Simple promises and threats using food as a reward or punishment can shape your child's eating habits and patterns for the rest of their days. Once fully grown that same food becomes a guilty indulgence we use to reward or comfort ourselves with when we feel we've earned the right to have it.
Why do you comfort eat?

If, like many, you crave something sweet at the end of a meal, try going to the bathroom instead of the kitchen - to brush your teeth. After the minty freshness that toothpaste provides, chances are you'll be less likely to snack on something sugary.

When setting out to make changes in any area of life, we all need some inspiration. We like the saying "It takes motivation to start, and habit to continue" so search for your own favourite quotes and stick them up on your fridge, desk or mirror - anywhere that's visible on a daily basis.

As the New Year approaches, some of us tend to draw up a long list of resolutions with the best intentions in mind. However, come April or May these have often been left by the wayside because we may have set our sights too high. Rather than deciding to join a gym, eat healthier, quit smoking, work harder and save money for a holiday all in one year, why not commit to just one or two realistic resolutions that you know you'll keep. Instead of focusing on a multitude of health goals, resolve to simply lead a healthier lifestyle that encompasses all aspects of your life - improved general fitness, loads of fruit and vegies and a happier attitude. That way, you can't quit!

The fat content of many dishes can be significantly reduced by limiting the amount of oil you use while cooking. When baking meat, vegetables or biscuits, line roasting pans and oven trays with baking paper instead of oil. Making muffins? Use a silicon muffin tray which needs no greasing - the muffins pop right out. When stir frying, use less oil and add a bit of liquid stock instead to help cook the food - the flavour stays the same but the fat content is reduced. Olive oil sprays are also a great alternative to pouring oil on a pan when grilling, as only a thin layer of oil is used.

Don't think in terms of being forbidden to eat certain foods. If you tell yourself you're allowed to have them occasionally, you may find that you don't want to eat them as often.

Rather than follow the fad diet of the moment, take time out to create a meal plan full of healthy, wholesome foods you will actually enjoy eating. Instead of concentrating on what a certain diet allows or restricts, shift your focus to the foods that nourish and increase nutrition. Listen to your body and find pleasure in preparing meals using your favourite fruits and vegetables, lean protein, wholegrains, legumes and pulses and healthy fats and oils. With healthy eating and regular exercise over time the body will often return to its natural healthy weight.

An easy way to boost metabolism and cleanse the body is to prepare a hot water and lemon drink first thing in the morning. Add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of warm water and drink upon rising.

Try not to eat too close to exercise, as the body shifts energy towards digestion of the last meal and away from muscles, so peak performance will be lower and benefits won't be the same. Make sure you have enough energy by timing your workout about half an hour after a light snack, an hour after a large snack or light meal and leave at least two to three hours between exercise and a heavy meal.

A light snack about 30 minutes after a workout will replace lost energy and repair any muscle damage. A snack containing carbohydrate and protein in a ratio of 2:1 is optimal, such as a plain yoghurt, a piece of fruit and 30g of low-fat cheese, a slice of wholegrain bread with ricotta cheese, a fruit smoothie, or 40 grams of mixed nuts and dried fruit. Make sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise to replace lost fluid.

And don't aim for a quick fix - contrary to popular belief, consuming sweets such as lollies or chocolate before exercise does not provide a quick burst of energy, but may cause a rise in insulin followed by a drop in blood sugar leading to fatigue.

Although the aim of exercise is to help us lose or maintain weight and burn off the foods we've eaten, it's important to fuel your body properly before you begin. Eat a low GI snack or meal 1.5 - 2 hours before exercising to keep blood sugar levels stable and maintain energy levels. Not only does this allow the body to work more efficiently and burn calories better, it prevents you from feeling weak and dizzy.

After a high-intensity workout it's also important to have a small snack that includes carbohydrate and protein to start the recovery process and repair the muscles that you've worked. Try a piece of fruit and a small slice of cheese, a yoghurt, a small handful of nuts and dried fruit or some tuna on wholegrain crackers.

Recent research has shown that soluble fibre lowers blood cholesterol, possibly by binding to bile acids (made from cholesterol to digest dietary fats) and then excreting them. Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, high fibre grain-based products like breakfast cereals (especially those that contain psyllium, oats or barley), legumes and beans.

FRUIT : 1 serve is the equivalent of 1 medium piece or 1 cup diced fruit

VEGETABLES : 1 serve is the equivalent of 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked.

Eat at least 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit a day for good health

Among your many goals, being healthy should always feature near the top of the list. Write down what you need the most to feel great - be it better skin, stronger nails, less headaches, more energy, better controlled blood sugar or lowered cholesterol just to name a few.
Search for foods that benefit these conditions at The Food Coach Food Value Database - and while you're there, watch one of our new feature videos on seasonal foods.

A large glass of wine will take one hour of window cleaning. It might be worthwhile for sparking clean windows!

Postmenopausal women are especially prone to osteoporosis due to the lower levels of oestrogen, which is inevitable as we age. So what's the answer? Weight training.
Studies have found that older women who participated in weight sessions twice a week for a year were able to increase their bone density by one per cent, while those who did nothing experienced a loss in bone density by 1.8 - 2.5 per cent.
Strength training actually helps the bone retain calcium - so no matter how high your calcium intake, without doing some weight-bearing exercise your bones will find this vital mineral hard to retain. It needn't be strenous exercise - see an expert for a suitable program you can implement twice a week, and on the other days try a brisk walk to get the blood flowing.

