A Noh Christmas Carol

Based on Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

Directed by Nick Ishimaru

Theatre of Yugen

In a Bay Area blessed with a multitude of traditional Christmas chestnuts, Theatre of Yugen's captivating and enchanting take on Dicken's A Christmas Carol is a must-see addition to the scene. Artistic Director Nick Ishimaru takes Yuriko Doi and Cienna Stewart's 1993 noh, kyogen, kabuki, and butoh reimagination to stunning heights demonstrating that Dicken's themes of isolation, altruism and good spirit is indeed universal and open to a variety of unique interpretations.

Every moment of this production is a thrill for the senses, from the slow, measured entrance of Ebezo Sukurooji [Ebenezer Scrooge] in his traditional Haorrihakama, to the ethereal physical and auditory landscapes by set designer Joshua McDermot and Sound Designer Ella Cooley, the haunting music of Zhoushu Ziporyn and the extraordinary costume designs by Liz Brent. Cassie Barnes lights the show with otherworldly shadows and subtlety.

Nick Ishimaru has the traditional noh role as 'koken', meaning "the one who watches from the back". Much more than a stagehand, Ishimaru is an essential element of the proceedings, playing multiple instruments, moving set pieces and providing ethereal sonic effects. A Noh Christmas Carol uses Ishimaru as a kurogo, a later kabuki tradition on the koken with the added duty of drum calls to simulate the characters footsteps.

The storyline follows Sukurooji as he receives a visit from his deceased business partner Jakube Mashima [Jacob Marley] with a warning to change his miserly ways or be doomed to linger forever as a ghost. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-To-Come take Sukurooji on a mesmerizing voyage through his life and times to influence his values. Dickens' morality tale is ingrained in our minds, but Yugen's presentation with its almost ballet-like movements, attention to facial movements and hand gestures elevates the emotional content within the standard stage presentation.

The 6-member ensemble cast is outstanding, all playing multiple roles except for Ryan Marchand as Sukurooji. Marchand is commanding as the cheap, imperious boss. A day off for his clerk is "a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket" and he's quick to evict a poor woman from her land and home. Kate Patrick is absolutely frightening as Jakubei's ghost, clad is white tattered linen and the obligatory chains. It's her tortured, contorted agonizing movements with an echoed pre-recorded voice-over premonition that makes her a Jacob Marley you will never forget.

The scenes of Sukurooji's past are delicate and bittersweet. We witness his turn from man to businessman, pulled away from love by his obsession with wealth. His lover (Mika Oskarson-Kindstrand) leaves him when she feels he's broken his contract with her as he "weighs everything by gain". Christmas present has the Tiny Tom story, this time is little, coughing Tomo, a puppet who will eventually open Sukurooji's heart. Mika and Roy Eikleberry play his poor but grateful parents among their numerous roles. The three Ghosts are fascinating creations (Meryn MacDougall and Kate Patrick); one looks like a serene old elf, another an over-zealous sprite, the third a shrouded mute. I'm assuming all three are based on Meiji Japanese folk characters.

Director Ishimaru understands the connections between Dicken's themes and those incorporated in noh theatre in the alleviation of suffering through spiritual enlightenment. Connection to community and being our best selves is the simple aspiration presented beautifully here.

A Noh Christmas Carol continues through December 29, 2019 at Theatre of Yugen, 2840 Mariposa Street, San Francisco. Tickets available at http://www.theatreofyugen.org or by calling 415-621-0507.

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BWW Review: A NOH CHRISTMAS CAROL at Theatre Of Yugen is a stunning traditional Japanese theatre re-imagining of Dicken's famous tale. - Broadway...

December 4, 2019 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Growth comes in many shapes and sizes. To you, it might mean growing your team by bringing more developers on board, boosting revenue by overhauling your sales process or growing your interpersonal skills via emotional intelligence training.But theres no need to choose between business and personal growth. These four New Years resolutions can help you grow in both directions.

With entrepreneurs like Grant Cardone claiming that you need to work 14-hour days to earn a million dollars, work-life balance can seem like a pipe dream. While overwork might help your business in the short term, it wont benefit you or your company in the long run.Overwork can lead to burnout, health problems and team dysfunction.

