The diet plan I am following, The Anne Collins Diet, aims for you to lose about 2 pounds per week, if you adhere to the plan. Now Anne allows for the fact that you may slip now and then, and has some good suggestions so you don't slip too far away from the plan, but she does note that it will slow down your weight loss. This is what I like about Anne and the plan -- she clearly states that if you want to lose weight, you have got to do the work and change your eating habits. (Though I wish she had some magic formula.) This is what I keep telling myself when I reach for that jar of mayonnaise or think about grabbing a Kit Kat when I stop in for the paper, "I want to lose weight more than I want to eat that fatty food!" Where did I here this? "Being thin feels better than eating chocolate tastes." Something like that.

To help you make the most of The Slimmer's Diary,
Anne Collins, one of Ireland's most experienced slimming consultants, based in West Cork, has agreed to answer any of your weight loss questions, personally.

Q. What foods are most helpful, or best to avoid, when you are dealing with a bad cold or case of the flu?

A. Illness often puts us off eating - occasionally for good reason. But mostly it's very important to keep eating, no matter how bad we feel. After all, food is still the best way to maintain our strength and immunity. Reaching for antibiotics every time we get ill is a recipe for disaster as any doctor will tell you. So be sure to eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, garlic, salads and chicken soup. (Not for nothing is chicken soup still referred to as Jewish Penicillin!) Foods to avoid would include anything that takes a lot of effort to digest, like meat and anything else with a high fat content.

Q. A low fat diet is usually recommended to help avoid serious illness in later life, are there any other specific things we can do in our diets to help in this way?

A. Yes. It's worth remembering that heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and many other age-related diseases are partly caused by bad lifestyle, like bad eating. Cancers are best protected against by eating less meat and dairy products, and more fruit, vegetables and grains (like rice, potatoes, cereals). Osteoporosis is best guarded against by maintaining adequate levels of calcium, so eat regular amounts of lower fat cheese and sardines. However, it's not just calcium that counts. In order to absorb calcium we need several other vitamins and minerals, as well. So as usual, the answer is: eat a balanced diet, and take regular exercise!

But Vitamin C still remains the No 1 miracle food for most diseases. Why? Because of it's effectiveness in boosting our general immunity. Another reason why fruit and vegetables are so important.

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Hi to our regular visitors, Eimear & Nollaig! Check in next week to see how my week went and let us know how you are doing too!