Losing weight

Drink more water. At times during a hectic day, you guess you are peckish but in truth you might only want a restorative glass of water or cranberry juice. The sensations of needing food and needing a drink are close, but one can result in a fat tummy and the alternative is ok.

Some lower carbohydrate diet tips:
* Know what is in your food Be sceptical of advertizing that claims to be 'low carb' - check the nutritional information figures on the back of the tin or package. Quite a few are only slightly reduced and in some cases still higher than a competitors standard brand. In addition, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' doesn't always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are exactly the same.

* It is possible to make really nice smoothies by using low carbohydrate yogurt. Yes, you can't really describe it as cooking, but if you love smoothies you can make perfectly acceptable alternatives by using reduced carbohydrate yogurt and fruit. Of course, you will need to ensure you only make use of fruit that is low in carbs and use the whole of the fruit as you need the fiber.

Healthy foods with carotenes
(includes parsley, kale and tomato puree)
These plants are rich in the carotenoids believed to play a role in helping prevent cancer, spefically cancer of the lungs. The majority of these also have a low calorie count, so should be a part of every diet.