The Seven dieting sins and how to avoid them...

By Angela Dowden 2/03/2009

If you are regularly committing one of these seven deadly food sins you need to get your diet back on track.

Diet sins

The Sin: Shaking salt over food without tasting it

>Why it’s so bad Not only does salt cause high blood pressure – it can also make you bloated and puffy as it attracts excess water.

>Absolve yourself Taste before you shake. Wean yourself off slowly by cutting down over a couple of weeks. Experiment with herbs, pepper, lemon and chilli instead.

The Sin: Skipping breakfast

>Why it’s so bad Research shows that breakfast skippers are fatter and unhealthier than breakfast-eaters.

>Absolve yourself No more excuses. A bowl of high-fibre cereal with milk takes just five minutes, and if you’re really up against it you can eat a yoghurt and piece of fruit when you get to work.

The Sin: Shopping haphazardly

>Why it’s so bad Having unplanned supermarket forays means you’re more likely to choose the wrong balance of foods.

>Absolve yourself Make a list and never shop on an empty stomach. Internet shopping is also a good idea. You’re less likely to be distracted by treat foods and you can build up a list of healthy basics for repeat order.

>Why it’s so bad Feeling restrained or guilty about eating food can lead to bingeing.

>Absolve yourself “Make” yourself eat foods you’ve previously thought of as sinful every day in small amounts. Once you are able to master these foods instead of them mastering you, you’ll no longer have the urge to binge on them.

The Sin: Too many takeaways and fast food

>Why it’s so bad Eat them too often and you will greatly increase your chances of being overweight

>Absolve yourself Allow yourself one “fakeaway” a week – that’s a supermarket version which shows the calorie content.

The Sin: Not getting your daily quota of fruit and veg

>Why it’s so bad People who don’t eat lots of fruit and veg have more trouble controlling their weight and are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer.

>Absolve yourself Keep a food diary for a couple of days to see how much fruit and veg you are actually eating and then sneak in more. Try adding dried fruit to your cereal or whipping up a stir fry.

The Sin: Not watching what you spread

>Why it’s so bad Full fat butter or marg on just two slices of bread adds up to 148 calories and 16g fat .

>Absolve yourself Swap to a low-fat spread which on average will save you 74 calories per two slices.

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