This weekend I visited my family in Plymouth.

My parents are in their 70s, so I try to make the trip down as often as I can.

There's something about spending quality time with them that just feels precious — especially as the years go on.

While I was there, I popped round to see my sister and her partner Jill. We were just relaxing, catching up on the week, when Jill put on What Not To Eat on Channel 4.

Now, I don't have a TV at home, so I don't hear about these shows very often.

But as someone who works in nutrition, I was genuinely curious to see where they were heading with it.

The show was hosted by Tim Spector — you know, the gut-health guy. He's done a lot of good work raising awareness around ultra-processed foods, and I respect that. But there's something about how these messages get delivered that's always bothered me.

The format was straightforward: take people eating a lot of processed food, switch them to a non-processed diet, and show the results.

On paper, that sounds reasonable.

But the things is, they chose extreme cases.

We're talking people eating almost entirely processed food.

One person was consuming a full family-sized chocolate bar every single night. Every night.

After six weeks, they felt better and their health markers improved, which wasn't surprising to viewers.

That's where my issue really kicks in.

The problem isn't that processed foods are being criticized. It's that they're being demonized using extreme examples.

Anything taken to an extreme is bad for you.

Eating excessive processed food? That's an issue. But so is cycling every single day with no recovery. Both are extremes.

Here's what bothers me: extreme stories grab attention. They sell. But they rarely last.

Those people on the show will eat processed food again — and that's absolutely fine. I eat processed food from time to time myself.

Probably something every week. The difference?

I'm not eating a kilo of chocolate every night.

There are no "bad" foods. What matters is quantity, frequency, and context.

That's the real conversation we should be having.

This is exactly why I never tell my clients to completely avoid certain foods. I'll guide them on what supports their goals better and what might not — but banning foods only creates guilt and an unhealthy relationship with eating.

Food should be enjoyed. It should support your health, your training, and your life — not control it.

If you're looking for an approach that focuses on education and support rather than extreme restrictions, I'd love to chat with you.

Talk soon, Neil