her mother, ...
  A: your daughter is lucky to have a Dad who cares... now the big question is how to get your caring ...
Losing weight4/12/2009
  Q: I was wondering if you could help me with tips of losing weight. Like exersizes I should be doing. I ...
  A: If you want to make exercise fun go to ...
30 pounds4/6/2009
  Q: hi i was wondering whats a good way i could lose 30 pounds by the end of june
  A: Personally (and I'm really sorry because I know this isn't what you wnat to hear), I wouldn't advise ...
How to lose 10 lbs in one month4/5/2009
  Q: So, if I keep doing what I'm doing, will I be able to lose 10 pounds by late May? Best regards, ...
  A: especially seen as most people don't take the time to. I wish I could say yes or no with any sense ...
How to lose 10 lbs in one month4/5/2009
  Q: My name is David and I've been eating healthy and keeping in shape for several years. I don't eat ...
  A: wow.. sure sounds like you're motivated and have made some good choices. My own personal opinion is ...
past anorexic too4/1/2009
  Q: I was once a an anorexic and am proud that i overcame that illness. I weighed 108 and am 5'10. I ...
  A: Congratulations on beating anorexia. However, having once being anorexic myself, and having worked ...
female weight loss3/22/2009
  Q: I'm 15,I'm 5' 7" and i weight 250lb. I want to get into pro wrestling,but I'm really overweight,I'm ...
  A: You say you have really bad motivation on the one side and this dream on the other. The problem ...
weight loss3/18/2009
  Q: Hey, im 17 years old and i go to the gym everyday one a day and i eat very healthy, i used to be a ...
  A: It sounds to me like you've already answered your question. If you no longer have the high levels ...
35 in 3 months3/15/2009
  Q: i;ve been trying to lose 35 pounds by june 25 my family reunion but nothing really seems to be ...
  A: ..I'm not a sports physiologist, but from what I have read, so long as you're doing light weights ...
35 in 3 months3/15/2009
  Q: i;ve been trying to lose 35 pounds by june 25 my family reunion but nothing really seems to be ...
  A: personally I think you're on the right track and I think it's good to mix up a bit of strength ...
35 in 3 months3/15/2009
  Q: i;ve been trying to lose 35 pounds by june 25 my family reunion but nothing really seems to be ...
  A: But the one thing you do need to know is that when you make these kinds of changes, you may not see ...
healthy relationship with food3/14/2009
  Q: I noticed that you said you were specifically a psychologist and I was wondering what's the best way ...
  A: having been anorexic as a teenager myself I can really relate to having a life that revolved around ...
eating habits3/9/2009
  Q: I am a 37 yr old female that has always been able to eat anything and still stay slim. Food is my ...
  A: In my experience, anything in the area of losing weight that relies on willpower is bound to fail. ...
losing weight naturallly3/8/2009
  Q: how DO you lose weight naturally .. without diets, pills, weight loss programs, etc. ?
  A: The very best ways is to become body-wise (you can read more about this at ...
losing weight at 452/1/2009
  Q: I am 45 years old, mother of 6 kids,and my problem is that I gained 4 kilos and I find very ...
  A: It does seem to get a little more difficult to lose weight as we get older. Just one thought to ...
Getting it together.1/31/2009
  Q: I am 17 years old and am 5'3, and weigh 246 pounds and I'm tired of it, and I was wondering if I cut ...
  A: The fact that you're writing to ask for advice tells me you're serious about being 'tired of it.' ...
Eating well & exercising but NO results1/26/2009
  Q: Wondering if you could please help me, thanks in advance for your time. I'm 25, 5'6'' 142lbs and eat ...
  A: While this may be difficult for you to believe, it sounds to me like you might have a case of body ...
Want to lose weight and keep it off12/30/2008
  Q: I don't have a big problem-I weight 61 kgs, or 135 pounds, and I am 5 4', and 28 years of age. I ...
  A: Mel, unfortunately you probably need to chat to someone who is a gym instructor if you're convinced ...
Want to lose weight and keep it off12/30/2008
  Q: I don't have a big problem-I weight 61 kgs, or 135 pounds, and I am 5 4', and 28 years of age. I ...
  A: Here's the thing... your body knows it's at it's ideal weight, the heaviness you're feeling sounds ...
Nutritional facts on food packages12/28/2008
  Q: i'm not sure if this falls into your category but i hope you can help me.I have noticed how recently ...
  A: I'm a psychologist and not a nutritionalist, so I may not be able to answer all aspects of your ...
Weight loss.12/19/2008
  Q: ]. I'm currently a junior in the IT shop at my technical high school. I'm about 5'10 or 5'11 but I'm ...
  A: Firstly I want to say that it always distresses me to hear of teasing and mocking of anyone for any ...
Starvation mode12/10/2008
  Q: If I want to lose weight and gradually reduce my calorie intake, wont I come to a point where my ...
  A: Then when you eat more again (and that's usually when we land up bingeing), your body gains back fat ...
3 day water diet12/10/2008
  Q: i havent eaten very well the last couple of days...i want to clean out my system. my biggest ...
  A: I'm sorry, but this probably isn't the answer you want to hear. Personally I'm not at all enamoured ...
Weight Loss12/6/2008
  Q: I am 25 yrs old, 170 cms tall and weigh 75 kgs. I used to weigh 62 kgs abt 1.5 yrs back but had a ...
  A: You say aren't creating muscle because you aren't doing strength training, but that's not true. If ...
premie12/5/2008
  Q: I have a one month old preemie daughter at lbs and 14 oz. I feed her about every three hours and she ...
  A: I'm not sure what happened to my answer because I see it somehow didn't register. Sorry about that. ...
how to lose weight and growth taller11/14/2008
  Q: hey.. im 14 nd ma w8 iz 65Kg nd hi8 153cm i badly need your help!!! i need to reduce my w8 and ...
  A: There is nothing you can do to grow taller except eat healthily. You should absolutely NOT be ...
4011/13/2008
  Q: i tried everything and nothing work I've tried weight watchers, best life, and slim fast. lately i ...
  A: that gives me a better idea. I think it's possible for you to lose 40 lbs by June (it works out at ...
4011/12/2008
  Q: i tried everything and nothing work I've tried weight watchers, best life, and slim fast. lately i ...
  A: it's difficult for me answer this question without knowing your age, height and weight or better ...
Weight Loss Stagnant11/9/2008
  Q: I am a 23 year old girl,height 172 cm and weight 67 kgs.I used to weigh nearly 80 kgs around 5 ...
  A: Having an 'ideal' weight is a bit of a misnomer - let me explain why. What scientists now know is ...
timing of meal11/7/2008
  Q: explain what is the timing of the meal?
  A: I'm not sure what you mean by the 'timing of the meal' so if my answer is way off beam - please come ...
Picky Eater10/27/2008
  Q: My son is three years old. I have a problem with his eating habits. My child does not eat a lot of ...
  A: One thing to remember about childrens eating is that it's inclined to be very erratic and that often ...
Cravings9/11/2008
  Q: I recently started back with an exercise(strength training) routine and I am trying to eat properly ...
  A: I actually wrote about food craving recently at ...
Hydroxycut hardcore7/15/2008
  Q: i am 17 years old and just started taking the fat burner hydroxycut hardcore. I was wondering if it ...
  A: You're probably asking the wrong person this question because (and let me say this up front so that ...
needing to tone up7/14/2008
  Q: Hey Cari, I am 6'0 and 19. I've done research with dad's personal trainer and I have a muscular ...
  A: but from your picture you certainly don't look fat, you look just very normal to me, and it sounds ...
thenewme7/12/2008
  Q: also weight the healthy weight for me.
  A: shucks I answered this and for some or other reason I must not have submitted it properly, so here ...
walk or run7/12/2008
  Q: Cari Two questions please? A couple times a week I jog on my treadmill for 45 minuteswhen I get home ...
  A: Firstly let me start off by saying I'm not a medical doctor nor a dietician - I'm a psychologist, so ...
HELP!7/5/2008
  Q: i am goin to new york in 2 weeks and i want to look nice with my bikini on the beach. for the past ...
  A: The best advice I can give you is NOT to try to do any crazy diet in order to look good in your ...
diet7/1/2008
  Q: I am 34 years old with 157 cm tall and 54 kg (weight). I have a little belly and I don't like it. I ...
  A: Well firstly it doesn't sound like you need to lose weight itself because given your height and ...
breakfast6/20/2008
  Q: “They” say to eat breakfast to be /stay healthy. However “they” never say what is considered ...
  A: //www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/breakfast-buzz.html. While I don't want to repeat what I wrote ...
weightloss issues6/19/2008
  Q: I am 24 and I have 2 wonderful children that I had within 18 months of each other. My youngest is ...
  A: Congratulations on having two wonderful children. Unfortunately I don't think you're going to ...
in pain6/10/2008
  Q: although i never liked exercising, my weight has become out of hand and after trying my 76th fad ...
  A: Have you had the pain actually looked at so that you know what's causing it? Or what you can do to ...
weight6/8/2008
  Q: I am a 5’2” 140 lb 44-year-old female. About 5 years ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. ...
  A: Sorry, Lisa, just wanted to clarify something.... 135 lbs is the 'ideal' weight for a women of your ...
Weight Loss6/5/2008
  Q: I'm 13 years old and weigh about 124 pounds. I used to weigh 100 pounds but gained weight and I'm ...
  A: You say you are 13 and that you've recently gained about 24 pounds. This is around about the age ...

