STOP THINKING DIET, START THINKING HEALTHY EATING

Being overweight significantly reduces your life expectancy, which is why you rarely seen an obese person over 70. Extra weight not only puts stress on your joints, circulation and internal organs, it can also increase your risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.

Many people presume that getting older means getting fatter, but middle-aged spread is not inevitable. A shift in hormones during the menopause means you may be more likely to store fat around your stomach rather than your hips, but the real reason we put on weight as we age is because most of us become less active.

This means that the majority of us can choose what we weight at almost any age. But we cannot do it with traditional weight-loss diets, or 'slimming' foods that are high in sugar and sweeteners (which can actually increase your appetite and slow weight loss - see, it was not your lack of willpower). Around 90% of people who go on a diet put the weight back on within two years, and many go on to gain even more. Yo-yo dieting also destroys lean body mass, so when you gain the weight back expect it to be fat, not muscle.

Instead, stop thinking diet, and start thinking healthy eating. By suddenly restricting the calories you eat, your body simply slows down your metabolism to compensate for the shortage. So forget the protein-only, blood type and zone diets. The only thing you need to remember to maintain a healthy weight is this: good food makes you thinner.

How to maintain a healthy weight

• Eat a large variety of healthy foods you enjoy and you will see this as a lifelong, lifestyle choice, rather than a diet you cannot wait to come off.
• Eating well will give you the energy your body needs to keep moving. Exercise is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight as it boosts metabolism and muscle mass, which in turn increases the number of calories you burn. To keep motivated, exercise needs to be enjoyable, and there really is something for everyone.
• The usual suspects are (no surprise) also the things that stop you maintaining your best weight. The roll call; refined carbohydrates (it is the white ones that cause weight gain, not the refined ones like wholemeal bread and pasta); fried foods; processed foods (these disrupt blood sugar levels and are also very addictive); high-fat takeaways (especially Indian sauce dishes); full-fat versions of milk, cheese and butter; and desserts. Remember, it is the food you eat every day that makes the differences, not the odd sticky toffee pudding you have on a Saturday night.
• Drinking lots of water is vital to losing weight, not least because when you feel hungry it is often your body trying to tell you it needs more water. Try reaching for a glass of water instead of a snack between meals, and see if you still feel hungry afterwards.