Nutritional tips and advice

What is the secret of radiant skin that glows with health? And silky, shiny hair?

It could be as simple as changing the contents of your plate.

Slimavite’s expert nutritionist, Melanie, explains: “For healthy skin, the best place to start is not by spending a fortune on the latest creams – but by looking at what you are eating.

“A varied and balanced diet that is packed with fresh fruit and vegetables, and rich in vitamins and minerals, will help keep skin healthy, as well as helping to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

It’s nearly time for the clocks to go forward, meaning Spring is well and truly on the horizon.

And while you may be preparing to dust off the cobwebs and have a sort out around your home, there’s also no better time to give your weight loss a spring clean too!

Slimavite nutritionist Melanie Bibby explains; “The lighter, warmer days of Spring offer a fantastic opportunity for slimmers to revitalise their weight loss plans and put a spring back in their step.

If your idea of a perfect day is meeting friends for coffee before going for a spot of shopping, then enjoying a meal out or settled down for a night in with a takeaway and a glass of wine, then you may be shocked to learn exactly how many calories you could be consuming.

Play our quick quiz and see if you really know how many calories may be lurking in your favourite foods.

Simply choose which you think is the right answer from the three given for each food or drink listed below. You’ll find the correct answers at the bottom of the page.

Coffee shop

Do you ever look at the labelling on the foods you eat?

Whether you’re slimming or maintaining a healthy weight, it is important to be aware of what is in the foods you consume (and you may get a few surprises!)

But from the nutritional information to the GDAs, what does it all mean? We asked Slimavite nutritionist Melanie Bibby to explain.

“You can use nutritional labels to help you ensure you are enjoying a balanced diet,” says Mel.

It’s National Chip Week (Feb 20-26) and the good news for slimmers is you don’t need to give them up to lose weight! Here’s how….

Delicious home cooked chips and wedges, prepared in a healthy way, can happily be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. And they are quick and easy to make!

There are loads of benefits to the humble spud. They can provide protein, fibre, iron, vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals, and are a great source of complex carbohydrates.

All week we’ve been asking you to Tweet or message us with your weight loss questions for Slimavite nutritionist Melanie Bibby.

Whatever your dilemma, when it comes to slimming, diet or motivation, Mel will have the answer!

Have we missed one? Get in touch on Twitter to @Slimavite using #askmel or post on our Facebook page wall.

Q) I find I can’t get a certain food out of my head

Could your job be getting in the way of your weight loss?

For some slimmers, working can be a very positive thing. It can help create a daily routine, which in turn can help with making healthy behaviours habit.

But for others, the nature of their working environment or job itself may actually be adding extra pressure to their weight loss attempts.

To help combat these issues, we’ve asked Slimavite nutritionist Melanie Bibby to offer her expert advice on the most common obstacles that may be faced in the work place.

Want some help making your romantic encounters sizzle this Valentine’s day? Then check out our guide to the top ‘aphrodisiac’ foods.

“There are a number of foods which have developed a reputation as so called aphrodisiacs, or which are thought to help with libido,” explains Slimavite nutritionist Melanie Bibby.

Along with having children, when we ask slimmers to think back to when they first started to put on weight, one of the things we often hear is ‘after I got married’.

According to Slimavite nutritionist, Melanie Bibby, this is a common reason for weight gain.

“Being in love is a wonderful feeling and finding that special person you want to spend the rest of your life with can leave you happy and contented,” said Mel.

SOS! Save Our Slimming!

We know that sometimes, no matter what you do, you will just feel like you want to eat everything in sight. (We’ve all been there!)

So to help you prepare for those moments when nothing else will do – and drinking water, going for a walk and other distractions just aren’t working - we’ve put together a special snacking guide, to help with damage limitation.

Like any emergency, our top tip is to be prepared! Don’t wait, get stocked up now so you’re all ready when one of those moments hits.

Prepare