Enjoy your Food

This doesn't mean eat as much as possible of the foods you like best -?? you would soon get bored of that. It does mean that whilst there's no harm in the odd bag of chips or chocolate bar, you should take care to eat as varied a diet as possible. Have a think about what you eat because whatever shape or size your body is, you still need to give it what it needs. Which leads us to...

The balance of good health:

No one food is perfect, but a good combination of foods contains everything needed for health and well being. There are five major food groups, and if you can manage to eat food from each group daily, you should be eating a balanced diet.

Bread, Cereals and Potatoes are good sources of B vitamins and fibre. They're also an excellent source of the daily energy that we all need, so fill your plate with these foods!

Fruit and Vegetables give you loads of vitamins (particularly vitamin C) and minerals, as well as fibre. Remember that tinned, frozen or dried fruit and veg contains all the goodness of the fresh stuff -?? and is often cheaper. Aim for 5 portions from this food group each day.

Meat, Fish and Alternatives are the main source of protein in your diet. If you are a vegetarian, you should eat plenty of pulses (like beans and peas) so that you get enough protein and iron.

Milk and Dairy Foods give you protein, vitamins and calcium (essential for healthy teeth and bones).

Fats and Sugars can be eaten every day, but keep to small amounts. Too much fat can cause cholesterol to build up in the blood, which can eventually lead to heart disease. Foods containing sugar such as sweets and soft drinks should not be eaten too often as they can contribute to tooth decay.

It's also important to drink plenty of fluid during the day. Try and have 6-8 cups of fluid each day. This can be water, fruit juice, squash, tea or coffee. Try not to have too many fizzy drinks that are high in sugar though.