diet rules that you can live by

If you drop weight without lifting any, you risk shedding muscle tissue instead of fat. Muscle takes more than twice as many kilojoules to maintain, and it keeps your metabolism revving at peak kilojoule-burning speed, so it's important to hang on to it, says Dr Donald Hensrud, an associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at the US College of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Your best strategy is to eat lots of protein and strength train for 20 to 30 minutes two or three times a week. Protein will fuel those workouts and help you maintain lean muscle, says Hensrud. Eat at least three or four 55 to 85g servings of protein-rich beans, soya, fish, lean meat, poultry or low-fat dairy every day.