Ref. 75698-8GET FIT FOR 05: MARK Kent hasn't let a pie pass his lips since Christmas and that's no mean feat for a man who is surrounded by them every day.

Mark, 48, who works at Michael Hart butchers in Cricklade, is determined to reform his diet, as one of the Evening Advertiser's Get Fit For 05 candidates.

He said: "It hasn't been easy because pies are everywhere in my workplace. But it's not an option I simply can't have one."

Instead Mark has been eating plenty of fruit and he's feeling better for it.

"It's early days but I can notice the difference. When I bend down to tie my shoelaces it's a bit easier," he said.

Nutritionist Esther Maxfield is giving Mark, along with our 11 other volunteers, guidance on healthy eating.

Esther, 33, of York Road, is a member of the British Association of Nutritional Therapists.

She has advised our candidates to keep food diaries, taking a note of everything they eat and drink for four days. Esther will then use this information to target which nutrients are missing from their diet and which foods they need to cut down on.

Esther said: "You really are what you eat. Our diets determine how our bodies function. So it's important to ensure our bodies get the goodness they need."

Far from recommending extreme eating habits, like the Atkins or cabbage soup diet, Esther believes in finding a happy, healthy medium.

She said: "The food we eat should be wholesome but it's not all about brown rice and lentils.

"If you don't enjoy your diet, you're not going to stick to it. So we have to be realistic and keep it as varied as possible."

Esther is encouraged by Mark's efforts to cut out the pies and pick up a piece of fruit.

"Mark is definitely on the right track. In fact all the candidates seem very focused and dedicated to getting results," she added.

Besides improving their diets, the candidates have also been taking more exercise.

As part of the campaign, they have been given 12-months free gym membership at the Living Well gym, at the Hilton Hotel, in West Swin-don.

And Mark is really getting into the swing of working out.

He said: "I go after work and am absolutely shattered by the time I get home.

"But I know it's good for me, so I'm trying to last longer on the treadmill each time."