10 food fibs that will make you fat

6. Supersize and save!
Pay £1 extra for a coke and plate of chips...why not? Because your goal isn't to load up on as much food as possible, that's why. Food isn't scarce. If you pay full price for half the portion, enjoy the fact that you're treating yourself right. Pay more for less you. Now that's a bargain.

7. It would be wasteful not to
Call me cheap, but this is my downfall. Throwing food away doesn't come easily; apparently I'd rather use my tummy as a trash can. How many times have you finished what's on your plate in a restaurant because you paid for it, even though it didn't taste particularly good or ate a tasteless protein bar because it cost £1.50? The 'children are starving' mantra haunts us, but we fail to recognise that shoveling in the last few bites won't help anyone. Note to mums: stop this manipulative tactic immediately. It's a terrible precedent to set. Overeating is just as wasteful than throwing leftover food.

8. But it's a party, we've got to celebrate
Is every get-together an excuse to eat? Food is fuel, not a party trick. Focus on the conversation and company, rather than the catering. You might meet someone nice, which beats a pig in a blanket.

9. Just this once won't hurt...
Actually, yes it will. The devil is in the details. A hundred calories a day translates into an additional 10.2lbs a year. Your body is the most accurate computer ever made. While you might choose to pretend that the sneaked bite never occurred, your metabolism won't let a single calorie slip by. Rather than working on excuses, channel your energy into testing whether 'just this once' you can pass the temptation by. The pride you gain is immeasurable.

10. It's too complicated/expensive to eat right
When we're feeling particularly lazy, this little fib sounds plausible until we weigh the cost of an apple or a yoghurt against a bag of crisps. Echoing Fib No.3, think how much you'll save by eliminating the need for another training session to melt away a pound of fat grown as a result of 'cheap decisions'. Inexpensive healthy snacks are abundant. Make a list of your 20 favourites, and refer to it when feeling thrifty.