1) Identify if you want to eat for hunger or other reasons. It doesn't matter if you are eating the most nutritious food on the planet. If your body doesn't have any need for the nutrients then the calories will serve little to no purpose and thus be empty calories. Hunger is a great guide for if you are eating for physical reasons or otherwise.

2) Forget anything you have learned from a diet book. All calories have some value, it's just a matter of knowing if you can use those values or not. Fat is important for cellular function and structure as well as energy. Carbohydrates replenish glycogen and energy stores as well as supply fiber and Protein brings in the building blocks for the body.

3) Don't be fooled by foods that are fortified. Adding fiber, calcium or vitamins and minerals doesn't automatically make a food healthier. I could fortify a Boston cream donut with vitamins and minerals and label it as "Healthy" and fool loads of people. Nutritionally though it's the same as eating a normal donut and then taking a vitamin pill. So the question is does taking a vitamin with a donut automatically make that donut healthy?

4) Overall, Variety is the best bet. Taking in as many different types of foods at a time is usually a better strategy than just eating one food. For example, eating 3 slices of pizza won't supply as many nutrients as eating once slice, an apple, a glass of milk and a granola bar. The calorie count might be about the same but the variety brings about a far larger value of nutrients.

* Even though food supplies the body with nutrients, it also satisfies other appetites. So by all means still have a little sweet at a party or a drink on a Friday after work.

* The best way to avoid weight gain from eating calories you don't need is to use portion control.

* I usually find it's best to always order the small size of anything when I go out. I nearly always find that the smallest serving size saves me money and still satisfies me without adding too many calories.

• Hunger happens when some sort of need is not being met. If you are eating loads of food and are still not satisfied (often time's emotionally or mentally) then it's time to find something else to satisfy that hunger. Consult a professional once you discover your needs are no longer being met by your current diet.

Be fit and live free,