Rachael's Nutrition Challenge for April:

Eat two thirds of your calories within the first two thirds of your day

If you were to drive from London to Edinburgh on an empty tank of petrol you wouldn't expect your car to keep going on the ‛promise' you'd fill it up when you get there so why is it that's exactly what we expect our bodies to do when we race through the day skipping breakfast, grabbing a bite for lunch only to fill up on an over sized, energy sapping, calorie laden meal before collapsing onto the sofa in the evenings.

The best way to make the pounds drop off and to keep energy levels high (helping to avoid all those cravings for high fat, high sugar, quick energy fixes) is to switch to eating the majority of your calories during the day when you need them most for energy and to avoid over eating at night.

Here's how .....
Make breakfast the largest meal of the day followed by a medium sized lunch and a much smaller evening meal (try using a side plate in the evenings rather than a dinner plate).

Always have a healthy, low GI snack such as a small handful of nuts, seeds or dried fruit, a low fat yogurt, some fruit or a wholegrain cracker topped with cottage cheese and grapes mid morning and mid afternoon.

Go easy on evening carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, pasta and breads and fill your plate up with extra vegetables instead. They are packed full of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre but low in calories.

Have veggie based main meals such as stir fries, salads, roasted vegetables and soups at least three times a week.

Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol lowers blood sugars and increases appetite making you far more likely to over eat.

Swap calorie packed desserts for a low fat yogurt or fresh fruit.

Don't have foods in the house that you know will tempt you into nibbling in the evenings

Brush your teeth straight after dinner. You'll be amazed how effective that can be at stopping you from heading back into the kitchen!

Go to bed an hour earlier. It may sound crazy but research shows lack of sleep plays a major role in weight gain and when you're sleeping you're not eating.

For Rachael's top fitness tips, click here