I love New Years Resolutions (NYR’s). I think they’re really funny. My personal research suggests that if you’ve made a NYR anywhere between 12.00 am on the 1st of January and 12.00 am on say, the 15th of January of any particular year, you have 83.2% less chance of sticking to it than if you made the resolution any other time of the year.

No doubt, the next few weeks will test your commitment to healthy, balanced eating, particularly as we face a barrage of social events and of course excessive Christmas day indulgences!

Here are 5 ways to make sure you don’t undo all the hard work and still enjoy the best of the festive season:

Low Intensity verses High Intensity Training: Which is best for fat loss?

Fat loss is often high on the list of reasons why people start an exercise program. While there is an abundance of information available on exercise and fat loss, like many things these days, it can be confusing to work out which approach is best. Some people swear by low intensity exercise – with long periods spent in the ‘fat burning’ zone – while others believe high intensity is best.

Constant cravings bringing you undone?

Sure, the thought of eating carrots and celery for a week sounds reasonable just after you’ve scoffed down a pizza with coke and washed it down with some cheesecake, but in reality, when the next days hunger pangs hit again, it’s likely to all go out the window!

With so much information out there available to us at the touch of a mouse, it is easy to get distracted and confused. However, when it comes to managing your weight, there really are 5 key principles you must adopt if you are to see and maintain results.

Just after Christmas day, I caught up with a friend and we began to chat about the details of the big day, when he started to lament how he was going to burn off the 6,000 plus calories he thinks he consumed on Christmas day. I thought he was kidding.

"No, really, how do I burn off the 6,000 plus calories from Christmas day and get back on track?" There it was, he said it again, I couldn't have been hearing things, he was serious!!

Snacks - good or evil?

Small healthy snacks between main meals reduces the chances of hitting an energy rut, which usually occurs mid morning or mid afternoon when blood sugar levels from our previous meal are dropping. It is at this point that we are usually at our weakest and often succumb to the craving for high sugar and fat laden foods.

....and here it is, your SUMMER edition of myPrinciples, packed to the brim with terrific articles, tips and facts to keep you fit and healthy.

Got a health and fitness related question? Ask us!

We'll either know the answer, research the answer or refer you to the right place for specialist help!

So we now know the SECRET to weight loss i.e. calories in needs to be less than calories expended, but the question is, how do you monitor your calorie intake?