One of the best ways to lighten your load and strengthen your company in the process is through delegation. Payroll platform OnPay found that nearly half of small business owners and managers do their own accounting and finance work. Every minute you spend counting beans is one you cant devote to leader-level prioritieslike product innovation, or personal ones, like self-care.

Related: How the Culture of Overwork Is Damaging Your Productivity and Your Health=

Not all growth can be measured in minutes, money or number of heads. Growing a company also means making it a better place to work. Although your companys culture is unique, your cultural goal is not, i.e. ensuring your work environment encourages everyone on the team to thrive, both personally and professionally.

Start with engagement. According to Gallup, seven in 10 American and Canadian employees aren'tengaged at work. Rather than ask your teammates whether theyre engaged-- a question they may not feel comfortable answering honestly -- ask how you can make them feel more excited to come to work. Approaching your culture on the level of individual preferences helps you understand what motivates each person. Not only does that make you a better manager, but it also gives workers a sense of ownership in your company. Rich, inclusive cultures are built around individual contributors, not company leaders.

When an entrepreneur disrupts an industry, its because he or she combined business and industry-specific insights in a new way. Yet just 9 percentof small business owners have a bachelors degree in business, time-tracking tool TSheets reports, and only 3 percenthold a masters or doctoral-level degree.

If youre a techie by trade, dont spend so much time building your software development skills that you fall behind in general ones like sales and marketing. Even if youre a physician who outsources everything your practice needs except a medical expert, you still have a team to manage.

Fortunately, brushing up on your business skills doesnt require formal education. Carve out time at the start or end of every workday to read relevant guides. Ask a member of your team to show you the ropes. If you need the accountability of a class, take a free one online. Join a mastermind group or an executive networking organization in your area to learn from others's experiences and gain new perspectives.

Related: 5 Ways Employee Engagement Makes Your Company More Competitive

Innovation Growth Lab, a global consortium of entrepreneurs, claims that small business owners can increase short-run profits by an average of 20 percentby working with an experienced mentor. By helping you spot and shore up your own "unknown unknowns,"mentorship gives your business a boost.

When choosing a mentor, find someone as different from you as possible. Although it can be uncomfortable, growing your business is a matter of gaining new perspectives. If youre an American male with a background in marketing, what about a woman tech entrepreneur who grew up in a different country? Just as importantly, be a mentor to someone else. Maximize the benefits to your business by taking an employee under your wing. Not only will mentorship grow his or her skills, but a Robert Half study found that99 percentof surveyed CFOs said being a mentor also benefited them.

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Grow Yourself -- and Your Company -- With These 4 New Year's Resolutions - Entrepreneur

*Seven years ago international motivational speaker, William King Hollis, an aspiring NFL player, put a 45 caliber handgun to his temple and considered taking his own life. He had endured a lot of pain and adversity by the age of 23, having lost his mother to a heroin overdose and his father to many years in prison.

Now, however, he sees the world through a completely different set of eyes. Currently possessing his own brand, William Hollis Motivation, he has amassed millions of views on YouTube, traveled the world to places like Milan, Italy and Sydney, Australia, and garnered praise from some of the worlds top speakers and influencers including Les Brown, Gary Vee, Grant Cardone, Ne-Yo, DC Young Fly and late rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle. On November 7th, he released a one-of-a-kind album, Pain and Purpose.

Hollis is the rose that grew from concrete. A product of the projects in Pontiac, Michigan, he is an undeniable force that people from all over the globe and from all different backgrounds and age groups tune into for the strength to push harder and to overcome self-limiting beliefs.

Im from the slums, Im not even supposed to be here by most peoples accounts, Hollis said. I couldnt read until I was 16 years old and now I am an international motivational speaker making $20,000 a speech. This album is an album everyone needs to listen to. Its not Hip Hop, its not music. Its proven, great mental development. I put my life into this album.

'Pain and Purpose'William "King" Hollis

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Pain and Purpose By William King Hollis is Motivational Magic VIDEO - Eurweb.com

The Zen priest Shunryu Suzuki died on this day, 48 years ago, the 4th of December, in 1971.

