I was sorting through some belongings recently and came across a picture of my mother and I sitting on Eastbourne beach in 1966. I was 3 and she was about 33.

Mum had two children by then, never dieted, never exercised other than the perpetual motion of running her home, and cooked everything from scratch. She also went to bed at a regular time. In this picture she is slim and with a tiny waist.

Which made me think. When did we make food so complicated? When and why did we start consuming sugar laden ultra processed goods? When and why did we start demonising good fats such as olive oil, proper butter and full fat yoghurt, and when did ALL carbs (veg being in that category) become public enemy No.1?

I feel in many ways, having grown up with the whole plethora of low fat, no carb diets, parallel to our food becoming more and more complex and artificial, that I have come full circle.

These days I drink a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil every morning. I eat quite a lot of carbs, albeit good ones. I definitely eat red and white meat every week along with lots of eggs and fish. I rarely go below eating 1,900 kcals a day and my weight is more consistent than at any other time in my life.

So what have I learned?

• That we should eat a little of every food type for a healthy balanced diet

• That we should avoid refined or added sugar

• That alcohol contains sugar and should be drunk in moderation

• That moving and exercise is an important part of weight management BUT if you are not eating properly you won’t lose weight

• That regular sleep is critical for good health

I just wish I’d observed my mother’s words more carefully over the years…

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Enjoy the last of the August sun,

Best,

Alison