Diet

You’re over-worked; stressful situations are piling up in your private life; you feel like you are a hamster in an ever-shrinking wheel. What do you do? Reaching for the nearest wine bottle/chocolate bar/bag of crisps/bottle of tranquilisers/packet of cigarettes (tick as appropriate) will only make you feel better short term before you sink back into reality.

66% believe they know how to achieve “five-a-day”, but with 25% believing orange squash to be one portion of fruit the UK is clearly a nation confused. Contrary to efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle with the ‘five a day’ message, the nation continues to be surprisingly confused and misguided on achieving it.

Want to know how to improve on 5-a-day, the catchy campaign to encourage us all to eat five portions of fruit or veg? Just add some British turkey! Turkey is one of the healthiest of meats, being low in fat and packed with vitamins. Eating a serving of turkey alongside your 5-a-day is the perfect way to keep your body happy, healthy and fit. The key to getting the right balance in life is to plan ahead – and now the people behind British turkey have just made that easier for us.

Vitamin danger – latest studies show some vitamin pills do more harm than good. But there is a safe, simple and delicious way of getting the required nutrition without pills. Quality canned fish provide A and E vitamins as well as protein, vitamin D, Omega 3, Iron and in some cases calcium as well! Fish4Ever products can give a safe and easy supply of your recommended daily dose*.

Summer is coming, which means its time to start thinking about looking good in the sun. But there’s no need to start worrying about complicated diet plans or odd looking diet shakes because, according to leading nutritionist and author Fiona McDonald Joyce, losing those few extra pounds to fit into your swimwear doesn’t have to mean sacrifice, but rather simple and tasty swaps.

Efalex and nutritionist Fiona Hunter launch free educational guide to make fish the dish of the day 90% of the population are aware that fish is important for their health, but for 70% of Brits, fish is not the dish of the day* with only 30% eating the government recommended intake**. The survey results revealed that the population’s culinary skills may be to blame for the nation’s aversion to eating fish.

Want to get slim for summer? Why not try the delicious range of healthy juices and smoothies from Boost Juice Bars this spring? Boost Juice sell a range of fresh fruit smoothies and juices that contain no preservatives, artificial flavours or colourings and are at least 98% fat free.

The health of Brits is on the line because we are not getting all the nutrients we need from our diet. According to the latest figures 1 in 10 Brits are officially nutritionally deficient and four out of five us think we eat well but actually don't.

If someone said you could drop a dress size and lose inches from around your waist after just nine days, you would ask ‘what’s the gimmick?’. With so many fads, elimination diets and fitness crazes coming – and going – everyday, there’s no wonder skepticism sets in.

The benefits of a wholegrain diet are no secret – eating wholegrain regularly can help keep your heart healthy, regulate your blood sugar levels, keep your digestive system in top condition and also help you maintain a healthy weight. Being naturally low in fat and high in fibre, it can help you to feel full for longer –so you are less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks.

According to a report this week by the Food Standards Agency, Brits are still failing to eat enough fruit and vegetables. Just 58% per cent of consumers are eating the recommended five portions a day yet 78% are aware that we should be eating our 5-A-Day. Constantly thinking of how to incorporate vegetables into mealtimes can be difficult but there are lots of delicious ways with veg if you think beyond the obvious.

So you’ve been pumping iron in the gym, burning calories at the aerobics class or just wishing away that winter weight, but are you ready for your summer wardrobe?

The new Oat Bakes varieties from nairn’s give you all the crunchy texture and savoury taste of crisps without all the fat and calories. Made from 100% wholegrain oats, nairn’s Oat Bakes snacks are baked, rather than fried. They are just as satisfyingly tasty and crunchy as crisps but are healthier for you.

High profile campaigns by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver could be encouraging many of us to buy free range chickens and eat organic fruit and veg at home.

How would you like to feel? Energised, happy, relaxed, healthy, focused or passionate? By eating the right kinds of foods and snacks you can induce these moods, and there’s a new website to help you do just that, without making it a big performance.

