Take our quiz to f ind the right diet for you

MOSTLY As: You’re a GOURMET

You love food and it has to be the finest you can find. The process of preparing meals is as important to you as the ingredients and hosting well-catered parties is an outlet for your exuberant personality. But if you struggle with your weight as a result of over-indulgence, dieting poses a huge challenge, because you hate to deny yourself.

BEST DIET: Any where you feel you’re compromising on quality of food won’t work, so an all-or-nothing approach is better. Extend your natural night-time fast, so you eat only within an eight-hour time period and fast for 16 hours, or try intermittent fasting, where you restrict calorie intake two days a

week (the 5:2 Diet). WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: Invest in a new kitchen gadget to feed your gourmet creativity. A spiralizer could help you create lower-carbohydrate (and lower-calorie) courgetti swirls. or try a ‘vegidrill’ — it cores fruit and vegetables in seconds to make stuffed peppers, courgettes or onions.

MOSTLY Bs: You’re a MAGPIE

Your core concerns are health, happiness and longevity. But that can make you rather evangelical about the latest dietary trends. You are self-controlled, so you throw yourself into strict eating regimens, but you can quickly lose interest in one plan and switch to another, causing confusion and overeating, as well as diet fatigue.

BEST DIET: The Sirtfood Diet is very science-based and allows you to indulge your love of information, as it explores the science of plant nutrients called sirtuins (hence Sirtfood). These can help regulate metabolism, increase muscle and burn fat and are found in certain fruits and vegetables — but also in red wine and dark chocolate. This diet uses all the kit (piles of kale and a juicer) and is trendy, too (Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry are said to be fans). WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: Ease off social media. Part of a Magpie’s problem is that they love to flit from one shiny, new diet and exercise plan to another. A social media detox will help to focus and release any angst or preoccupation with food and health.

MOSTLY Cs: You’re a SOOTHER

SOOTHERS are highly intuitive. A truly compassionate soul, you strive to make everyone happy. But, as you find it hard to say ‘no’, you can become over-burdened — and seek solace in food. Food is comforting because of its neurochemical and rewarding effects. So eating to selfsoothe makes it very difficult to resist carb-laden treats and stick to diets when feelings start to peek out from under the surface. BEST DIET: The most common mistake Soothers make is to pick a low-carb diet plan. You know carbohydrates are your weakness. But carbfree living can be very difficult long-term and, for the Soother, it can seem like a life sentence. Instead, Soothers should seek out structured plans, such as Weight Watchers or Slimming World, which allow carbs and treats in moderation, but foster a spirit of teamwork, too.

WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: To curb mindless grazing, wear an elastic hair band around your wrist — every time you feel the urge to pick bits off the children’s plates or reach for the biscuit tin, ping the band. It won’t hurt, but the sharp sensation will send a mild ‘pain’ message to your brain, making a link between the biscuits and pain. repeat the process often enough and you’ll form a neural pathway that will bring grazing out of the depths of your subconscious and into a more considered and controlled behaviour.

MOSTLY Ds: You’re a TRADITIONAL

AS A Traditional, you stick closely to long-established patterns of eating and will be frustrated by changes in nutritional dogma and the fact that the old dietary rules and portion sizes no longer keep you slim. BEST DIET: Most Traditionals feel more comfortable when working with a clearly defined set of dietary rules they can trust and believe in. As a first port of call, check out the NHS Choices website (nhs.uk), which offers clear and simple dietary advice written by qualified

dietitians. You’ll also find advice on cutting back on sugar and on generally eating less, to create that all-important calorie deficit.

WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: Buy red dinner plates. Studies show the power of the colour red to signal ‘stop’ goes well beyond the roads, as people eat and drink less from red glasses and plates. As a Traditional, you have a soft spot for rules, so switching your usual plates for red ones means your brain unconsciously is thinking about stopping, which will reduce the amount you eat.

MOSTLY Es: You’re a REBEL

You take everything to the max. You will exercise to the point of exhaustion, but think nothing of meeting friends in a bar afterwards and drinking double the calories you just burned in the gym. Similarly, you’ll show exemplary willpower and stick to the toughest, most rigid diet plan — with impressive results — then blow everything on an all-youcan-eat buffet.

BEST DIET: Eat just one meal a day — as advocated by Dr Xand van Tulleken in his book How To Eat Well. This plan allocates your entire daily calorie allowance to the evening meal, which will tap into your ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality, requiring you to command that steely rebel willpower during the day, then keep focused on preparing a nutritious meal in the evening where you need little constraint. WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: Keep a food diary to help monitor the difference between hunger and cravings. Studies show this unconventional dietary method can help recondition your sensors and allow your brain’s natural energy balance system to slip back into control.

MOSTLY Fs: You’re a SCRAMBLER

THE Scrambler is super-busy. Whether you’re juggling children, ageing parents or a demanding job, you love the challenge of keeping all those plates spinning. But, with so little time for proper meals, you nibble your way through the day — or find yourself starving in the evenings.

BEST DIET: If you can afford them, postal plans (such as Diet Chef and Bodychef) are a good short-term hit. These brands will send you a box of balanced, caloriecounted food each day, getting you in the habit of eating a proper meal without having to plan it. or try the Cheats & Eats: Lifestyle Programme by Jackie Wicks and rob Hobson, which is a flexible way to nudge yourself into a healthy diet without having to worry about calories. Vegetables, pulses and nutrient-dense foods are ‘eats’, which can be consumed without restriction. Everything else counts as a ‘cheat’ — ‘cheats’ are limited.

WEIGHT-LOSS TIP: Don’t rely on microwave meals, which are often a Scrambler standby, but do buy frozen chopped onions, roasted vegetables, pre-cut mushrooms and ready-grated cheese — all things that mean you can create delicious homemade meals without sugars, sweeteners or preservatives.

ADAPTED by Claire Coleman from the Shrinkology Solution: discover Your eating type, Lose Weight And Keep It Off — For Life, by dr Meg Aroll and Louise Atkinson, published on May 31 by Quadrille at £9.99. © dr Meg Aroll and Louise Atkinson 2018. to order a copy for £7.49 (offer valid to June 7, 2018, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. p&p free on orders over £15. Find out more at shrinkology.co.uk