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 low carb diet guidlines:
* You can make delicious smoothies using reduced carb yogurt. Admittedly, you can't really describe it as cooking, but if you must have smoothies you can make them with reduced carbohydrate yogurt and fruit. Of course, you will need to make sure you use fruit that is low in carbs and use the whole fruit as the fiber is important too.

* Understand the food labels Watch out for the food label that proclaims 'low carb' - check the actual nutritional information on the reverse of the tin or package. A good number of are only marginally decreased and in some instances still higher than a competitors standard brand. Also, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' does not always mean 'low carb' - usually the carbs are identically the same.

Foods containing allyl sulfides
( includes pickled shallots, white onions and spring onions)

The onion and garlic family of foods is high in allyl sulphides, a chemical which experts believe might be linked to a reduced risk of stomach and colon cancer.
Although there is precious little scientific proof available, allyl sulfides are also thought by many experts to help with blood circulation, sterilization and physical exhaustion.

Foods containing allyl sulfides also help you lose weight, so are ideal for including in your weight loss program.