As your holiday approaches do you hear yourself saying "I really must lose some weight before I go on holiday", or during your holiday as you over indulge (and why not? After all, you are on holiday) do you hear yourself saying once again "I really must go on a diet after my holiday".

Yes, we have all been there! We mean to diet before holidays, after holidays, before Christmas, after Christmas, and so on ... and isn't it funny how we are so full of good intentions at the time when we are so full after finishing off that box of chocolates we couldn't resist opening. It's always the same old story, we only mean to eat just one chocolate, our favourite, and then, as if by magic, the whole box is suddenly empty. And that is when we are filled with (not just chocolates) but the desire to embark on yet another slimming diet. Usually, of course, the resolution to slim disappears even faster than the chocolates.

Well, do not despair - DO NOT TRY TO SLIM. Yes, you did not misread it, I'll say it again - "DO NOT TRY TO SLIM". JUST PUT TICKS IN THE APPROPRIATE COLUMNS AND IF THE FIRST COLUMNS ARE FULL OF TICKS AND THE COLUMNS ON THE RIGHT ARE PRETTY WELL DEVOID OF TICKS, THEN YOU WILL HAVE LOST WEIGHT WITHOUT EFFORT AND WITH THE ADDED BONUS THAT YOU WILL BE EATING HEATHILY, AND YOUR ENERGY AND SKIN TONE WILL ALSO PERK UP.

Print off the following form -

AND THEN EVERY TIME YOU EAT A PORTION OF FOOD PUT A TICK IN THE APPROPRIATE COLUMN

(1)

Fresh fruit, vegetables, (pref. green/orange/red (eg broccoli, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes etc) salads, nuts, seeds, pulses, etc.

(2) Fish, lean meat, eg chicken, turkey, (red meat no more than once a week) yoghurts, soya milk, etc.

(3)

Potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, etc.

(4)

All sugary, fatty treats, eg chocolates, sweets, crisps, cakes, biscuits, buns, sausage rolls, pies, etc. Beers, fizzy drinks, etc.

Day of Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Remember, the majority of the ticks should appear in column (1)a lesser number in column (2) a much lesser number in (3) and hopefully column (4) is empty

(1) Remember when I gave you my favourite and nutritional breakfast? - Put into a microwaveable dish - tablespoon of oats, half-tablespoon sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, a sprinkling of linseed and sesame seeds, and any or all of the following - chopped apple/apricots/nuts. Add a teaspoonful of malt extract or honey, if desired. Mix with water, soya milk or skimmed milk and microwave for approx. 5 mins. Top with yoghurt or prunes, if desired.

(2) Remember the government's health advice - eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. For your main meal, as a guideline, and served on a SMALL dinner plate - half of it should be fresh vegetables/salad, quarter of it should be white meat/fish (preferably oily fish such as sardines, salmon etc) up to a quarter should be potatoes/rice(preferably brown)/pasta.

(3) Remember, drink plenty of fluids, particularly water. For every cup of your usual beverage, why not equal it by drinking the same amount of water? This will result in you drinking less of your usual beverage and more water, which means less hydration and improved skin tone. If you fancy a glass of wine with your meal, then choose red.

Columns l, 2 & 3 provide vitamins & minerals, nutrients and fuel for the body. (Avoid ‘fast-food' and ‘processed food', as most of the goodness is lost in the manufacturing process) Column 4 = delicious, but for our healthy eating we'll think of them as ‘rubbish' foods -

REMEMBER, IT MAY BE AN OLD SAYING BUT IT STILL RINGS TRUE TODAY - "a moment of pleasure on the lips, a lifetime of misery on the hips.

HOWEVER, IF, AT THE END OF THE WEEK, COLUMN (1) IS CROWDED WITH TICKS, THEN YOU CAN TREAT YOURSELF TO JUST ONE ‘MOMENT OF PLEASURE' FROM COLUMN 4.

Visit Mabels...Maintaining Bygone Times (HTTP://WWW.MABELS.ORG.UK), containing numerous articles thoughtfully researched mainly for the older person. You may access these articles by visiting http://www.mabels.org.uk/ - You will learn about the best tips to improve your health, fitness, finances, safety as well as information on nostalgic topics, places to visit, leisure & lifestyle, mobility & helpful organisations to make the most out of life.