Healthy eating is about getting the balance right - you don't have to starve yourself or deprive yourself of foods you enjoy!

Everything in moderation is the key - be sensible, relax & enjoy!!

Healthy eating involves choosing plenty of whole-grain foods - breads, cereals, pasta & rice

Ensure you eat at least 5 different portions of fruit & veg every single day

At least 3 portions of dairy foods need to be eaten on a daily basis (milk, yogurt, bony fish) to ensure you are getting enough calcium

At least 2 portions of either meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts or meat alternatives, for a good protein intake

The body needs protein, carbohydrates & healthy fats on a daily basis to function properly - to deprive the body of any of these ingredients is not a wise choice!

Antioxidants (found in fruit & veg) help fight Free Radicals (polluted oxygen/dirty air)

Eating foods high in saturated fats is bad for you - saturated fats clog your arteries

Too much salt in your diet will lead to Cardio Arterial Disease - eating too much salt will kill you!

Drinking plenty of healthy fluids is vital - most of the population is de-hydrated!  Healthy fluids help flush out toxins from your body

Too much alcohol consumption puts a huge strain on the liver

Processed foods are best avoided as they contain high levels of saturated fat, hydrogenated fats & high levels of salt

Your body needs to be 'topped up' with fuel every 2 - 3 hours to keep your metabolism switched on

Failure to 'top up' will tell your body to store food as a reserve - this reserve will be stored as fat!

Breakfast is the absolutely most important meal of the day - skipping breakfast is soooo yesterday!

It's that metabolism thing again - it won't switch on until you eat something!

Oh please!!!  No - you don't have to have chocolate, cakes, biscuits, crisps, etc...

Find yourself some healthy - but nice - alternatives!

Breathing correctly is vital when exercising.  Breathing provides oxygen to the working muscles of the body, allowing you to work harder & preventing you from feeling dizzy or light-headed.  Breaths should be deep & from the pit of the stomach or diaphragm.  Try to breathe out during the hardest part of the exercise & in during the easiest.

The key to good looking abdominal muscles, a strong core & preventing injury is by switching on your core - the very foundation of your being!

Brace your stomach as if your about to take a punch - pull your navel in towards your spine & squeeze. This protects your spine, stabilizes your pelvis, hips & shoulders, ensuring you have good posture & giving your abdominals a fab workout!

The harder the exercise becomes the more tempted you are to rush through it.  Muscles need time to work & need to be stimulated.  Try not to pause at any part during the exercise movement to ensure your muscles stay 'switched on'.

Concentrate on your technique to continually target the correct muscles ensuring you don't develop bad habits.  Bad technique leads to injury - if your technique starts to go then stop the exercise! Think about what muscles your working & how it feels to help guide you.

Starting your exercise programme without warming up is a recipe for disaster!

Warming up prepares your body both physically & mentally.  And remember, cooling down is just as important to revert your body back to it's natural state!

Stretching is one of the biggest components of fitness - I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to have flexibility & range of movement - it reduces the risk of injury immensely!

Ensure you are warm prior to any form of stretching & remember the most beneficial time to stretch is after your workout when your body is thoroughly warm & the muscles are most pliable.

Try not to let exercise take over & take control of your life - exercise should be fun & enjoyable, not a chore!

As much as your body needs exercise, it needs to rest - don't be frightened to take time out - it should be part of your programme to maintain that healthy balance!!