FORGET fad diets this January, invest in your long-term health, advises fitness instructor Annie Mullis.

It is the time of year when we are bombarded with all the latest quick-fix weight-loss diets and new-fangled exercise routines.

Annie, from Energie Fitness for Women, in Southend, believes people should forget short-term diets, and embark on a health regime which is sustainable all year round.

Annie says: “January is a great time to get that fitness regime perfect and look at your nutrition. “It is not the time, however, to fall into the trap of going on a fad diet to shift those pounds you may have put on over the festive period.”

She adds: “Here at Energie we promote positive nutrition, mainly based on low GI and low-fat options. “By ditching the high GI carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread and substituting low GI alternatives such as grains, beans, pulses and lentils, with sweet potatoes, you will feel fuller for longer and lose weight.”

The daily diet can be mixed and matched according to your tastes. Energie Fitness for Women is the largest women-only gym in Southend. Sally Watson and Annie Mullis, the co-owners, aim to cater for all ages and abilities. Annie says: “There are two circuit areas. One has motorised machines that are ideal for toning and mobility. “The second circuit area has hydraulic machines for those who wish to train harder but again are kind to joints.”

There are a wide range of classes, which are mostly free to members, such as legs, bums and tums, conditioning, yoga, pilates, tai chi and belly dancing. The popular Empower programme is a six-week diet and fitness regime, which includes one-to-one sessions and a tailored low GI and fat diet. Zumba Gold is designed specifically for the active older adult or beginner, while aerobics again is a combination of high and low impact moves, also designed for all ages. All classes are also offered to non members on a pay-as-you-go basis.

For more details, visit www.effw.co.uk/southend