Never count a ie again’ diet!

Aim for quality ‘real’ foods Watch your portion size Listen to your body Slow down meals Try mindfulness

Cod fillet, baked with a matchbox sized piece of mozzarella in foil with chopped basil, served with oven roasted Mediterranean veg (sliced peppers, courgettes, tomatoes and red onion) drizzled with 1 tbsp olive oil Put simply, this means buying recognisable ingredients to prepare at home and avoiding processed and packaged foods. Choose fresh, nutritious items such as vegetables, fruits, wholegrain bread, brown rice, fish, nuts, lean meat and dairy products. Start to think of meals as eating food, not calories.

Remember it’s still possible to overeat – even with healthy foods. Common temptations are peanut butter and whole avocados, which are very nutritious but also high in fat so shouldn’t be eaten in huge amounts every day. Stick to our foolproof portion control method below and follow the detailed meal planner to help you get it right.

Focusing on calories while ignoring the quality of the food and how hungry you feel can muddle the natural hunger cues we’re all born with. Whether you’re eating just because you “have calories left” or you’re not eating when hungry because you’ve “gone over” your calorie limit for the day – either way you’re not listening to your body. Trust your body, it knows what it needs better than some calorie counter.

Another way to guard against overeating is to slow down at the table. It takes a minimum of 20 minutes for the brain to register when your stomach is full – signals you’ll likely miss if you’re eating too quickly. Try putting your knife and fork down between mouthfuls to help you pace yourself.

Recent research found that when people did a short mindfulness exercise called a “body scan meditation” — in which you sit quietly for a few minutes and take stock of how you feel inside

– they were better able to pick up on internal cues that signal hunger or fullness. People who are more mindful have also been shown to experience fewer weight fluctuations in the long term. Any single piece of fruit

Sliced apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter

Small handful of any unsalted nuts (not dry roasted)

Handful of cherry tomatoes with a matchbox-sized piece of any cheese

ck from the breakfast, lunches and dinners below, allowing for two daily snacks and applying the portion rules for men and women Chicken and mixed veg stir-fry with any veg of your choice, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 tbsp soy sauce, wholemeal noodles...

For the last decade carbs have been seen as public enemy number one when it comes to weight loss, with many people avoiding bread, pasta and rice in the mistaken belief it will help them to maintain their ideal weight. However, while the too-easily...