The personality diet

Have you ever done the same diet as a friend and one of you has lost weight while the other hasn't? It could be down to your personality.

Neuroscientist Daniel Amen has developed a diet which ditches counting calories and focuses on your personality traits, identifying your weaknesses and telling you which foods you should eat and which you to avoid.

He writes: "We looked at the brains of our overweight patients and discovered there was not one brain pattern associated with being overweight: there were at least five different types: compulsive overeaters, impulsive overeaters, compulsive-impulsive overeaters, sad or emotional overeaters and anxious overeaters."

Find out what personality diet you should be on...

Compulsive eater

You are: compulsive, argumentative, prone to excess, have trouble sleeping, a grudge-bearer.

What works: salmon, brown rice, sunflower seeds, skinless turkey, bananas, herbal tea and complex carbohydrates, which help the body produce more serotonin, improving mood.

What doesn't work: high protein diets and caffeine, which increase focus - which compulsive eaters already have tons of.

Emotional eater

You are: easily bored, have a low self-esteem, feel anxious, comfort-eat, suffer with IBS or headaches.

What works: eggs, liver, walnuts, mackerel, broccoli, essential oils, and outdoor workouts, and they should increase their intake of omega-3 fatty acids which help calm the body by reducing inflammation.

What doesn't work: not getting enough sleep and isolating yourself from family and friends.

Impulsive eater

You are: disorganised, easily distracted, prone to eating when you're not hungry, often running late.

What works: chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, shellfish, steak, oats and green tea, as these raise levels of dopamine in the brain and boost concentration.

What doesn't work: high-carb or sugary diets as serotonin-boosting carbohydrates are disastrous for impulsive sorts as they simply lower their control further.

Compulsive-Impulsive eater

You: share characteristics from both compulsive and impulsive eaters and think about food all day long.

What works: green tea, eating healthy options, exercise, goal setting, plenty of sunlight and fresh air.

What doesn't work: St John's wort.

Anxious eater

You: bite your nails, have regular headaches, suffer from muscle tension, are easily startled, experience heart palpitations, are shy and feel uncomfortable in social situations.

What works: wholegrains, dairy products, citrus fruit, spinach, almonds, lentils, walnuts, omega 3-6-9 supplements and meditation.

What doesn't work: too much animal protein, and they should avoid alcohol and caffeine as they use food to medicate their feelings of tension, nervousness and fear.