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Typical ingredients in a fast-food strawberry milkshake!

To make a strawberry milkshake at home, you need four fresh ingredients. Ice cream, strawberries, a touch of vanilla and maybe some sugar. The processed version isn't quite so simple:

Milkfat and nonfat milk, sugar, sweet whey, high-fructose corn syrup, guar gum, monoglycerides and diglycerides, cellulose gum, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, citric acid, E129 and, of course, artificial strawberry flavour (because why on earth would you want to use the real thing?).

And what does that 'artificial strawberry flavour' contain?

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Ever met anyone who doesn't get peckish between meals?  Probably not!

Most people get hunger cravings - be it because they're not eating properly at meal times or because they've run out of the house without a proper breakfast.

But wanting a snack isn't a bad thing. Remember that for optimum health, it's important not to go for more than four hours without eating. For most of us that means a snack between breakfast and lunch, and another between lunch and dinner.

 

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How much water should you drink?

The body loses around two and a half percent of its water every day, and this rate goes up with exercise and sport. It is essential to drink the recommended glasses of water to avoid dehydration and for the normal functioning of the body. It is also a well known fact that drinking the recommended daily intake of water can reduce the chances of heart disease and kidney problems. Drinking the right amount of water can also help the body regulate temperature and avoid dehydration. The symptoms of dehydration include headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration.

 But how much is the 'recommended amount'?

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Summer may be over but it'll be round again soon!

Are you looking forward to next summer but dreading getting back into your bikini?

Many of us shroud our bodies in multiple layers throughout the winter months and shove thoughts of exposing ourselves to the back of our minds. But Summer is fast approaching. It's time to get rid of those woolly jumpers and dust off those skinny rib t-shirts, bottom skimming shorts and bikinis.

But don't get disappointed with yourself if your feel winter overindulgence has left you not looking your best. You still have plenty of time to get into shape before it's kit off time! And at Getfitter.com we have plenty of ways to help you do it.

 

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Follow these tips to get your energy levels back up

Eat lentils
Apart from being a good source of carbs and protein, lentils are also high in fibre, providing a slow-release of glucose. Try making dhal, the Indian lentil dish – warming, spicy and nourishing – perfect for winter warming.

Eat beef

Beef is rich in iron – when your body has insufficient levels of iron it burns carbohydrates inefficiently causing feelings of sluggishness and loss of concentration.  Treat yourself to steak and chips. Cook your steak on a griddle so the fat drips away and oven-roast potato wedges.

Serve with a big green salad with a zingy horseradish dressing.

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How can I eat healthily on a budget?

For breakfast porridge is a great option. It is 100% slow energy releasing oats which will keep you full for longer, and it has no salt or sugar. It is also good value.  

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Fats and oils have received largely negative press in recent years as obesity in the Western world climbs to record levels and people become more obsessed about losing weight.

 

But is the press that fats have received of late fair?

Is it really fats that are making us overweight?

Are fats responsible for the huge increase in heart disease, developed nations have experienced over the past century or so?

And do you actually understand which fats are good and which are bad?