I write about him from time to time. Here I repeat some of that, with some editing and a small addition or two

To begin at the beginning there are actually two Suzukis who stand large at the dawn of Zen breaking forth into our larger North American culture.

The first is Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki, best known as D. T. Suzuki, a scholar, translator, and essayist, whose writings both directly and through the popularizations by his sometime disciple Alan Watts, first introduced many of the basic principles of Zen Buddhism to the American public.

The other is Shunryu Suzuki,Soto Zen priest and missionary teacher who introduced Zen practices and established the first major Zen center in the West.

Shunryu Suzuki was born on the 18th of May, 1904, in a villageabout fifty miles from Tokyo. His father was the abbot of Shoganji, the local Soto Zen temple. His mother was the daughter of a temple priest.

He died, as I noted above, on the 4th of December, 1971. He was sixty-seven years old.

He began formal Zen study at the age of twelve with So-on Suzuki, a successor to and adoptive son of his father, at Zounin temple in Mori. At thirteen he was ordained unsui, a clouds and water priest. When his teacher moved to another temple Rinsoin, Suzuki followed him. At fifteen he returned to his fathers temple. At this time Suzuki began to study English. This would become a life-long interest of his. Later he continued his formal training with the master Dojun Kato at Kenkoin in Shizuoka. He attended Komazawa University, studying Buddhism and English. At twenty-two he received Dharma transmission from his teacher. However he continued his training entering Eiheiji, one of the two mother temples of the Soto school in Japan. He later also studied at Sojiji, the other of the two mother temples.

During the war many Zen priests supported the war effort much to the embarrassment of their later Western disciples. Suzukis involvement is unclear, but it does seem he was involved in at least some anti-war activities. This marked him out as unusual, and probably meant he would not advance in the hierarchy. And in fact Suzukiserved primarily as a country priest.

The Beat generation was in full swing and people were first learning there was such a thing as Zen. And they started coming to visit the temple asking for instruction. He invited them to sit with him early in the morning.

And with that what would become the San Francisco Zen Center complex began.

It is not possible to overstate Suzuki Roshis importance in the establishment of Zen in the West. If you want to learn more about him, his biographer David Chadwick maintains an amazing archive at Cuke.com.

My own beginning Zen practice was fostered by his centers. My first instruction was at Sokoji, and my practice began at a branch of the Zen Center complex, what was then called the Berkeley Zendo.

And, I am only one of thousands his life and work touched.

He left three dharma successors, his son Hoitsu Suzuki, Shoko Okamoto, and an American Richard Baker. Through them the largest stream of American Soto Zen begins.

Many bows, great teacher. Endless bows

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Recalling the Shunryu Suzuki and Zen in America - Patheos

At age 19, Steve Jobs moved to India, converted to Zen Buddhism and seriously considered becoming a monk. At Apple, he liked to wash his bare feet in the company toilets.

Steve Jobs was a genius. He was also a really weird guy.

Although Jobs himself did not attend Stanford, our university has built a global brand as an incubator of similarly different thinking and disruptive entrepreneurs. The results speak for themselves. From Hewlett and Packard to the contrarian Paypal Mafia, Stanford graduates turned Silicon Valley from a Wild West of rogue coders into an economic juggernaut.

But Stanford is a very different institution today than it was even five or ten years ago. For a school The New Yorker once called a tech incubator with a football team, our current crop of undergraduates is not incubating much.

Instead of app ideas, precocious freshmen now come to Stanford with carefully-researched lists of potential internships for the upcoming summer. They apply by the hundreds to an alphabet soup of pre-professional organizations like ASES, BASES, Stanford Consulting, Stanford Finance, SWIB, SWIF, SWIP and SWE, all promising exclusive access to recruiters and resume-enriching professional development events. Even truly gifted computer scientists, once an enterprising group of misfits and hackers, chase six figure starting salaries and carry around identical copies of Cracking the Coding Interview.

We can hardly be surprised that Stanford students are seeking prestige and stability. Stanford now pulls students from the exact same pool as other elite universities, retaining almost half of our cross admits with Harvard and 70% with Princeton and Yale. To be admitted is (with some notable exceptions) an exercise in sophisticated high school box-checking.

