Eat as much as you like - and still lose weight!

If you watch your slim friends closely, you'll probably find that they almost never diet and seem to eat exactly what they want, when they want. And whatever the theories, the truth is they don't have a super-fast metabolism - and they're not squirreling food into their over-sized handbags either!

According to Anita Bean, health writer and author of 'Slim Secrets: How To Eat As Much As You Like And Still Lose Weight' (Virgin Books, 10.99), it's all in the mind. "The amount of food you eat doesn't matter," says Anita. "But how you eat and how you relate to food does. In general, thin people think about food differently from overweight people."

Naturally slim people are rarely emotional eaters. Nor do they deny themselves foods that they enjoy in the same way that many dieters do. "Dieting slows your metabolism. Your body believes there is a food shortage, so adapts to the impending ‘crisis' by storing more calories as fat and burning fewer calories on essential processes," explains Anita. Many people who struggle with their weight also find themselves trapped in yo-yoing diet patterns; deprivation, then bingeing, which means that they lose a little weight, but then go wild and pile it all back on again - and more. Thin people don't live by these extremes - they neither starve nor stuff themselves and they don't feel obliged to clear their plates either; when they are full, they stop eating.

"There are several reasons why diets fail, but a key factor is that they make people feel hungry and deprived," says Anita. "It may sound obvious, but this is overlooked by most diet plans. If you're hungry, you're more likely to break the diet ‘rules' and binge, with the result that you regain weight and get trapped in the diet cycle." Also, when you deny yourself something, your mind tends to focus on the forbidden thing.

Conversely, if you allow yourself a little of what you fancy, the rebel in you won't go mad and sabotage your efforts.

"In order to make sensible food choices, you need to take into account the calorie density of foods - the number of calories per gram. Then eat large amounts of foods with a low-calorie density, and small amounts with a high-calorie density as an occasional treat. In this way, you can eat more and even increase your portion sizes, so long as you change the balance of the types of foods that you eat," says Anita. So you can stop yourself from feeling hungry, while still losing weight. But, remember, don't cut out ‘healthy' calorie-dense foods, such as cheese, nuts and olive oil, because they supply the body with vital nutrients, without which your body feels unsatisfied and hungry.

Hunger and appetite play a major role in controlling weight. A useful tool is the Satiety Index (see below), compiled by Dr Susanne Holt at the University of Sydney. The index ranks foods according to their ability to a) satisfy your hunger, while b) keeping your appetite at bay. White bread (with a Satiety Index [SI] of 100) is the standard against which all other foods are compared. Satiety or satisfaction describes how long a particular food will keep you going before you feel hungry.

"Roughly speaking," says Dr Holt, "the more fibre, protein and water a food contains, the longer it will satisfy you - so the higher the SI, the better."

"High fibre foods are best because fibre expands in the gut, acting like a sponge, absorbing and holding on to water as it passes through the body, helping you feel full. In general, fruit and vegetables, wholegrain foods, legumes and nuts are excellent. Fibre also increases your chewing time, which gives your body time to register that you're feeling fuller - so you will stop eating sooner," says Anita.

She also suggests that you combine your diet with 30 minutes of light daily exercise, such as walking or swimming. In order to start eating like a slim person, you must establish a positive attitude towards your diet and your body - accepting yourself as you are, while at the same time being more conscious of what and how you eat.

"This food plan is a the basic blueprint for your future eating habits. You can follow part or all of it. The menus are interchangeable, so you can swap meals between days," says Anita. "You can even repeat daily menus if you find they fit particularly well into your daily schedule. Exact portion sizes are not given for most foods because everyone's needs are different."

To help you monitor your progress and adjust to your new healthy eating plan, keep a food and mood diary. Every day, write down everything you eat and drink and note how you feel before and afterwards. This will be a useful tool in helping you stay focused on the plan.

The satiety index

The foods in the red area are less satisfying; those in the green area are more satisfying

Croissant              47
Cake                    65
Doughnut   68
Peanuts                84
Yoghurt                88
Ice cream             96
White bread         100
French fries          116
Bananas               118
Cornflakes            118
Jelly beans           118
White pasta          119
White rice             132
Lentils                  133
Brown rice            138
Cheese                 146
Eggs                     150
All-Bran                 151
Wholegrain bread   154
Popcorn   154
Wholemeal bread   157
Grapes      162
Baked beans      168
Beef                      176
Wholemeal pasta   188
Apples   197
Oranges    202
Porridge   209
White fish   225
Potatoes   323

Eight anti-diet tips for painless weight loss

To stay slim, you need to be aware of the way you think about food.

● Before you eat anything, ask yourself if you really are hungry.

● Focus on your food when you eat - don't get distracted.

● Halfway through your meal, stop and ask yourself "Have I had enough?" If your answer is "yes", then stop eating. Don't automatically clear your plate.

● Eat high-water content foods, such as fruit, soup or salad at every meal.

● Choose high-fibre foods that need a lot of chewing.

● Include a small portionof protein in every meal as it has an appetite-suppressing effect and makes meals more satisfying.

● Don't miss out on your favourite foods - you'll only obsess about them.

● Drink at least 8 glasses or 1 litre (1¾pt) water/tea/herbal tea a day. (You may also include up to 2 cups of coffee without sugar.)