By 2010 there will be over 26 million obese and overweight children in Europe. This is the alarm bell sounded at Fruit Logistica 2008 by Margherita Caroli, President of the European Childhood Obesity Group. The promotion of fruit consumption is vital to counteract this trend, and Mr Fruitness represents a powerful ally to children in the fight against junk food.

Brits are suffering from a 5 o' clock snack attack and sabotaging their new year diet plans. According to new research Brits are consuming an additional 73,000 calories a year (that's one and a half dress sizes). This is an average 200 extra calories per day, clocking up a hefty 1 stone 5lb over the year - all because of one unnecessary snack a day.

As shocking statistics show an eight-fold rise in the prescription of obesity drugs, in particular sibutramine and orlistat, Slimming World, the UK’s leading weight loss organisation, warns that PCTs and GPs are ignoring a treatment option that costs a third of the price and is more effective in the long term.

The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets may be one of 2008’s hotly anticipated book releases, but it seems it’s our obsession with A-listers rather than their fad diets that is piquing our interest, as the majority of Brits’ diet and fitness plans for 2008 are long-term lifestyle changes rather than short-term fixes.

Tesco launches the UK’s first free online food and lifestyle tracker... the interactive way to track what you eat. Designed to help customers adopt healthier eating habits, it allows them to track the amount of calories, carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt they have eaten in a day by giving them access to over 12,000 individual items of food and drink from all major supermarkets and popular restaurant chains.

Seafish has enlisted Annabel Karmel, a UK leading author on children’s food and nutrition, as an ambassador for The SuperHumans campaign to help encourage parents and kids to eat more fish.

Those eager to snare a hot Valentine are reaching for the teapot in a bid to shift the extra pounds put on over the festive season. Wu 4u, the nation's leading distributor of Wu Long tea, is popular among A list celebs and body conscious people wanting to get trim in time for the most romantic day of the year.

After the initial excitement of finding out that they are pregnant, the thoughts of every mum-to-be turn to the care and welfare of her unborn child. Diet plays a vital role in ensuring a healthy baby, which is why Spatone (an Iron rich water supplement) has teamed up with Midwife Maggie Evans to develop a free comprehensive advice guide to nutrition during pregnancy.

As the our New Year’s resolutions wear off, many of us have already given up on the idea of combating the seasonal over-indulgence and excesses by detoxing, fasting or going on a strict diet. No need to despair according to obesity researchers at Slimming World, the secret to a long term healthy weight is to eat.

After over indulging during Christmas most of us want to get back to a more varied, balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle. Although this may be tough, you don’t have to give up everything you love, just eat healthily.

Do you normally hate the ‘low fat’, ‘low carb’, or ‘low calorie’ versions of your favourite treats? And do you find they rarely taste like the real thing and would rather go without?

Despite the majority of us showing an awareness of the 5 a day recommendation we are still doing our utmost to dodge our fruity duty. Over half of us only consume three portions of fruit or less per day according to a new survey.

Fruit has provided us with another formidable ally in the battle against seasonal illnesses. Mr Fruitness, the green superhero leading the “Fruitness enjoy it!”* campaign (fruitness.eu), is relying on kiwi fruits with their high concentration of vitamins C and E to carry the fight against common winter ailments.

New research from Boots says three quarters of us admit to feeling unhappy with our bodies and feel pressure to conform to unrealistic celebrity standards. To help end this obsession with scales and dress sizes, Boots is putting 1000 BMI machines in stores.

With the New Year yet to ring in, the nation’s thoughts turn to getting fit and healthy following the excesses of Christmas and the party season. However the commitment to exercise as well as eating properly is quite an undertaking, and isn’t always possible for those people who are short on time (or willpower!).

Millions of Brits will be resolving to diet in January, but how many will have their long-term health and wellbeing in mind, rather than just losing the Christmas flab? With so many of us failing by February, it is time to ditch the quick fix and focus on a new way of eating with optimum health in mind.