Why, then, do we expect these new admits to suddenly become status quo-destroying entrepreneurs the day they set foot on Palm Drive?

Thirty years ago, institution-smashers like Peter Thiel put Stanford on the map. I worry there is little room in our class of corporate operators for similar anti-establishment eccentrics.

To be clear, current Stanford students are plenty interested in startups and entrepreneurship, as evidenced by the sheer number of students with Entrepreneur as their LinkedIn header.

However, digging deeper into the profiles of these Stanford Founders reveals an ecosystem of dubious undergraduate ventures with little to no market potential. There is a proliferation of Instagram knockoffs targeted at such random subgroups as amateur athletes, art enthusiasts and (not kidding) people with airpods. Questionable world-changey concepts abound, promising change and opportunity while offering no apparent product. Many of the companies listed are, upon closer inspection, just newsletters or agglomerations of Google results.

And this doesnt include the significant number of startups that are actually a single student doing a completely normal hobby, like volunteering or drawing, and then calling themselves the Founder/CEO of a non-profit or local art collective.

It is hard to imagine that any of these companies are making money. But thats not really the point anymore. This hollow breed of startup exists largely as a resume padder, brought into existence to show Google or McKinsey that their student founder is innovative and a self-starter. Unsurprisingly, theyre usually abandoned once said founder gets a brand-name job.

For many Stanford students, a startup has become the first rung on a new kind of corporate ladder. A common life plan for business-oriented undergraduates now goes along the lines of I want to go to business school, then start my own thing, then get into VC. The content or success of the own thing is incidental.

Not exactly a recipe for innovation.

Stanford is still the place to be if you do want to start the next big thing. In terms of raw numbers, we produce the most startups of any university. Our graduate schools support the cutting edge research that can turn industries on their heads. And if you do happen upon a good idea, funding is literally right down the road.

Yet our increasingly pre-corporate startup culture discourages the disruptive thinking necessary to start a great company. We may have some true innovators in our midst, but they probably do not spend their time organizing events for BASES.

Six years ago, Stanford co-term and future Rhodes Scholar Miles Unterreiner published this widely read salute to the irreverent Stanford spirit. In it, he declares that Stanford would never allow the encrusting tendrils of ivy to creep over our walls and ensnarl the engines of progress that hum eternally beneath the sandstone.

But the conventionalism that pervades our East Coast counterparts has nevertheless found its way to campus. Sure, we still prepare more students to work at Facebook than Goldman Sachs. Many will even have a startup at some point. But these new-world status seekers are very different from the groundbreaking entrepreneurs who (actually) changed the world with their companies and built the Stanford we know today.

As Stanford continues its rise into the 21st century, it will do so as one of dozens of elite universities grooming smart kids for stable and lucrative employment. Theres nothing intrinsically wrong with that. But some of our spirit is being lost.

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The Slow Death of Stanfords Startup Culture - Stanford Review

Greyston was founded 36 years ago in Yonkers, New York, by Bernie Glassman, who practiced Zen Buddhism and pioneered the practice of Open Hiring (which Greyston has since trademarked). Greyston was founded on the idea that a profitable business could be the backbone of ethical practice, Brady says. The companys slogan reads we dont hire people to bake brownies, we bake brownies to hire people, and indeed the concept is that simple. Anyone who asks for a job at Greystons Bakery will get one. It may take a little whilepeople sign up on a list, and when theres a job opening, theyll be contacted in the order in which they signed up. Thats it. The company does not use background checks, drug tests, or interviews; hiring is done on the basis of faith that if someone is given a job, they will do it, and their skills and salaries will grow as they work.

At Greyston, which currently employs 130 people, open hiring creates a pipeline for careers on the bakerys manufacturing floor and throughout the rest of the companys operations. People who are given a job start off as apprentices, during which they go through a 10-month job training and life-skills course. Around half the people who begin an apprenticeship choose to complete it and stay at Greyston, and when they do, theyre then assigned an entry-level jobworking the mixing machines or overseeing the slicing and packaging of different-sized brownies for distribution.

