EAT FAT STAY THIN

You needn’t cut down on your favourite foods as long as you eat them the right way. Here’s how to have what you want and stay slim .

• SUGAR Go for foods such as fruit yoghurt, sweetened breakfast cereal or even jam, which will satisfy a sweet tooth but aren’t packed with fat and calories. For women on a diet, up to 35 grams of added sugar per day should be fine.

• ALCOHOL A couple of small glasses a day won’t usually cause weightgain as long as that’s your limit and you ideally drink it as an accompaniment to a healthy meal. Alcohol doesn’t get stored directly as fat in the body but if you take more than your safe calorie intake, you’ll ultimately put on weight.

• PEANUTS If you’re strict about having just a handful, nuts can easily be incorporated in your ‘get-slim’ diet. In fact, nuts make a good snack for people trying to shed weight and can help weight control because they are so filling.

• BREAD It can actually be valuable for weight-watchers as it is filling while being relatively low on calories. Your best choice is a grainy type, as it’s digested more slowly and produces a smoother blood sugar and insulin response.

• CHOCOLATE A 30 gram daily serving provides about 150 calories and nine grams of fat and is an acceptable daily treat.

• CHEESE Go for a strong cheese so you get maximum taste. You’ll only need a matchbox-sized serving that provides less than 150 calories. TNN