By now you know how the Glycaemic Index works and how it can let you lose weight and keep it off. Whatever stage you're at in the plan, you're bound to face the inevitable dieting hurdles that test everyone's firmest resolve. Food cravings, holidays, celebrations and plateaus are all challenges to healthy eating. Here are some practical tips to deal with these dietary hazards.

Food cravings
What makes losing weight particularly challenging is that we tend to enjoy and desire fattening foods such as chocolate, biscuits, ice cream, chips and so on. The most important thing to remember about cravings is that we're only human and it's natural to succumb to temptation every now and then. Don't feel guilty about it. If you 'cheat', you aren't totally blowing your diet. You're simply experiencing a temporary blip in your good eating habits.

If you have a small piece of chocolate after dinner, make sure you savour the extravagance by eating slowly. Really enjoy it. Then get back on track in the morning with a low Gi breakfast and stick to the straight and narrow for the next few weeks. You will continue to lose weight, and that's what it's all about.

You'll probably find that after you've been on the programme for a few weeks, you will have developed a built-in warning system: you won't feel good physically when you eat a high Gi food because your blood sugar will spike and crash. You'll feel bloated, uncomfortable and lethargic, and you may even get a headache – a strong deterrent against straying into high Gi territory.

Dining out
Dinner parties or being taken out for a special meal doesn't mean you have to throw the Gi guidelines out the window. You can eat the low Gi way and still enjoy your food. If you host the event yourself, you will be able to decide what type of food is served. Bear in mind what you would normally eat, and look for low Gi alternatives.

If you are dining at someone else's home, you will obviously have less control over the menu. You could help out the busy host by offering to bring a vegetable side dish or the dessert – a low Gi one of course. Once seated at the table, survey the dishes and try to compose your plate as you would at home: vegetables on half the plate, rice or pasta on one quarter and a source of protein on the other quarter. Pass on the rolls and mashed potatoes – have extra vegetables instead. If you wish, you can allow yourself a concession by having a small serving of dessert. If you aren't particularly big on sweets, you might prefer to have a glass of wine instead. Try not to indulge in both.

Cocktail parties can also be fun, low Gi occasions. Instead of alcohol, you can have a glass of mineral water with a twist of lemon or a diet caffeine-free soft drink. If you really would like an alcoholic beverage, have only one and try to choose the healthiest option. Red wine is your best bet, or a white wine spritzer. Be sure to consume any alcohol with food to slow down the rate at which you metabolise it. Beer has a very high Gi rating, so that's a real concession. Have it if you really want it, but make sure it's only one.

Before you go out have a low Gi meal or snack such as a bowl of All-Bran with fruit or yoghurt before you go so you won't be tempted to eat too much.

Holidays
Just because you are on holiday doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to eat three meals and three snacks daily. Take some low Gi snacks with you, such as nuts, dried fruit and any other low Gi non-perishables. Once there, you can buy low fat yoghurt, fruit, and low-fat cottage cheese to snack on. If you are driving to your destination or going on a road trip, your only option along the way may be fast food. If you can, pack some low Gi meals and snacks to take with you, so you won't have to stop to eat.

Falling off the wagon
This is without doubt everyone's major concern but it doesn't need to be. If you can follow the programme for 90% of the time, that's just fine. The worst that can happen is that you will delay reaching your target weight by a week or two. This is a real world way of eating that recognises the realities of social and time pressures, eating on the run and the sheer temptation to binge on occasion. But after a few weeks eating the low Gi way and keeping your blood sugar levels steady, your body will react with alarm to any sudden onslaught of high Gi foods as your blood sugar soars and then plummets leaving you bloated, tired and irritable. It will be a relief to climb back on board the low Gi wagon.

Plateauing
The most important thing to recognise is that you do not lose weight in a straight line, but rather with a series of starts and stops. This results in hitting a plateau of a week or even two or three weeks when nothing seems to happen. Sound familiar?

Count up the number of weeks you have been eating the low GI way and divide them into the pounds lost. This will give you your average weekly weight loss, which you will find almost invariably hits your objective. This means you're on target so don't fret as your weight loss will start again. If you are falling behind on your average or the plateau lasts more than a couple of weeks, then you need to check the serving sizes of your low Gi foods.

With all other low Gi products make sure moderation is your motto. Be honest with yourself and review what you are currently eating.

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