The Christmas party season can be a nightmare for people with a gluten intolerance. Mince pies, bread sauce, sausage rolls, Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding, pastries, canapés and many other things besides are a complete 'no go'. Up until now that is. Now, however, the new Immunecare Glutenase Plus supplement has come to be rescue.

I love Christmas, especially catching up with friends and family I have not seen for ages. For many of us this involves eating out or having fancy extras at home. So, come the January 3, getting on the bathroom scales is an unpleasant experience. It is not surprising that new memberships for both gyms and slimming club increase in January every year!

Eating Wholegrain Krisprolls could help young women halve their risk of breast cancer. Researchers from the International Journal of Epidemiology said that dietary fibre, particularly cereal fibre can help protect against the killer disease in younger women. Krisprolls contain 56% wholegrain cracked wheat, making them a perfect way to keep healthy.

January can be a pretty dull month for foodies. If you count yourself as something of a connoisseur you probably find that at this time of the year dinner parties, meals in your favourite restaurant and impromptu pub lunches are suddenly off the menu, as everyone else seems to be on a ridiculously strict diet regime to shift the Christmas pounds.

Everyone over indulges at Christmas, as mince pies and the 2,000 calories contained in the average Christmas dinner cause you to pile on the pounds. However help is at hand as Holland & Barrett has launched a new supplement from Brazil - Chá de Bugre.

Festive food is ‘famous’ for making you feel full and bloated. Our digestive systems simply can’t cope with larger, richer meals and we end up feeling tired and bloated. Not to mention the added discomfort of acid reflux.

Christmas is coming and while the goose may be getting fat, you may want to avoid busting your healthy eating routine for the sake of one day of indulgence! Moderation, not self deprivation is the answer, says nutritionist Vicky Warr.

A new variety of kiwi fruit has been launched in the UK. Sunrise, the red kiwi is a red-fleshed fruit with an attractive red colour sunburst pattern in the centre. Red kiwis are packed with nutrients and have almost twice the amount of vitamin C as green kiwis.

Meridian Foods’ Blackstrap Molasses is one of their many healthy products – naturally better for you. But what is blackstrap molasses; is it good for us and how can we eat it? Nutrition expert Patrick Holford and Food and Health consultant Christine Bailey answer some questions to discover the mystery.

Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat…. The old rhyme is a timely reminder, not only that the season of Christmas is approaching, but that it may be time to think about healthy Christmas alternatives. With the alarming increase of obesity, now is the time to change your cooking methods and prepare the pud that’s good for your heart, as well the heart’s delight!

A new study which found prebiotics can help combat childhood obesity was today welcomed by Works With Water. Research from the US has found that a daily supplement of prebiotics can help adolescents maintain an appropriate body weight by regulating the appetite and reducing energy intake.

Ski Activ8 has teamed up with Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Cornel Chin to create four new energizing fruit smoothie drinks. Cornel’s personal favourite is the Berry Fruity for its sumptuous combination of fresh pineapple, raspberries blackberries and blueberries mixed with Ski Activ8 Variety yogurt.

New year, new diet? If you are really serious about your health, then go for a whole new start by eating more wholegrain foods as part of a balanced diet. The HGCA is encouraging everyone to follow the ‘wholegrain week diet’ by incorporating wholegrains into each mealtime.

A new study published in a recent issue of Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology has examined the ability of cranberry extract to ward off Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) in women with a history of recurrent infections.

Deep in the heart of wild Patagonia in South America, grows an exceptional berry which has been celebrated for its unique medicinal qualities and consumed by native Mapuches Indians for many years. The Patagonian Wild Blueberry is a small deeply coloured berry which has been found to have 10 times more anti-oxidant capability than farmed blueberries.

Breakfast is the one meal of the day not to be missed. This is the theme of a major awareness programme which kicks off with Europe’s largest organic festival 1st – 2nd September. Thousands of people around the country will be waking up to an organic breakfast to mark Organic Fortnight.