The company helps individual employees develop a career path, and provides them the supportwhether it be additional job training or a GED courseto follow it. Dion Drew, for instance, joined the team as an apprentice in 2009, and, after a number of promotions, is now a supervisor and new-hire manager. Delaney Philogene started as an apprentice at Greyston, moved on to the assembly line, then secured a job as an accountant with the company, and now works as an accountant for another. The idea, Brady says, is to equip people with both life and job skills that they could use to advance at Greyston, or take on to other companies. Either way, when people advance, it creates more space for more people to join as apprentices and begin their own careers.

...

Of course, Brady says, it doesnt always work outa number of people have passed through Greystons open hiring system to find that the work was not for them, or that they couldnt keep up with the demands of a fixed schedule.

But more often than not, open hiring leads to the same type of dedication Hookway saw in his own practice of giving people a chance. Brady feels that there are numerous, often overlooked avenues for introducing open hiring at companies. Janitorial services companies like CleanCraft are an obvious fit, but for larger companies, mail services, cafeteria staff, and other administrative work could all potentially work with an open hiring model. Specifically, he says, if companies are now choosing to outsource jobs to third-party contracting agencies, they should instead consider bringing them back in-house to provide a pipeline of opportunity to a wider range of people.

In doing so, they might see some benefits: While the annual employee turnover rate in similar manufacturing and production industries hovers between 30 and 70 percent, at the Greyston bakery, its just around 12 percent. Furthermore, because Greyston does away with the typical hiring processwhich, between background checks and drug tests, can cost up to $4,500 per hireits able to use the money saved to pay its employees a higher wage. While apprentices start at minimum wage, production supervisors, like Dion, earn a salary of around $65,000 with full benefits.

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Should You Hire Anyone And Everyone Who Wants To Work For You? - rabble.ca

The United States has high obesity rates, which are in part caused by access to fast food, eating highly processed meals, and sedentary lifestyles. However, some trendsetting companies are combating obesity by providing Americans with quality home fitness equipment, mobile work out classes, cheap gym memberships, and dieting plans.

Adding these three consumer discretionary stocks to your portfolio today could result in healthy returns and stronger finances in 2020.

Peloton (NASDAQ:PTON) shares are up more than 30% since its IPO in September 2019. It's currently trading around $32 and it has upside potential since more people want to have a convenient home workout. It has two main sources of revenue, including selling exercise bikes and treadmills starting at $2,245 each along with its monthly memberships.

Image Source: Getty Images

The monthly memberships start at $19.49 and enable users to stream live classes ranging from yoga to cycling via the attached Peloton monitors on bikes and treadmills or through iOs, Web, and Android platforms. Peloton mainly ships goods to the U.S., but is starting to add other countries like Canada, U.K., and Germany. Users can access the online classes from anywhere with Wifi. It has 1.4 million community members and over 500,000 paying monthly subscribers.

The monthly membership provides consistent, recurring income, despite the company not being profitable yet. While this company has great upside potential, it still has a negative free cash flow of $248.09 million. Peloton also has minimal debt compared to its assets, which are $0.48 billion and $2.48 billion, respectively. The minimal debt load and manageable debt to equity ratio of 0.30 prove this firm can manage funds successfully.

The holiday season and the new year are times when many consumers gift Peloton equipment to loved ones or buy them for themselves. This company's quarterly revenue increased to $228 million from $112 million a year ago. It's also projecting next year's revenue to be around $1.5 billion and that the subscriber count will increase to 895,000, up from 560,000 at the end of Q1 2019.

Peloton also lost $942 million in market cap on Dec. 4 due to a controversial commercial. Many users considered the ad to be sexist, confusing, and this demonstrates how volatile stocks that have recently IPO'd can be. Investors should consider the fallout from its tone-deaf ad along with Peloton's lack of profitability, before buying the stock. But it's razor and blade model and solid debt management make the company look geared up for a positive new year.

Going to the gym can be a hassle and expensive, with an Equinox membership costing over $200 per month! Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) is a nationwide gym chain that offers high-quality equipment, personalized training, massages, and workout classes starting at just $10 per month. Its premium membership known as PF black, costs $22 per month and provides access to any location, tanning beds, and other perks.

