Kerry Katona now "a perfect size ten"

Kerry Katona is now "a perfect size ten," according to a report in Closer magazine.

The former Atomic Kitten singer has managed to drop a stone in weight in just two weeks, with the help of an exercise boot camp where the 29 year-old was made to exercise for 11 hours a day.

She is now back in the comfort of her own home and away from personal trainers and, hopefully, keeping the weight off.

As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, keeping the pounds off is even more difficult than losing them in the first place. And that's hard enough!

As a general rule, weight which is rapidly lost is most easily regained. Anyone who wants to lose weight and - most importantly - keep it off, should aim to lose around two pounds a week.

Fad diets which promise rapid weight loss are to be avoided. They may help you lose weight quickly but they are impossible to stick to, the weight is soon regained and you have to start over again - otherwise known as yo-yo dieting.

How to spot a fad diet

• Usually sold as a book containing testimonials e.g. from a celebrity rather than scientific evidence
• Always promises rapid results
• Often recommends "fat burning" foods e.g. grapefruit
• Rarely recommends consulting your doctor or a registered dietician (as you should)
• Often features a severely restricted diet e.g. avoiding entire food groups such as dairy or carbohydrates
• May recommend eating a single food e.g. cabbage, Mars bars
• Recommends a "unique" combination of foods which lead to weight loss
• Promotes how the diet affects your appearance - health a low priority

Remember, if a diet sounds too good to be true – it probably is!

This article was published on Wed 10 February 2010