Claire - good work!
As for diets and the like, the underlying maths is simple:
- calories in > calories used
result = weight gain
- calories in < calories used
result = weight loss
- calories in = calories used
result = weight maintained
(there is slightly more to it than this, such as exercise speeding up your metabolism, certain foods being easier to 'process' than others, etc., but that's the underlying key to success).
As well as the weight side of things, you also have to consider your health as well. I'm a skinny bugger, but I watch what I eat (although I eat a lot of what I do eat!). Heart disease is a problem in my Dad's side of the family. He had a heart attack when he was 40, and a quadruple by-pass when he was 60. He's never been overweight, used to smoke (but stopped before I was born), doesn't drink, etc. I make sure that my daily diet is low in saturated fats, I eat enough fruit and veg, oily fish, etc. I also do a fair bit of exercise (although poker doesn't half get in the way of exercising). What I'm saying is that everyone should think about what they eat - but if weight loss is your goal the forumla is simple.
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