Dieting made easy

One useful tip is to drink plenty of water. From time to time at some stage in a hectic morning, you guess that you want a snack but in fact you might just need a refreshing glass of water or orange squash. The feelings of needing food and needing a drink are quite similar, but one of the two can lead to a broken diet and the other is ok.

Some reduced carb diet pointers:
* Fiber is crucial Decreasing the carbohydrates in your diet usually leads to reduction in fiber also. Look at low carb recipes that are rich in fiber to restore the balance.

* Food labels can be misleading Watch out for food packaging that boasts to be 'low carb' - check the nutritional information figures on the back of the product. Many are only marginally less and in some instances still greater than a competitors normal brand. Also, beware of 'low sugar' and 'low fat' labels - 'low sugar' does not always mean 'low carb' - often the carbs are just the same.

Lycopene foods
(includes melon, red peppers and tomato puree)

The chemical lypcopene is a natural coloring compound and one of the phytochemical group known as 'carotenids'. It is the agent responsible for the vivid red hue of a good number of fruits and vegetables.

Intrestingly, unlike many nutrients, lycopene not only survives being cooked, but is essentially strengthened by cooking.

. Its most important benefit is that it works as an antioxidant and is believed to be of use in the fight to lower the risks of cancer.

This useful phytochemical is the most powerful fighter of singlet oxygen, which is associated with skin aging. It is also believed to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.