Most people believe that just by eating food which is low in fat will help them lose weight. But an Australian fitness instructor has condemned this attitude.

James Duigan, who is a fitness trainer to the rich and famous recently told reporters: “I see so many people trying their best and it’s just not working because they don’t understand that it’s not fat that makes you fat, it’s sugar and it’s carbohydrates.”

He added: “You need a healthy balanced diet with fish and chicken and meat and vegetables and berries and nuts and things like that. [Low-fat diets] just don’t work -it’s not sustainable. You need to look at how you can keep yourself happy and healthy throughout your life.”

James has also written a new book entitled ‘Clean & Lean: Flat Tummy Fast!’ which aims to help people understand what food is, what it does and how the dieter can make better use of food. He suggests that in order to be successful it is important to do it in small steps.

For instance, he suggests not overcooking food as this can remove vital nutrients. Also he believes that half the content of food on the plate should be raw, in particular raw vegetables.

“Feed your soul because you can’t live your whole life in denial. And it helps the fat-burning process; it can boost your metabolism and get you leaner the next day. The key is to keep it to one meal,” James said.

James Duigan’s advice comes at the same time as research which debunks another myth that eating a big breakfast will prevent you eating later in the day and in turn help lose weight.

Dr. Volker Schusdziarra who works at the Else-Kroner-Fresenius Centre of Nutritional Medicine found that eating a big breakfast actually had a larger daily caloric intake than those who ate a small breakfast or even those who skipped breakfast. As such, it was important that fewer calories should be ingested during the rest of the day in order for you to lose weight.