Ford - Your 12 Week Guide to the Gym: From Your Armchair to a Complete Body Workout in 12 Weeks

Try to maintain a balanced diet of the basic four food groups in the proportions shown in the chart above and to eat from all of them every day. Also limit the amount of fats you include in your diet. (17)

Sugars and starches (carbohydrates) found in foods such as pasta, bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables have four calories per gram (0.14 oz) while fat is more than double at nine calories per gram (0.32 oz). Worth knowing when youre trying to get fit and healthy dont you reckon? (16)

Adults aged over 18 should exercise at moderate intensity for 30 minutes at least five days per week according to health experts. The exercise does not need to be consecutive but should be in bouts of at least 10 minutes at a time. Two days a week should be spent in muscle strengthening. (10)

Different activities use up varying amounts of energy and its worth noting that even some daily activities help keep you healthy.

Nothing beats a tasty takeaway, but keep an eye on the calories. The chart above refers to a Big Mac (215 g, 7.6 oz), a Pizza Hut Pepperoni 6-inch (15 cm) Personal Pan Pizza, a KFC chicken breast (163 g, 5.8 oz). (5)

If you need a performance boost in the day then a short sleep or a power nap if you want to sound smart of just six to 10 minutes could do the trick. If this sounds like something for you then keep the nap short and sharp so you avoid waking up feeling groggy. (22)

Unless youre a particular fan of hospital food, being inactive doesnt really hold much appeal. UK research has found that inactive people spend 38 per cent more days in hospital than active people, visit their doctor 5.5 per cent more and use specialist services 13 per cent more. (4)

Have you ever noticed how refreshed and good you feel after exercising once the huffing and puffing has stopped?

According to experts body fat for women should be 20 per cent and for men 15 per cent. When these figures rise to 30 per cent and 25 per cent respectively then you are considered obese. Special equipment is needed to measure body fat accurately but if you can pinch an inch [2.4 cm] around your waist you may have too much body fat. (8)

Around 55-60 per cent of your body is made up of water. Your brain is 70 per cent water, blood 83 per cent water and lungs nearly 90 per cent. Make sure you keep yourself topped up by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. (19)

Researchers in Australia and New Zealand found that people who drove after being awake for 17-19 hours performed worse than those who had a blood-alcohol level of 0.5 per cent the legal limit for drivers in Australia and many European countries. Its not difficult to see that sleep is important for anyone who wants to focus on his/her health and fitness. (18)

Every day you need to replace 2.4 litres (five pints) of water that is lost or expelled from your body. Although some will come from the food you eat its important that you drink plenty of water during the day to ensure you do not become dehydrated. (2)

Its easy to rack up what you consume in drinks each day. Dont cut back and become dehydrated, just balance the type of drinks you enjoy. The chart shows figures for a glass of milk, Coca-Cola and a Starbucks cappuccino with whole milk. (9)

There is no need to get calorie obsessed but nutritional values are clearly marked on most food we buy so its easy enough to keep an eye on your intake.

Try to balance all food elements with every meal you eat in line with the figures shown in the chart above.

Be particularly careful when exercising in hot weather. Once the temperature rises to 36C (97F) it is recommended you cancel your session or postpone it to a cooler part of the day as the heat will put a lot of stress on your body. (20)

Thirty per cent of working adults do not sleep enough (defined as less than six hours on average per day) according to a US survey.

Most of us grow up being told that we need a good eight hours sleep every night. Experts recommend seven to nine hours sleep a night for an adult only you will know what is right for you. Try to get into a regular sleep pattern instead of trying to catch up on the weekends as this re-sets your sleep cycle. (12)

On a big night out its easy to clock up the calories. The graphic shows figures for a 330 ml (11 fl oz) bottle of Stella Artois (4.8% abv), 175 ml (6 fl oz) glass of Jacobs Creek Chardonnay (13% abv), 25 ml (0.8 fl oz) of Bombay Sapphire (40% abv) and mixer, 275 ml (9 fl oz) WKD alcopop. (15)

It takes an average of 66 days to form a habit. Although this is the average time it takes to turn something new into automatic behaviour a habit can form quicker for some or take considerably longer for others so stick at it and exercise will soon become a habit for you. (6)

It has been predicted that if no action is taken then 60 per cent of men, 50 per cent of women and 25 per cent of children will be obese in the UK by 2050. The good news is that you are taking action to keep fit and healthy. (13)

Only 24 per cent of women (37 per cent of men) in the UK do enough exercise according to government health guidelines. Well done, you are on your way to joining the minority!

Sports drinks contain two important ingredients electrolytes and carbohydrates. You can lose electrolytes through very long workouts and the carbohydrates may help provide extra energy. Try sports drinks to see if they are for you, although water will always be important for most active people. (14)