This month, we asked members of the Times Health Club to test some brand new diet books. The rules were simple: follow the diet for a minimum of two weeks, keep an honest diary on your progress, and record the (hopefully substantial) weight loss. These were the results...

ANNIE L, 33, ESSEX

Dieting Makes You Fat by Geoffrey Cannon (Virgin Books, £16.99)

The idea

The book outlines seven golden rules to help change your attitude to food and encourage a much more positive and healthy lifestyle. Follow each one for a month.

Easy to follow?

I attempted a condensed version, which was easy to follow. The rules included: drink more water; be active every day; eat more fresh food, etc. I struggled with one where you are encouraged to fast, although this means only cutting out processed junk.

Did it slot into your day-to-day life?

It would be sensible for the whole family to follow. Cannon is not suggesting anything outlandish, simply to be more aware of choices and to go for healthier options.

Will you keep it up?

Yes, absolutely. It's sensible but definitely not a quick fix of any kind. It is more an overhaul of your entire diet.

Did you supplement it with exercise?

Yes, I go out running twice a week, as well as a six-mile walk once a week.

How much did you lose?

7lb in four weeks.

Verdict?

Very good, but I struggled to stay interested, as there is so much background on the author, on the dieting industry and the food business.

GOESONA BIT, 46, HERTFORDSHIRE

Why the Chinese Don't Count Calories, Lorraine Clissold (Constable, £8.99)

The idea

Food that's good for the mind and body rather than satisfying a hunger. Fill up on staples (rice and noodles), vegetables should make up the main part of a meal (the Chinese eat little protein) and eat only until full.

Easy to follow?

Most of it was, but a small part deals with the idea that foods are related to elements, which in turn are related to certain organs of the body. I found that complicated.

Did it slot into your day-to-day life?

I'm home most of the time so it wasn't that hard to fit into my routine.

Will you keep it up?

Filling up on fresh veg and rice, experimenting with different ingredients and drinking plenty of green tea, yes. I don't miss protein and because the Chinese don't do sweet foods (sweet foods are related to the mouth and stomach, so if we put too much in our mouths, it ends up around our stomachs), I don't get those dips in blood sugar and huge cravings.

Did you supplement it with exercise?

Rigorous exercise routines are discouraged in favour of regular gentle exercise, so I bought a pedometer and tried to increase the amount of steps I take every day.

How much did you lose?

4lb in four weeks.

Verdict?

If you eat with chopsticks you can't shovel your food down, so the brain has time to realise the stomach is full. Best of all, it teaches you that counting calories is a waste of time.

MAGGY B, 53, NORFOLK

No Fads, No Frills, No Nonsense Weight Loss Plan by Jim Johnson (Virgin Books, £5.99)

The idea

The book looks at different formulas for losing weight (avoiding carbohydrates, or vegetable-only diets, for example) and gives a basic round-up of the most successful techniques.

Easy to follow?

Yes.

Did it slot into your day-to-day life?

Very easily. The message is simple: eat less, exercise more.

Will you keep it up?

Now I'm back from holiday I'm starting again.

Did you supplement it with exercise?

Yes, it was part of the deal, so that you can offset the calories you eat with the calories you burn off with exercise.

How much did you lose?

3lb in two weeks.

Verdict?

I was impressed. This diet showed me how to lose weight without starving myself, so it should also be more sustainable. You have to write everything down, which I think helps, and also do 30 minutes of exercise a day, but that included things such as gardening, housework, etc, and I do more than that anyway!

JACKIE M, 43, THE SCOTTISH BORDERS

Life-Changing Weight Loss by Amanda Hamilton and Sandy Newbigging (Piatkus Books, £12.99)

The idea

Hidden causes (physical and emotional) prevent you from getting the body you want. It also demands that you entirely avoid processed and ready-prepared foods.

Easy to follow?

No, as I had to source lots of bizarre ingredients, such as psyllium husks, and some of the recipes were difficult to follow.

Did it slot into your day-to-day life?

No, as it was very time-consuming. Everything had to be prepared from scratch, even muesli.

Will you keep it up?

I will still continue to use it as a guide.

Did you supplement it with exercise?

Yes, at the moment I'm training for a mini-triathlon, on September 21, only I have a calf injury at the moment and have to be careful.

How much did you lose?

4lb in two weeks.

Verdict?

Although the psychology of “Discover, Resolve and Enjoy” (love yourself from the inside and eat less processed foods) seemed strange at first, it did make a lot of sense.

RUTHIE M, 57, PETERBOROUGH

Getting The Best From The GI Diet, Rick Gallop (Virgin Books, £10.99)

The idea

Balancing the three main food groups, fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and understanding how they are digested and metabolised by our bodies.

Easy to follow?

Yes.

Did it slot into your day-to-day life?

It fitted quite easily into daily life. I did have to buy one or two store cupboard items, such as wheatgerm and rolled oats, which were expensive, but can be used in several recipes.

Will you keep it up?

Yes, I think it's a plan anyone could follow for life.

Did you supplement it with exercise?

I do a lot of exercise already but I haven't increased this.

How much did you lose?

9lb in five weeks.

Verdict?

It made me realise how much sugar and saturated fats were in my diet, which I now try very hard to cut out. I loved it - I've even bought another of Rick Gallop's books.

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