34 of the world's top diet and fitness gurus offer their sage advice on getting fit and losing weight
Diet for the season
'Get up earlier in summer and later in winter, in line with natural sunlight hours. Don't eat late at night or before you're fully awake.'
Stay hydrated at the gym
'Your gym may have drinking fountains but they won't help you keep an eye on how much you drink.
Shake things up
'Though there's not much scientific proof that it works, some dieters find that changing some of their meal plan selections from week to week seems to help th
Too much chocolate
'Every time you eat a chocolate biscuit instead of an apple you are choosing to be fat.
Work your stretch
'Some stretches may feel uncomfortable initially but try to stay in them, even if only for a short while.
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.
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.
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.
Stay off the scales
'Don't assume that the scale is always a true measure of what is going on with the body.
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
Put your best foot forward
'When looking for a parking bay, try to find one further away from your destination and walk briskly. Walk when talking on your mobile phone.
Start drinking pints of water
'Drink eight glasses a day. Water is a natural appetite-suppressant.
Twinkle toes
'Try playing imaginary piano scales with your toes.
Keep your eye on GI
'Eat low GI foods. They result in lower insulin levels which makes fat easier to burn and less likely to be stored.
Less is more
'Frequency is almost always more beneficial than duration when working out.
Cut down on alcohol
'If you're trying to lose weight, remember to count the booze - a single gin and tonic has about 140 calories.'
Write down your diet goals
'If you don't know why you want something, it won't be as important for you to get it. But be positive.
Go tropical
'Tropical fruits, especially pineapples and paw paw are very good foods to protect you against cellulite.
Take the half hour challenge
'Exercise burns calories. A daily 30-minute brisk walk will burn around 1,500 calories every week.
It's in the can
'Canned rice pudding is great for lifting calcium levels, pilchards offer Omega-3 fatty acids and vegetables are full of vitamins.
Don't go exercise crazy
'Being a fitness junkie is probably more dangerous than not doing anything at all and even I don't exercise every day.
Avoid man-sized meals
'When cooking for two, don't just split meals into two equal portions. You don't need to eat as much as your partner.'
The great outdoors
'Central heating, open fires, poor ventilation and stress all cause havoc with our bodies.
Go nuts
'Pistachios are a good source of potassium and they provide a whole collection of heart friendly nutrients such as vitamin B6, magnesium and copper and are a useful sourc
Don't yo-yo diet
'Repeated weight loss and gain changes the structure and number of your fat cells, which ultimately make it much easier for you to regain weight you've w
Eat negative calories
'A portion of brussel sprouts is worth 50 calories; yet 75 calories are used in digestion and absorption, so burning 25 calories of body fat.
Up your fibre intake
'It is estimated that a third of cancers could be prevented by changes in diet.
Banish the D-word
'Don't say, "I can't eat that because I'm on a diet".
The two-day rule
'If you're trying to lose weight, don't let more than 48 hours go by without doing some form of exercise as it's important to keep your metabolic rat
The bin is not a sin
'It's your waist that is a waste. Try not to cook more food than you need or more than you can eat.
Cut back on salt
'Don't add salt when you cook. If you can't avoid eating it, drink lots of water both during and after the meal.
Do the right reps for you
'For muscle endurance training do up to 18 or 20 repetitions at a weight that starts to fatigue you at 14 or 15.
Don't pig out
'Eat when you are hungry, not out of habit. Graze rather than gorge. Eat little and often, with plenty of fruit as snacks in-between.'
