34 diet and fitness tips you need to know

6. Accept who you are
'The key to getting over your idea of a perfect body is to accept what you have. If you hate your body, it won't work with you. If you accept your body - and even learn to like it - you can achieve peace with your food.'
Janine Whiteson M.Sc, author of Get a Real Food Life, The Food Coach's Revolutionary 8-week Food Makeover Programme (£12.34, Pan Macmillan)

• Read: 10 ways to boost your self-esteem
• Try: 48 ways to look better naked
• Chat: Learn to love your body

7. Fat-free? Not necessarily...
'Put the words "low-fat" or "fat-free" on the label and people will assume it won't make them fat. But it's worth knowing that "fat-free" or "low-fat" or "no added fat" usually means more sugar. Simple white refined sugar is the very stuff which converts to fat once in the body.'
Jason Vale, author of Chocolate Busters; The Easy Way to Kick it (£6.74 Thorsons/Element)

• Read: The pros and cons of a low-fat diet
• Try: Finding the hidden sugars in food
• Chat: Share ideas and advice with others Shaping Up

8. Reward yourself with a massage
'Cool-downs are your first line of defence against lactic acid build up and muscle soreness, but you don't have to fight the fight on your own. Massage is a great way of helping your metabolism recover from the effort and trauma of your gym sessions. A good massage also helps reinforce the sense of reward.'
Steve Shipside, author of Win at the Gym (£9.74 Infinite Ideas)

• Read: The benefits of massage
• Try: Discover the spa life
• Chat: Meet yoga and Pilates fans

9. Stay off the scales
'Don't assume that the scale is always a true measure of what is going on with the body. If exercise levels are adequate (5-7 days a week), you may be putting on muscle but losing fat, thus losing inches even if you are not losing pounds. It's always a good idea to do several body measurements to have a second objective way to monitor progress.'
The Ediets nutrition team. Try out the iVillage Body Boost Diet

• Read: Working out and your weight
• Try: Learn how to skip the scales
• Chat: Find friends on You Can Do It Diet Support

10. Fill the freezer
'Frozen prawns are as good as fresh: in fact most of the "fresh" prawns you've bought in your life were actually defrosted before they were sold to you.'
Janine Whiteson M.Sc, author of Get a Real Food Life, The Food Coach's Revolutionary 8-week Food Makeover Programme (£12.34, Pan Macmillan)

• Read: Healthy instant food inspiration
• Try: Conquer your snack attacks
• Chat: Get ideas for speedy simple suppers

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