Diet and fitness planning for the party season

FIND A GYM BUDDY

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, found people who embarked on a weight-loss programme with a friend lost more weight than those who did it alone. What's more Oxford University researchers found that endorphins - happiness hormones released during exercise - were much higher in people who exercised in a group.

DON'T FALL FOR LOW FAT

Research has shown that when a food is labelled low fat we see it as a licence to eat more of it. One Cornell University study showed people consumed 28 per cent more calories while snacking on sweets labelled low fat because they believed they were healthier and less calorific. "Low fat doesn't necessarily mean low calorie, " warns dietitian Juliette Kellow from weightlossresources.co.uk. "A lot of low-fat foods are laden with sugars and thickeners to bulk them out and boost taste so check calorie counts on low-fat foods."

BE A PESSIMIST

Always looking on the bright side? That happy-go-lucky attitude could be dashing your dieting attempts. Researchers at Doshisha University in Japan found dieters who were too optimistic were less likely to lose weight than those with a negative outlook. This may be because optimists underestimate the challenges of dieting and overestimate how much they'll lose. When they don't get the expected results they are more likely to ditch the diet and give in to temptation. Pessimists meanwhile who meet their more realistic dieting targets will be encouraged to stick to their diet.

SNIFF PEPPERMINT, APPLE OR BANANA

Scientists at the Smell And Taste Foundation of Chicago found certain pleasant smells suppress the appetite.

Participants in one study were asked to sniff essences of apple, banana or peppermint when they felt hungry. As a result they lost an average of 5lb a month.

It's thought some food aromas trick your brain into thinking you've eaten them.

MAKE SNACKS CONVENIENT

Wash grapes, strawberries and apples as soon as you buy them.

Snacking is all about convenience and if healthy fruit is left unwashed (and therefore not ready to eat) you are more likely to reach for an unhealthy alternative when you are peckish.

SWITCH OFF THE TV

An American study found people ate around 44 per cent more crisps while watching television than when it was switched off.

Experts say that is because being distracted by the television interrupts messages to the brain that tell you when you're full.

CHOOSE SMALL BLUE PLATES

A study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine says using smaller bowls and plates can curb the amount of food we eat.

Participants in the study who were given larger bowls served themselves 31 per cent more ice-cream than those given smaller bowls. A full small plate tricks you into thinking you've eaten more than if the same amount was served on a larger one. And when you're buying your new plates, choose blue.

Colour psychologists say it acts as an appetite suppressant - possibly linked to a prehistoric instinct to avoid blue or purple foods that were poisonous or mouldy.

PIN UP PUDDING PICTURES

Plastering your fridge with pictures of your favourite calorific puddings can encourage healthy eating according to Dutch psychologists at Utrecht University. In a study weightconscious women were shown pictures of either chocolate cake or a flower then offered a chocolate or the healthier option of an oatmeal cookie. Those shown the chocolate cake chose the healthy option. "Seeing a food temptation reminded people of their goal to watch their weight and helped them act accordingly, " said one researcher.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

Food psychologist Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating (Hay House, £8.99), says the closer and easier to access a food is, the more likely you are to eat it. In one of his studies a group of secretaries ate nine sweets daily when they were placed on their desks in transparent bowls - then six and a half sweets when they were placed in opaque containers with lids. When the bowls were positioned three feet away they ate only four a day. So keep all your tempting treats in hard-toreach cupboards or wrapped in clingfilm at the back of the fridge.

FIVE SNEAKY FOOD TRICKS

Swap white for brown.

1) A Harvard School of Public Health study showed women who ate white bread saw their waistlines expand three times more than women who ate wholegrain brown bread.

2) Use chillies - they help speed up your metabolism.

3) Enjoy low-fat yogurt.

A University of Tennessee study found people who added low-fat yogurt to a calorie-controlled diet lost 22 per cent more weight than people who didn't eat yogurt. It's thought to encourage the body's fat-burning abilities.

4) Eat courgettes, tomatoes and cucumber. Pennsylvania State University research found eating water-based foods as part of a meal reduced overall calorie intake.

5) Add vinegar. New Japanese research suggests it helps the body break down fat.