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So you love food? The thought of losing weight by eating less probably traumatises you! But take heart. Use these hints to make it all less painful.

We all know we need to have a well balanced diet. But this doesn't mean your diet has to be boring, just well planned. Sit down with your low fat recipe books and plan your week's meals before you go grocery shopping. Do not shop while you're hungry as you'll buy more. Only buy what's on the list. See how good it feels to have your shopping trolley full of mostly fruit and vegetables!

Change your attitude to eating by using smaller plates. You can still eat adequate proportions of the right food, but you will feel like you're eating more. Don't laugh, try this: it really works! Another little trick is to eat your nightly meal several hours before going to bed, then brush your teeth immediately. This seems to deter those late night cravings!

It's easy to remember this formula of your daily food requirements: 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit. I find that starting the day with some fruit on my cereal takes care of one of the fruit serves and then I only have to munch on an apple some time during the day to fulfil that requirement. Eating a carrot for morning tea works for me because it takes a long time to chew (and therefore feels like I'm eating more!) plus it takes care of my first vegetable serve.

Eat slowly and savour every mouthful. Think about the texture and flavour of the food as you chew. Enjoy the eating experience more. Drink water with your meals as a habit as it will help fill you up. Chop up your favourite fruit and leave it in a container in the fridge. It's amazing how we're all more inclined to eat fruit when it's already bite sized. It's amazing at a kid's party when you bring out plates of chopped up fruit how the kids won't generally complain and will polish off every last morsel!

Have you noticed how most of our social events with family and friends are built around eating? Why not be the one to change all this by suggesting a walk together instead of a dinner party, a ball game in the park instead of an All-You-Can-Eat restaurant, a card game instead of a coffee shop? The company will still be great, and you won't feel tempted to mindlessly eat lots of food.

When heading out to social or sporting events, be kind to your body and your budget by packing healthy foods before you go. Most venues stock fast foods which are high in fat. In addition, you often waste previous time as a family by queuing up. If you worry that your kids will be missing out, you could buy them a treat after they've filled up on sandwiches and fruit. By then the smell of hot fries and chips will not seem as irresistable!

The truth is that none of us manage to eat everything we should on every single day of our lives. In our busy modern lives there's bound to be days the 5 vegetables 2 fruit rule is not observed. That's where health supplements come in. You'll experience great peace of mind as you and your family consume your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals in the form of a shake or capsules. It's a safeguard so that you know your body is getting what it needs. It's even more useful after exercise as whey protein shakes help repair and tone muscle. Many people also have a protein shake prior to bed to ensure that their metabolism doesn't slow down. Literally helping to lose weight while they snooze!

It's not as hard as you think to lose weight by eating well. It's not about fad diets, because these never result in sustained weight loss, and it's not about starving yourself, because you'll feel like you're missing out on pleasure. It's about organisation and retraining yourself by employing a few tricks which are tried and true.

Author Colin Johnson highly recommends whey protein shakes for overall health and as a hunger suppressant. Some of these shakes, such as Sleek and Slender, are specifically designed for the female body in mind. More information can be found at http://www.protein4health.com Colin has been a health educator, drug educator, elite sports coach and father of five all in one lifetime! He lives with his wife and family on the shores of beautiful Lake Macquarie, Newcastle.