Planet Fitness has over 1,800 locations spread throughout the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. It currently has over 14 million members worldwide and the customer churn rate is 25% during the first five months. Luckily, this rate drops to around 2% once a membership has been active for at least a year. The membership growth rate is impressive considering there were 12.5 million members in April 2019.

This company's stock price has increased by a factor of four since its 2015 IPO. Its current price is approximately $75 and the three-year net annualized income growth of 68.14% is much higher than the industry average.

Planet Fitness is profitable and has a net profit margin of 17%. Despite these facts, this stock might be overvalued as it has a high P/E ratio of 55 and the trading price is near its 52-week-high of $81.90. Even though it has a high valuation, its earnings are increasing each year as the diluted EPS climbed from 0.50 in 2016 to 1.32 in 2019.

On Nov. 20, Planet Fitness announced it will approve a share buyback up to $500 million. This buyback program will reward shareholders through a higher percentage of ownership and increased earnings per share.

Diet is an extremely important factor for a healthy lifestyle as it's difficult to lose weight while eating highly processed foods. Many people try to count calories on their own, which is easier said than done. WW International (NASDAQ:WW) solves these problems by providing custom weight loss plans, point systems to keep users on track, more than 4,000 healthy recipes, and personalized coaching. Memberships are affordable, ranging from $3.07 to $12.69 per week.

WW has over 4.6 million members throughout the world and its customers are sticking with the process longer. For instance, more than 21% of members are signing up for the six-month plan, compared to 14% in August of 2017. More members are willing to try the program for longer terms, but this isn't a guarantee against subscriber decline. For instance, subscriber growth starts strong in the first quarter and gradually declines as users lose sight of their New Year's resolutions. The subscriber growth started at 4.6 million for Q1 2018 and fell to 3.9 million by year-end. Despite this, subscriber count usually fluctuates around 4.6 million.

It's trading around $41 and had a 2001 IPO opening price of $29.75. WW has a strong three-year net income annualized growth rate of 89.38% and a net profit margin of 9.5%. Despite these positive metrics, it had a rough start earlier this year due to branding issues along with competition from other diet apps like Noom and the keto diet.

Some branding issues include launching an app for kids called Kurbo, which has been controversial. Many critics spoke out against the app saying it promotes eating disorders, low self-esteem, and other mental health issues among youth. WW has had branding problems because it switched from focusing on dieting to overall wellness, losing the household name recognition when it made these drastic moves too quickly.

The keto diet has a wide reach as its global revenue is expected to hit $12.35 billion by 2024. Many companies like Perfect Keto, Sports Research, and Nestle are contributing to this large revenue figure. Noom is another start-up that offers a similar calorie point, color-coded system. Like WW, it also offers coaching and custom training programs, which could be a competitive threat to WW's growth.

Luckily, it differentiates itself by having partnerships with meditation app Headspace and meal-kit providerBlue Apron. These partnerships will help diversify revenue and prevent it from being commoditized like other weight loss apps.

Obesity is a problem in the U.S., but more Americans are taking the proper steps like exercising and eating healthier. These innovative companies help them achieve this goal and pump up portfolio returns.

Out of these options, Planet Fitness would be the best choice due to buy today to its quality, affordable gym memberships, diminished member turnover, solid profit margins, and impressive expansion over the last few years. You can exceed both your financial and fitness New Year's resolutions by investing in these fitness companies.

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3 Fitness Stocks To Whip Your Portfolio Into Shape in 2020 - The Motley Fool

Princess Beatrice is the daughter of Sarah Ferguson, 60, and Prince Andrew, 59. Earlier this year, she announced her engagement to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, also known as Edo, and it has been confirmed they will marry next year. The royal has slimmed down in recent years, how did she do it?

In September this year, the couple announced their engagement and her sister, Princess Eugenie, quickly shared her excitement by posting pictures.

On Instagram, Princess Eugenie wrote: Beabea - wow! I'm so happy for you my dearest big sissy and dear Edo. It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be.

She then shared a message from Beatrice and Edo about the news.

It read: We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement.

READ MORE: Weight loss: Top snacks to help you shape up revealed - which has fewest calories?

We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and cant wait to actually be married.

