You don’t have to starve yourself; you can eat food but eat better food. Food that is higher in nutrients, but lower in sugary carbs and bad fats. Healthier food is more filling so you will not get hunger pangs and it will reduce the urge to have bad snacks between meals.

It is all about balance. Enjoy the exercise that you do, Enjoy the food that you eat. The regimen that you choose should nt be one of deprevation and suffering. The ideal is balance.

Some fats are good for you. Diets which promote no fat are actually bad for your health. Your brain, if you take away all the water is about 70% fat. So if someone calls you a “fat head” take it as a compliment! You will need to limit the fat however.

Instead of going the whole hogg, take small steps that end up with a big result. For example:

• Cut down your intake of sugars, tea, and coffee. Try the odd herbal tea to get used to drinking them. Try several flavours until you find the ones that you like
• Start buying low fat foods such as cheeses, spreads etc
• You can still eat red meat, but eat less of it
• You can eat sugar, but choose the correct kind. For example, Xylitol is an ideal sugar and alternative you can use in drinks and cooking
• Go for the wholemeal version of foods rather than white processed. White breads and biscuits release energy almost immediately and overload the system with energy, which the body stores as fat
• Try and eat sweet potatoes over white starchy potatoes
• Minimise alcohol. You can still drink, but do not binge drink
• Reduce your use of table salt

Calorie Guide

1g fat = 9 calories
1g carb = 4 calories
1g protein = 4 calories

Healty Recipes

You already know that you should eat fruit, vegetables (green leafy vegetables are the best), whole wheat bread, and meats such as fish, chicken, red meat (in that order), but food should be enjoyable so have a look around for good healthy recipies. There are many websites which have great information and recipies such as the BBC’s healthy eating website as well as the Good Food Channel.

Hydration

Keeping hydrated is essential to keep your energy levels up. Make sure you get between 1 and a half and 2 litres of water per day.