There is some excellent news for everyone who is trying to keep fit; a new product which promises to help your body to continue to get the benefits of your workout long after it has finished. Unlike many other sports bars and drinks available, Gea Pumpkin Seed Oil is 100% natural, easy to add into a healthy balanced diet, and has a deliciously successful track record of more than 100 years.

It won’t be setting any land ‘swede’ records, but with a revamped ice cream van and armfuls of delicious fruit and vegetables, the Eat in Colour campaign hits the road on 29 July for a six day, 1500 mile tour of the UK, spreading the word that fruit and vegetables are the quick, easy, tasty and inexpensive route to a healthy diet.

Another summer and another chance to make some well intentioned promises to yourself..."I will eat my five portions of fruit and veg a day", "I will not skip breakfast", "I will shed those extra pounds"... sound familiar?

Bursting with goodness and flavour, the Blueberry and Pomegranate Smoothie from The Serious Food Company is the ultimate superfruit combination. The blend even beats green tea and red wine with the highest level of antioxidants of any smoothie recipe.

The August issue of delicious. magazine, the UK’s best food monthly, hits news-stands Tuesday, July 3, 2007 with a healthy-eating summer special.

June is National Osteoporosis Month and to help highlight the condition in which bones become weakened and prone to breaking, Cravendale milk is encouraging people to add more calcium to their diets. Around 3 million people in the UK suffer from osteoporosis*, but it’s easier than you think to maintain healthy bones.

July is Summer Avocado Month, when the ‘Green Superfood’ is at its peak in the UK. The Summer Avocado is one of the healthiest fruits available, and one of the original Superfoods. The avocado has over 3,000 years as a health food. The Aztecs knew them as the “Fruit of the Gods”, and today leading nutritionists and dieticians praise them for the health benefits. Half an avocado provides one of the five a day portions of fruit or vegetable.

We all know water is the perfect choice for dieters - but Bio-Synergy’s Skinny Water will really help you shift the pounds. Just when you thought water couldn’t be bettered as a drink for helping you diet - Bio-Synergy brings you Skinny Water!

After years of campaigning, the FSA finally agreed last week to recommend to the government that folic acid be added to bread via flour. Ian Marber and the nutrition experts at The Food Doctor have been campaigning on the importance and raising awareness of including folic acid in a balanced diet, for several years, not just to prevent the possible incidence of neural defects, but also since folates are so important to the vast majority of the population.

The latest and simplest answer to losing weight lies in coffee, or more specifically Robusta green coffee, in the shape of Natessance, France’s largest independent brand of food supplements.

Sausages and burgers sizzling on the BBQ, lightly tossed green salad, asparagus, strawberries and cream…these are the dishes of summer. Wholegrain foods like porridge, on the other hand are often considered cold weather comfort fare. But in fact, summer is one of the best times to benefit from the goodness of wholegrains, and as the weather gets warmer, it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the recommended 3 servings a day.

An experienced Advanced Hypnotherapist has launched an exciting new audio product – ‘Diets Make You Fat’ to help people achieve permanent weight loss with quick and lasting results.

This year sees the 14th annual National Vegetarian Week take place from 21 to 27 May. Run by the Vegetarian Society, the event aims to celebrate vegetarianism in its broadest sense and prompt interest in topics such as food, health benefits and lifestyle.

At last, it’s here! New Cathedral City Lighter – a cheese that has the flavour of the nation’s favourite cheddar but with 30% less fat! The experts at Cathedral City have spent years perfecting the recipe to ensure that cheese lovers never have to sacrifice taste for a healthier option again.

Crussh, the UK’S favourite juice and smoothie bar chain, has unveiled its exciting new Booster Menu. Boosters are made up of a combination of natural supplements that can help you get the vitamins, minerals and herbs you need to feel your best. Boosters can be enjoyed on their own in small quantities, or alternatively added to fresh juices and smoothies to provide extra goodness and the ultimate energy boost!