"We share so many similar interests and values and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness.

With the wedding confirmed for 2020, it is likely the Princess will already be making plans.

Many brides will go on a diet before tying the knot and this is something Beatrice might do as well.

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The royal has previously slimmed down by pairing a healthy eating plan with regular exercise, according to her personal trainer, Nadya Fairweather.

Speaking in 2014, Nayda explained she had been training Beatrice for five years and opened up about how the Princess stayed fit.

She said: Beatrice is in great shape. She eats, which helps. She eats really healthily but she eats, which is massive in a celebrity world full of people starving themselves and doing crazy fad diets which I just do not agree with.

"Beatrice has beautiful curves and she embraces that.

As well as eating healthy meals, the trainer explained Beatrice exercised regularly to stay slim.

When working out, Beatrice is said to enjoy outdoor workouts and doing circuit training.

We do a full body workout each time I see her. We fit loads into a one-hour session as she has an amazing recovery time between sets of exercises, Nadya added.

We start with the lower body first and work on the big muscle groups like your quads. I am a big believer in squats and lunges.

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Princess Beatrice used this plan to slim - will she follow a diet for royal wedding? - Express

A quick search online will bring up many different diet plans all promising fast results. Knowing which one really works is not always easy but there are some key foods which can help dieters get into shape. Eating foods high in protein and counting calories can be the best way to slim, a personal trainer told Express.co.uk.

Diet plans offer a simple way for Britons to ensure they hit weight loss goals.

However, a structured plan is not always the best way to stay in shape, Harry Smith, nutritionist and personal trainer at Snap Fitness told Express.co.uk.

Instead, those hoping to lose weight can see results by watching what they eat.

He explained: There is no best diet for weight loss. Just best principles that suit the individual person.

READ MORE: Princess Beatrice used this plan to slim - will she follow a diet for her wedding?

Counting calories and choosing a sustainable diet plan will get the best results.

You need to be consuming less calories than you expend, Harry added.

The best way to know this is to eat based on the below principles and monitor your body weight weekly as well as tape measurements, if theyre decreasing youre in a caloric deficit.

You need to be able to stick with the diet for the long term.

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By counting calories, dieters can stay on top of what is in their food and make sure they don't overeat.

When picking what foods to eat, Harry explained a plan is easier to stick to when nothing is off limits.

All foods can be consumed when trying to slim down. There are no fattening foods.

All my clients enjoy all their favourite foods like chocolate and beer when they lose weight.

Obviously this is in some moderation, but you can still eat and drink your favourite foods and lose weight so long as you are consistently in a caloric deficit.

Although all foods can still be enjoyed when trying to slim, dieters can see results by eating more whole and non-processed meals.

He added: Eat mostly whole, non-processed foods like vegetables, grains and legumes and eat anywhere between two and five meals per day.

Whichever suits your lifestyle best and allows you to stick to the diet.

Eating foods high in protein is also recommended when trying to lose a few pounds.

Harry said: Id advise you consume mostly high protein foods from dairy, fish and meat sources and whole non-processed foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.

The general rules I have with most of my weight loss clients are to make sure they have at least two plants and one fist-sized protein serving with each meal. This does the trick nicely.

Steering clear of unhealthy snacks can also help slimmers keep their calorie intake low.

He added: To make things easier and to avoid big hunger cravings Id recommend moving away from processed sweet and salty foods like crisps, picnmix, chocolate etc. These foods are exceptionally tasty, and limiting the servings can be very challenging.

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Best weight loss: Eating more of this food can help you slim - what is it? - Express

Moughan is gathering research for a book to be published next year, which will explain the science behind weight loss and nutrient supply from foods in plain language. His aim is to free people from dieting hell and improve their health. Nutrition expert and endocrinologist Dr Robyn Toomath after 40 demoralising years of treating obesity in highly motivated clients concluded in her 2016 book Fat Science that yo-yo dieting ultimately just makes people fatter.

This is sadly true, but its not hopeless, says Moughan. What people need to do is forget about how much they weigh and instead concentrate on changing their body composition turning fat into muscle. That means consuming a higher proportion of protein in the diet and getting more exercise. You will feel fuller and more satisfied rather than deprived. The more muscle and lean body mass you have, the more you can eat without putting on weight. Muscle cells use energy provided you actually use them and are constantly being renewed, which uses even more energy, unlike fat cells, which are akin to inert storage units.

