WHAT DIETARY CHANGES SHOULD I MAKE TO LOSE EXCESS WEIGHT?

You should aim to lose excess weight slowly and regularly. Look on it as a healthily eating plan for the rest of your life, rather than a temporary slimming diet. The most important change is to cut back on your intake of dietary fats - gram for gram these contain twice as many calories as carbohydrates (starch) and proteins.

• Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables - at least 5 servings a day
• Fill up on foods rich in starch and fibre eg baked potatoes, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain bread - but don t add fatty sauces
• Cut down on all fatty foods, including beefburgers, sausages, pies, pizza, crisps and chips and use low-fat products where possible
• Cut down on sugary foods such as cakes, biscuits, donuts, pastries, chocolate and confectionery
• Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper - your metabolic rate is highest in the morning and lowest at night.
• Calories eaten late in the day are more likely to be converted into fat than immediately burned for energy.
• Help yourself to slightly smaller portions and put them on a small plate so it still looks full.
• Drink plenty of fluids - at least 2 litres per day
• If you feel hungry drink glass of water very slowly