Sports nutrition company EAS has launched Myoplex 60 high protein (HP) bars for serious athletes and fitness fans seeking to boost recovery after exercise. The delicious, nutritionally balanced bar contains 60% protein, making it a perfect post-exercise snack for those seeking to increase lean muscle tissue and improve strength while not wishing to load up on carbohydrates or fat.

As summer approaches, the search begins again for a better-for-you snack which doesn’t compromise on taste. Kettle Foods have come up with a solution in the great tasting new Salt and Malt Vinegar Crispy Bakes. Made entirely of natural ingredients and with less than 100 calories per bag, they’re perfect for the health conscious snacker this spring.

With around 80 million chocolate eggs likely to be consumed this Easter*, every Brit is now being asked a new and very important question - how big is your chocolate footprint?

The world's first completely organic gourmet health-optimising tea range is enjoying a successful launch by The London Tea Company, a family-run business that wants to take the hype out of health. The range is the only one that offers tea containing 100% certified organic ingredients. Plus a 100% Caffeine Free Range.

Latest research from MINTEL finds that we are no longer turning to 'slimming foods'* to trim down. In fact, the market for 'slimming foods' has itself slimmed down considerably, with sales shrinking by as much as 27% in the last five years. Today, the market is worth just over £81 million, down from as much as £110 million back in 2001.

With the nation’s obsession about getting in shape and looking great, you’d presume that going to the gym and eating healthily would be the perfect solution. However, little do people realise what’s actually in their sports drink. Enter Taut – the first clean sports drink!

The latest and simplest answer to losing weight lies in coffee, or more specifically Robusta green coffee, in the shape of Natessance, France’s largest independent brand of food supplements.

Rococo Chocolates has launched some tempting Super Slim Sugar Free Chocolates and Sweeties. So you can treat yourself to a little something without feeling too guilty. And if you are already planning on getting into the bikini in time for summer, these delicious morsels will not pile on the pounds.

This season Wall’s will launch new Solero Smoothies in two fruity flavours - Strawberry & Banana and Blackberry & Banana, as well as improving the favourite Solero Exotic which is now even better for you.

Don’t let your New Years diet slip just because it’s Pancake Day - enjoy pancakes the healthy way with Columbus Omega 3 enriched Eggs.

Yes it’s true, the only 100 per cent totally natural instant fruit porridge is now available from family owned Jordans Cereals. Unlike other instant porridges, Jordans Real Fruit Porridge contains nothing but oats and dried fruit pieces.

Yummy mummy Kirstie Allsopp is supporting Cancer Research UK’s Britain’s Biggest Breakfast 2007 campaign, which is taking place throughout March, to help encourage healthy eating at breakfast and raise vital funds for research into cancer.

Protecting your bones isn’t just about checking your calcium levels. There are many other factors that put you at risk of osteoporosis, including your vitamin D intake and exercise pattern. What is most important is that your overall lifestyle is a bone-friendly one.

The mountain of recent research published on trans fats has demonstrated the severity of introducing trans fats into one’s diet as trans fats harm your body by increasing the risk of heart disease.

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes is growing, forcing an enormous burden on health care worldwide. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) stresses that the number of people with type 2 diabetes is estimated to double to 300 million by 2025.

Nothing says “I love you” better than a meal you’ve cooked yourself, so celebrate Valentine’s Day by heading to the kitchen and cooking your loved one something special with Tenderstem broccoli – the quickest way to his or her heart.

If you think the New Year has to be all about giving up your sweet treats to lose those few extra pounds then you can definitely think again, thanks to Cadbury. Now you can literally have your cake and eat it, as the new Highlights Cake Bars give you all the great taste you’ve come to expect from the nation’s favourite chocolate but with lower fat and fewer calories!