He is quick to add: I am certainly not recommending that you follow an Atkins-type diet of unlimited bacon and eggs to the exclusion of fruits, vegetables and grains. Just eat a higher proportion of good-quality protein, get lots of fibre, and do the right type of exercise regularly. Even half an hour of dedicated brisk walking three times a week is good. If you do that, you will probably automatically consume fewer fats, oils and refined [highly processed] carbohydrates. And dont worry if you weigh more in the short term. Muscle, on a per calorie basis, weighs more than fat.

Balance is important. We need fruits and vegetables to supply some of our vitamins [like vitamin C, E and K], fibre, carbohydrates and other components.

Counter-intuitively, vegetarian and vegan diets can be more calorific because you have to eat a much greater quantity to get the same amount of protein, and there is a tendency to consume more fats, oils and refined carbohydrates. This is especially true when aiming for higher protein intakes. Which is not to say that many vegetarians are not perfectly healthy, slim and fit, or that many meat eaters are not unhealthy and overweight.

However, it is not animal protein that has driven the obesity epidemic, according to Teresa Davis, professor of paediatrics-nutrition at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. While giving a public lecture in Palmerston North during a 2018 visit, she reported that in the US, average daily calorie intake by adults increased from 2060 calories in 1970 to 2630 in 2008 a whopping 570 extra calories. Davis showed the extra calories have come mainly from oils, fats, flours and cereals, and interestingly not very much at all from extra sugar, which was already quite high in 1970.

Read more: The risks of removing entire food groups from your diet |

She said in Western countries, people derive two-thirds of their protein from animal sources; in developing countries it is the other way around they get two-thirds from plant sources. It is projected that by 2050 the demand for animal proteins from the developing world will likely double, as their middle classes grow.

Lisa Te Morenga, senior lecturer in Mori health and nutrition at Victoria University, says with the increasing use of social media in the last 10 years, there has been a rise in conflicting messages about what we should or shouldnt be eating. First it was high-fat diets, then paleo and now vegan and plant-based diets are dominating headlines. I worry about the impact of all this conflicting messaging on New Zealanders diets, and how this might affect population health long-term. Unfortunately, we have little idea of what New Zealanders are eating right now as we havent had a national adult nutrition survey since 2008/2009, and the last childrens survey was in 2002. Given that the Global Burden of Disease project cites poor nutrition as the number one risk factor for early death, this really is an urgent priority. We need to monitor the effectiveness of food and nutrition policy and research in New Zealand.

McNabb has caveats about changing diets. Our digestive systems have not evolved much in the last few thousand years. A switch to getting all your proteins from plants is challenging; it is quite a different nutritional scenario.

Riddet Institute postdoctoral researcher Lakshmi Dave, a vegetarian by upbringing and now by choice, says her biggest concern with modern diets is ultra-processed foods and drinks, especially sugary ones, and processed red meats. Dave is a strong advocate of dairy foods and having lots of in-season fruits and vegetables on the plate, including those that are available but for whatever reason are not commonly cooked and eaten. Neglected or minor crops New Zealand native puha, for instance are important for sustainable and climate-resilient food systems as they help diversify food production. They are also nutritionally significant since they tend to be rich in key micronutrients. Unfortunately, these crops tend to be marginalised due to inadequate research, unsupportive agricultural policies, and modern dietary patterns that rely on a very limited number of major crops, says Dave.

Newbie vegetarians and vegans must be careful with things like pulses and legumes, such as red beans, which must be properly soaked, germinated and/or pressure-cooked to reduce the levels of anti-nutrients that can compromise their nutritional value and digestibility. Frozen vegetables and cans of cooked chickpeas, red beans, etc, in water dont count as ultra-processed in my book, but you should aim to have a dietary pattern in which meals prepared from minimally processed ingredients are the mainstay. And dont starve your gut microbiota get enough fibre!

More here:
Is the vilification of NZ's meat and dairy justified? - Noted