2 GO for a family bike ride on a Sunday afternoon. 3 WATCH your portion sizes - they should only be as big as your two hands laid flat. 4 DON'T eat junk just because you have children - they can eat the same food as you. 5 TAKE time to cook at least one meal a day and sit down to eat it with your family. 6 CHEW your food at least 10 times before swallowing it and savour every mouthful. 7 THROW yourself into DIY and housework - washing, ironing and putting up shelves all burn calories. 8 EAT at roughly the same time every day, whether this is two or five times a day. 9 CHOOSE reduced-fat dairy products, spreads and salad dressings if you can. 10 TRY to walk 10,000 steps every day. Use a pedometer to count the steps. 11 IF you snack, choose a healthy option such as fresh fruit instead of chocolate or crisps. 12 BE careful about food claims. Check the fat and sugar content on food labels. 13 THINK twice before having second helpings. 14 WAIT 20 minutes after you've eaten before deciding whether to have dessert. 15 STAND up for 10 minutes every hour. 16 DRINK water or sugar-free squashes. Unsweetened fruit juice contains natural sugar, so limit it to one glass per day (200ml). 17 ALCOHOL is high in calories so cut it down. 18 EAT at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (400g in total). 19 TAKE up a team sport. Five-a-side football can be so much fun you won't even realise you're working out. 20 TALK to your kids' teachers to see if you can increase the number of PE lessons. 21 DON'T eat too many carbs after 8pm. You won't burn them off before you go to sleep. 22 EAT scrambled eggs for breakfast. The protein will keep you going until lunch time. 23 ONLY eat at the table - don't graze idly in front of the TV. 24 MAKE a fresh fruit salad and keep it in the fridge for when you crave a snack. 25 TRY eating carrots instead of crisps if you're feeling peckish. 26 SET aside three half-hour slots in your diary every week for exercise and stick to them the way you would any other obligation. 27 TAKE your trainers to work and run round a park at lunch time. It will leave you feeling energised for the rest of the day. 28 BUY a blender and whip up a fruit smoothie for breakfast. Add some pumpkin and sesame seeds for extra energy. 29 CHOOSE unrefined carbohydrates such as brown rice, pasta and bread. They release energy more slowly. 30 GO oriental - the Japanese keep slim with their diet of raw fish (used in sushi) and limited carbs. 31 BUY smaller plates to trick yourself into thinking you are eating bigger portions. 32 BE imaginative. Cans of baked beans or bottles of mineral water can double up as dumb-bells. 33 IF you're too self-conscious to exercise in public, buy an exercise DVD so you can work out in the privacy of your own home. 34 FIND a mentor - talk to someone you know who has slimmed successfully and learn their secrets. 35 SWAP full-fat milk for semi-skimmed and save 19kcal and 2.3g fat per 100ml. 36 HAVE energetic sex - it burns off calories and tones up your body. | 