Today a new three-year campaign is being launched to banish the brown and put much-needed colour back into the nation’s shopping baskets. While other campaigns seek to preach to the nation about what they should be doing, Eat in Colour is the first campaign clearly focused on helping people to find practical, quick and easy ways to achieve a healthier diet every day.

If Dr Gillian McKeith bursting onto your TV screen in a bid to rid people of their poor eating habits and excess weight is making you think twice about your diet and health, it's worth remembering she recommends Spirulina ‘to help control blood sugar swings and food cravings’ in her book The Ultimate Health Plan.

As next week's Food Allergy and Intolerance Week highlights the plight of millions who suffer from food allergies and intolerances to wheat, dairy and eggs, two new and natural products based on enzyme formulations have become available in the UK.

Used for centuries and dating back to the ancient Egyptians where it was thought to be more precious than gold, modern science is only just beginning to discover the benefits of Cinnamon.

On Friday 5th January 2007 an exclusive interview with nutritionist and psychologist Patrick Holford was broadcast on ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald to announce details of his latest initiative, the Food for the Brain Schools Campaign.

With the familiar sound bites of healthy living in 2007, one company is finding a genuinely effective way of influencing people's drinking habits. A brand new water dispenser service designed for home use has recently been launched by Love Water.

No-one doubts the benefits of a low Gi diet and now switching to low Gi has just got easier with the launch of the new X-Vite Low Gi Shake from diet specialists, BioVite. This revolutionary low Gi meal replacement has a glycaemic index of just 34, making it the lowest on the market and can help you lose up to 10lbs in just three weeks with no hunger pangs, sugar cravings or waning energy levels.

As women hit the January diet trail, men are today caught with their pants down, with egos as large as their waistbands. A no-holds-barred national survey shifts the spotlight to male attitudes to weight loss – and the weight of their partners – revealing serious double standards, and a few home truths.

As women around the country hit the sales, a new survey by tescodiets.com reveals that nearly 40% of women have bought clothes they knew were too small, promising themselves they would slim into them - with 70% admitting that the items are still hanging in the wardrobe unworn.

New research demonstrating the link between serotonin levels and our ability to appreciate the salt and bitterness of food explains why carbohydrate cravings and weight gain are so closely associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However, this finding also goes a long way towards explaining the mechanism that links the obesity epidemic with lifestyle changes over the last twenty years.

Just exactly where do you buy Aduki Beans? Do you have to fly to Tibet to hand pick Gojiberries? With Dr Gillian McKeith’s Shopping Guide, healthy eating has never been easier. This fantastic guide to food shopping comes in a handbag sized format and includes a handy notebook for jotting down must have ingredients from Gillian’s recipes.

New Year will see people turning to tea for their post Christmas detox, if past trends continue, says the UK’s favourite tea producer. Last year sales in green teas rose by around 40% and fruit and herbal sales rose by almost 15% during January reflecting the trend for healthy New Year resolutions.

Nuts, seeds and dried fruit have for many years been palmed off as 'hippy health foods'. Today, however, latest research from Mintel finds sales of these guilt-free snacks set to crash through the £0.5 billion mark by the end of the year, following 50% growth since 2001. But it‘s seeds that have really exploded onto the market, as consumers are now increasingly reaching for what was once considered only good enough for Britain's birds.

Its official: Britain is a nation of sprout-eaters! Despite what you might think, sprouts are one of the nation's most widely eaten vegetables. Research out today reveals that 75% of Brits say they eat sprouts, 81% of whom cook with them.

Forget the in-laws, the shopping or the endless meal preparation, what nearly a quarter of women dread most about Christmas is trying to resist all that extra food. According to a new survey by tescodiets.com, resisting festive goodies is nearly seven times as bad as having to cook Christmas lunch (3%), three times as bad as having the relatives to stay (8%) and even worse than doing all the Christmas shopping (22%).

‘You Are What You Eat’ has just got bigger as Gillian McKeith is back with a brand new series of hour-long episodes. The dinky diet detective has traveled the UK holding open auditions to find more desperate cases, and now she’s found them, they’ve got a very big shock in store!

