I would not want to restrict your diet, I just have one of these smoothies for breakfast and it keeps me full.

If you have the same stuff everyday you will get bored and cheat, the only way I can lose weight without any pain or feeling deprived is to eat low starchy carb – not the Atkins madness, but proteins served with lots of non sugary, starcy carbs. Google the South Beach Diet or Low GI, there are lots of ideas on the blog.

By all means bung a meal in the microwave but check the carb content and maybe have a curry with a large salad not rice? But many ready meals are full of sugar.

Tinned beans are my staple – there are lots of bean and lentil recipes on here – have a search.

Johanna – interesting re the no diary substitutes. Innocent do a lovely coconut and pineapple smoothie which is creamy and 100% fruit.

Like you I don’t like milk or cream but love cheese and yoghurt – I think the cultures change the way it affects you (am sure I have read something more scientific but can’t remember)

Now a question about this smoothy. I fight an on/off battle with the bulge, and latterly have been rather losing it, due in no small part for a penchant for bread, carbs and the occasional pint. What i’m asking is; is this smoothie meant to be a replacement for breakfast?

Now i need to do the whole weight loss thing again, and shed, definately three, but hopefully 4 stone. I find eating a terrible pain in the proverbial, and sometimes it is just too easy to bang a packet meal in the micro :-(

My question is this. Bearing in mind that I do not mind eating the same meals every day (indeed it takes thinking out of the equation, and so food prep becomes automatic), I was wondering if, among your vast array of scrumminess here, I were to choose 3 meals, breakfast lunch and dinner, and eath the same each day, what would be best from the point of view of sensible weightloss whilst maintaining nutrition.