Some excess weight isn't really fat, but what some clinicians refer to as 'false fat.' That's the excess bloat and water retention that comes from hypersensitivity to many common foods - it's weight we don't need to have, and we feel and look a lot better without it.It also comes off fastest - the loss of 'false fat' is one of the reasons people sometimes lose weight quickly at the beginning of a new diet.

Here are some suggestions for losing it. Remember to take these in the spirit in which they are intended: Not hard and fast rules for everyone, but strategies that are worth trying when you are stuck.

1. Cut out wheat

Whenever I recommend that people try this as a strategy, I invariably get two kinds of responses. One is from irate dietitians who chastise me for ignoring the food pyramid and warn me of the 'dire consequences' for human health if people actually followed such a recommendation and stop eating bread, pasta and cereal for a while.

The other response comes from people who say this suggestion changed their lives. Wheat is one of the seven top allergens, and untold numbers of people have undetected sensitivities to it. Dr. C. Leigh Broadhurst, one of the brightest researchers I've ever met and the author of the wonderful book Diabetes: Prevention and Cure, once told me that if she had to pick one strategy to recommend to people for weight loss and health it would probably be cutting out wheat.

Dr. Jeffrey Bland has also commented on the possible long-range implications of gluten or glidian sensitivity (both are components of wheat). Eliminating wheat (at least temporarily) is on the top 10 lists of so many cutting-edge health professionals that it is foolish not to give it a try.

2. Eliminate dairy

Especially cow's milk. Interestingly, this is something that the 'high protein' advocates and radical vegans such as Dr. Neal Barnard agree on, though for somewhat different reasons. I'm not talking about the wonderful, nutrient-rich, unprocessed certified raw milk - which is unfortunately hard to come by - I'm talking about that stuff on your grocer's shelf.

No, you won't get osteoporosis (which has to do with a lot more than calcium), and yes, you can get your calcium from other sources. I wouldn't necessarily extend this recommendation to naturally fermented products such as yogurt and some raw-milk cheeses, though some people might want to try eliminating all dairy at first.

Eliminate sugar

This one is really hard for most people but is the one that may pay off the most.

4. Try a fruit and vegetable 'fast'

Three days on a healthy, rich brew of vegetable soup plus some low-sugar, high-fibre fruits (berries, for example) and a daily portion or three of raw vegetables with a little olive oil never hurt anyone and will give your digestive system a needed rest from most stressors and toxins.

5. Don't drink

The impact of this recommendation varies from situation to situation, but there are people who have lost significant amounts of weight and bloat simply by cutting out alcohol.

Remember that alcohol is a kind of super-sugar and can be a very significant source of calories for some people. And there isn't a single health benefit in it that you can't get from fruits and vegetables.

6. Try counting calories

Just for a while, just as a strategy. Though I've said many times that calories are not the most important thing in a diet, they still count. Study after study has demonstrated that most people, especially those who are overweight, consistently underestimate their caloric intake.

And even those who have learned to eat well for their type sometimes fall into the trap of thinking they can eat unlimited amounts as long as they're eating the 'right' foods. Use this strategy as a reality check for a few days.

7. Shake up your eating habits

If you've been eating high-protein, try a vegan plan for a few days. If you've been eating vegan, try higher protein. Sometimes just a change is all it takes to move off a plateau, and sometimes hidden food sensitivities remain hidden because we tend to eat the same things all the time.

Let me say again that the above seven items are suggested strategies, not absolute commandments. Not everyone has to do all seven, and all seven won't be equally meaningful for every individual.

But when you're stuck, or you need a change or you can't work out what's going on, these are good starting points for experimentation.

As always, adapt what you read here to your own circumstances, but stay open-minded. Not one of the above strategies will hurt you, and you may be amazed at how much they will help.