Erica Hadley, will be sitting down to her first Christmas dinner in eight years knowing the food on her plate won’t be making her ill. The 24-year old Barnsley girl was living, day-to-day with a chronic case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) until a food intolerance test revealed turkey as one of the foods that was making her ill.

Carol Sinclair suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for most of her life. After watching a documentary in 1986 on food allergies she gave up eating starch and experienced immediate relief. When Carol discovered that IBS was also a symptom of an arthritic disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis, it explained the chronic back pain she had been suffering for most of her life.

Research indicates that Omega-3 is essential for our children’s growing minds, however getting them to take it regularly can be a problem – often because of the lingering fishy taste.

Just as you thought you knew all about superfoods, an even better one comes along! Acai (‘ass-i-ee’) is a small purple berry from the Amazon that has been heralded as the ultimate anti-ageing supplement: renowned dermatologist, Dr Nicholas Perricone believes it’s one of the most powerful anti-ageing superfoods in the world.

Families from low income households will benefit from a new scheme from Monday 27th November, giving free milk and fresh fruit and vegetables to children and mums-to-be.

With an ever increasing demand for flu vaccines in the UK as the winter takes hold, it’s good to know one particular festive favourite may be helping to ward off infection.

A new survey has revealed that two thirds of Brits overindulge every Christmas, putting on up to a stone as a result. In a survey of 3,000 people, thirty per cent admitted they usually put on 1–2lbs, thirty-four per cent put on 3-4lbs, twenty-two per cent put on 5-6lbs whilst fourteen per cent said they put on at least half a stone! It’s no wonder that fifty-six per cent immediately regret eating so much.

After losing over 10 stones, Michelle McManus is now sharing her workout and nutrition tips in her inspirational DVD, The Lifeplan Workout to create the ultimate weight-loss toolkit for anyone looking to change their life forever.

Vegetarians, vegans, fitness enthusiasts and body builders all need to ensure their diet includes sufficient protein to support their lifestyles, and finding pure, organic protein has just got easier with the launch of a new Hemp product from Nutiva.

From the authors of the bestselling “Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat” comes “The Japan Diet”, a guide to losing weight the Japanese way.

The Food Standards Agency has this week published its findings of a survey of salmonella contamination in eggs produced outside the UK and on retail sale in England. The estimated prevalence of salmonella in the eggs sampled was found to be around one box in every 30 (3.3%).

Women eat more unhealthy foods and tend to put on weight when they move in with a male partner, according to a report by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. On the other hand, a man's diet tends to become healthier when he starts cohabiting with a female partner - and her influence has a long-term positive impact.

There’s no doubt that Melissa Harrison has the key to the door, and a future of opportunities now that the 21 year old has won the title of Female Young Slimmer of the Year after losing an amazing 9st 1½ lbs.

A prominent weight-control charity – The Weight Foundation - is focusing its attention on what it says are the often-ignored real reasons underlying eating, overweight and self-image crises.

From Christmas treats to New Years cocktails, we are approaching the time of year when we start packing on the pounds. This is also the season of stress and fatigue. The good news is that you can indulge in a few holiday treats and actually drop fat and gain energy this year!

Jamie Oliver's last promo trailer for his return to school dinners programme showed the nation's favourite chef in a fat suit, eating burgers and breaking his trademark scooter when he sits on it.

97% of all weight loss on diets is regained, something Weight Loss Coach Liz Sheppard-Jones knows only too well. She has lost 10 stones during her life - including 3 stones on 2 separate occasions - as the quintessential yo-yo dieter for 20 years.

Figures published by the Department of Health show that nearly a third of UK men will be obese by 2010, along with more than 12 million adults overall and one million children, if we don't start to make changes as a nation to our lifestyles.

'Alcohol makes you feel invincible when you are most vulnerable' says a hard-hitting new campaign which will urge young people to know their limits when they have a drink.