If you're making an effort to get fit and shed a few kilos, make exercise a part of everyday life as well as setting aside time to work out. At work, rather than taking the lift to the office, use the stairs every time. Don't email a colleague three cubicles down, get up and walk over to deliver your message. On the way home, get off the bus three stops early and walk the rest of the way, and get up to change the TV channel rather than using the remote.
You won't really notice the incidental exercise, but every little bit of expended energy counts towards the daily number of kilojoules burnt, leading to a fitter body.

Every time you're thinking of heading into the kitchen for a snack find an odd job that you've been putting off that will only take 15 minutes. Sew a button back onto a jacket, clean a cupboard, or sort out your CD's. You'll be amazed how effective it is in quashing your appetite and how good you'll feel afterwards getting so much done.

There are a few things you must take into account when buying packaged food:
1.What's in it?
2.How much is in it?
3.Is it going to do me any good?

Other things, such as the logos of various organisations, beautiful pictures, nutritional claims and daily-intake panels may influence you, but at the end of the day, provided you know what to look for, the three points above are the most important things to know.

Instead of serving Hi Gi mashed potatoes with your evening meal, use canned beans. They're precooked, easy, high in fibre and have a very low GI.

Cooking kangaroo is easy, and you don't need to go searching for recipes either. Simply substitute kangaroo for any other meat you may have used in a recipe where the method is grilling, frying, barbequing, or what about a kangaroo bolognaise? Just remember that kangaroo can become tough when overcooked, so you may need to tweak the specified cooking time.

An indicator of internal inflammation is often noticed through flexibilty and range of movement. To test a reduction of inflammatory processes in the body practice regular stretches or yoga poses, and observe if and when the moevments become easier and more fluid.

If making a casserole, prepare it the day before and set it aside to cool. Once cool you can scrape off any excess fat. It's healthier and will taste better the next day too.

Sometimes it's okay to give into temptation, and satisfy your craving with a healthy version of what you desire. This could include:

Three squares of dark chocolate (instead of half a block of milk chocolate)

A slice of dense grainy toast topped with low fat ricotta and honey (rather than a piece of cheesecake)

Sparkling mineral water mixed with orange juice (instead of a soft drink)

Chopped fruit (instead of fruit-flavoured lollies)

Low fat plain yoghurt with fresh strawberries (much better than strawberry ice-cream)

Not only will you feel satisfied, but your body will naturally begin to lose the cravings as you replace them with natural whole foods.

Whether you're on a detox or not, eating bitter foods can stimulate the liver to cleanse itself, as well as promoting secretion of gastric juices in the stomach which will also aid digestion. Choose dark greens such as rocket, mustard and dandelion greens, Romaine and raddichio lettuce, chicory, endive, olives and lemon. Try eating a bitter salad 15 minutes before a meal to stimulate secretions and help the body digest the food to come.

If you're one of those people who can't stand gyms or don't have time to make it there, consider weight training around the house.

For example, while you're waiting for water to boil, do some bicep curls using canned legumes or tomatoes, bottles of water or anything else reasonably heavy. Lunge your way down the hallway a few times a day and add in five squats between each piece of ironing. During ad breaks of your favourite TV show squeeze in some sit ups, or tricep dips using the edge of the couch or coffee table.

Eating healthily helps too - the more fruit and vegies you buy each week, the heavier your groceries will be and the stronger your arms will get after carrying them to and from the car.....

Christmas can be a stressful time, especially if you're worried about gaining weight over the festive season. Stress is a major contributor to weight gain, making us eat more when we're not really hungry. If you're lucky enough to get a few days off work, take the time to rest, relax and enjoy yourself with family and friends. Eat when hungry, stop when full and choose the healthier option.

Many summer fruits have higher natural sugar content than those of winter and should, like everything, be eaten in moderation. Melon and pineapple, the sweetest fruits, raise blood sugar levels quite quickly causing the production of insulin - too much insulin over time can result in weight gain and adult onset diabetes.

Mango and apricots are slightly better and no summer would be complete without indulging in some of these luscious fruits - just remember too many could result in weight gain.

The summer superheroes are berries, cherries and plums. These marvels of summer are quite simply packed with antioxidants and pytochemicals which will help the body fight disease and defend cells under attack. They are loaded with fibre to eliminate toxins AND, the added bonus, have a low Glycemic index.

If you've got a sweet tooth and are partial to dessert after you've eaten dinner, consider indulging in a soft ripe custard apple instead. Slice a large fruit into pieces and share between three people.

Many people regularly consume products full of artifcial sweeteners, believing if something has "no sugar" then it must be better for you in terms of weight loss. Diet soft drinks, cordials, chewing gum, protein bars, desserts, sweets, the list is growing.

Artficial sweeteners are thousands of times sweeter than regular sugar, which actually leads to more intense cravings and a desire to eat more, studies have shown. What many don't realise is that there's nothing wrong with sugar, as long as it's in moderation. A slice of cake with friends now and then should be savoured, not replaced with "fake" food. Choose natural sweeteners for a hint of flavour, such as 1/2 teaspoon honey in tea, or a drizzle of maple syrup on porridge or use agave nectar in baking. I guarantee you'll enjoy your food more, and be satisified without having to reach for a second (or third) slice....

Learn to accept that your body will never be perfect and embrace your shape as it changes throughout the various stages of life. If you eat well, exercise regularly and keep happy, you're doing the best you can and your body will reflect that. Laughter lines and curves appear as we age but the quicker we understand that they're an inevitable part of life, the quicker we can get on living it!