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Cari Corbet-Owen

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Expertise

I'd love to answer your questions about how to lose weight naturally --without diets, diet products and diet programs. I love to answer your questions about: intuitive eating, turning exercise into fun (instead of a chore) and how to improve your body image even before you reach some or other magical figure on a scale. Please note, that as I'm a psychologist and not a dietician, I don't answer any questions related to nutrition.

Experience

I'm a Clinical Psychologist who has researched diets and dieting and what works and what doesn't (in medical and psychological journals) for almost 2 decades. I'm the author of two books: The Mind over Fatter Program and The Joy-Filled Body: Eat! Play! Love and Live! I have written numerous articles spoken at psychological conferences, lead workshops internationally and been on TV and radio. I was a childhood dieter at 11, anorexic by 15, a frantic yo-yo dieter for 20 years before discovering that STOPPING dieting was the answer. My URL: www.ditch-diets-live-light.com

Organizations
Have been the consulting psychologist to the South African Nutrition Experts Panel, and am on the experts panel for Shape Magazine, South African Journal of Natural Medicine and the South African Journal of Psychology.

Publications
Shape, Readers Digest, Men's Health, Glamor, South African Journal of Natural Medicine, O magazine and many many others.

Education/Credentials
Clinical Psychologist

Awards and Honors
Been nominated for 2006 and 2007 as South African business women of the year in the Health category for starting The Mind over Fatter movement. Had an excerpt of my 2nd book selected by O Magazine (South Africa) which appeared in their December 2007 edition.

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