This year I have stumbled upon an easy way to lose weight quickly, and keep it off, without giving up any of your favourite foods or spending large amounts of money on slimming aids. Before you get too excited I must stress there are no tricks that will help you drop two sizes overnight, and you will have to put in some work, but if you are willing to follow a few easy steps you will lose weight, gain energy and feel amazing. Last year I was overweight, tired and generally feeling unwell. I have now lost over a stone, my energy levels are up and my skin feels great....and I have not followed any diet plan. Want to know how I did it?

The answer is simply I stopped dieting and started cooking! I still eat all sorts of food including curries, pasta and roast dinners, but the difference is I make all my meals from scratch using fresh, locally grown ingredients.

Below are some tips to help you lose weight quickly and healthily:

1.Buy the best locally grown produce you can find.

2.Never use convenience foods – have you tasted home made tomato soup? So easy to make & cheap - you'll never go back to tinned. Locally grown tomatoes also make a great base for curries, casseroles and pasta sauces.

3.Forget the takeaways and get cooking!

4. Use fresh vegetables that are in season, they will taste wonderful.

5.Eat less red meat and more chicken and fish.

6.Use only olive oil when cooking.

7.Throw out your ready made salad creams & mayonnaise – fresh, organic salad needs no more than a drizzle of olive oil to bring out the flavours.

8.Use fresh lemon juice in your cooking.

If you are wondering if this means I have given up alcohol the answer is a definite NO! I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, especially when friends are around. But if you are hoping for rapid weight loss I would certainly suggest that you cut down on your alcohol in -take and definitely keep within recommended limits.

.Last, but certainly not least, try and build some exercise into your weekly routine. Does this mean joining an expensive gym.....I would say not necessarily. In the past I have joined various state of the art gyms and paid considerable amounts of money to never set foot in the building...not good! However, I have found I enjoy walking, this may be walking to work or walking to the shops – or wrapping up on the weekends and taking a walk in the local park or exploring the local countryside. Swimming is also an enjoyable way to burn off some calories, lose weight and improve your health. These are pastimes that the whole family can enjoy together – cost little and will improve they way you look and feel.

Stop dieting and start eating the best meals of your life! Try it just for one month – you'll be surprised with the results!