The New Year diet has failed. The siren call of chocolate cake, booze and crisps has proved too much for most dieters who were determined to lose weight in January.

On top of those irresistible treats, the resolutions to eat healthily have fallen by the wayside. The bag of chips on the way back home after a night's drinking, the ignored muesli and missed breakfast, the grabbed sandwich on the run - all of which add up to a poor diet - constitute regular eating habits for many people.

PROBLEM ONE- MISSING BREAKFAST

"Research has shown that people who skip breakfast have higher cholesterol levels, eat more fat and have a tendency to be fatter," says Claire MacEvilly, nutrition scientist from the British Nutrition Foundation.

"So bear that in mind and start the day with complex carbohydrates like cereal and toast so you won't have the urge to snack.

"Some people don't like eating early, but if you get into work by 9am, have something at your desk. It's important it's low fat - cereal with semi-skimmed milk, toast or a bagel, fruit, yoghurt, orange juice and muesli."

PROBLEM TWO - GRABBING AN UNHEALTHY LUNCH

There are plenty of other healthy alternatives, MacEvilly points out. Go for a turkey salad sandwich and tuna without the mayonnaise. Fill up on fruit rather than have fattening crisps.

If you are wedded to the idea of nibbling something alongside the sandwich, opt for unsalted peanuts or popcorn. They also contain fat but it is unsaturated rather than saturated.

PROBLEM THREE - SNACKING ON UNHEALTHY NIBBLES

Good news here. MacEvilly says that most women do not get enough calcium in their diet as it is and snackfoods such as cheese are a good provider of this essential mineral. Of course, cheese is fattening, so keep the amounts small.

When it comes to other snacking, low fat dips, chopped vegetables and dried fruit make handy and healthy snacks. Fruit such as grapes and satsumas are easy to eat and wholemeal bread is a valuable source of energy and fibre.

PROBLEM FOUR - LATE AFTERNOON SUGAR BOOST

"If you have to grab a cake or biscuit at 5pm-ish, you need to look at your whole diet and lifestyle," says MacEvilly. "It means you are not getting enough sleep, enough exercise and you need to make changes to your day.

"If you've had breakfast, snacked on fruit and veg and had a low fat lunch, you should not need a hit of sugar later on."

MacEvilly suggests opting for a yoghurt, which has natural fruit sugars in it.

PROBLEM FIVE - RELYING ON TAKEAWAYS

Taking the time to make lists and think about what you're going to eat is a pain, MacEvilly admits. However, it only takes an hour or so to shop and it is worth it. Takeaways are loaded with hidden fat and are also not filling.

"OK, so you have to be more organised but it will pay off both on your waistline and in your wallet," she says.

She also has some tips. Don't go to the supermarket hungry, make a list of what you should buy, don't go for the special offers and spend more time in the fruit and veg section than anywhere else. And remember, supermarkets are designed to tempt you to spend more, so ignore the biscuit and cake section.

PROBLEM SIX - OPTING FOR CONVENIENCE FOODS

Fast-paced modern lifestyles equal unhealthy eating - and convenience foods can be the worst offenders. Some can be nutritious, MacEvilly says, but many have hidden salt of which we all eat too much.

There are many cheap, quick recipes which are nutritious. Pasta in tomato sauce, stir fried vegetables with rice, scrambled eggs, beans on toast and a baked potato cooked in the microwave are all healthy options.

PROBLEM SEVEN - DRINKING AFTER WORK

If you know you're going out, try and have a banana at 4pm, a couple of hours before going out. After drinking, don't rush to a fast food joint - many pubs will do a baked potato or a pasta dish.

PROBLEM EIGHT - RAIDING THE FRIDGE LATE AT NIGHT

Healthy raiding is allowed, says MacEvilly. Some nutritionists say that it's unhealthy to snack before bed as the food is not digested properly at night - but something like a glass of milk or crackers with low fat cheese spread is fine.

THREE MORE TIPS FOR GOOD HEALTH HABITS

* Drink more water. We need one and a half litres a day - which sounds a lot - but if you have a bottle or a glass sitting permanently on the desk, you'll soon find it disappears.

* Cut down on caffeine. Don't do it cold turkey, but cut down slowly to only three cups a day.

* If you come home only to slump in front of the TV, think again. Get motivated because there's no point dieting without exercising. Have a walk and it will pay off.

GEORGINA PATTINSON