Annette Sym and photographer Anthony Michael shoot photos for her sixth book of recipes.

Nicholas Falconer

LOOK out, world, Australia's top-selling, low-fat cooking queen Annette Sym is back with the sixth instalment of her Symply Too Good To Be True cookbooks.

And it's just in time, with shocking news recently that Australian women are getting fatter faster than any other nation on the planet.

Annette, of Buderim, positioned herself as something of a saviour to the millions of people who struggle with their weight ever since she dropped from 100kg to 65kg about 15 years ago.

Motivated by that hard-fought slimming success, and with help from chef husband Bill and a simple desire to help others, she published her first low-fat cookbook in 1997.

Five editions have followed and been snapped up by more than three million people nationwide.

It has been more than two years since her last book hit the market, but she has made up for that absence with a super-sized version six that is set to launch in April.

It will feature about 60 recipes, plus a 28-day slimming support program which includes a CD, day-by-day meal planner, motivational tips and a food diary in which you can keep track of weight loss and measurement changes.

“It's three times the size of a normal one, really,” she said, while preparing for a photo shoot for the cookbook last week.

“I wasn't going to do one unless I could give people more fabulous recipes and do it better than the last one.

“I could do a normal cookbook this time, but I had to give something else because it is so important we all step up and make this year the best year we can, so I need to give people information about how to create new habits.

“When I created the 28-day weight-loss program via email, it went off so well, and people were having such incredible success, that I felt those who didn't have email, or who liked to have a book, were missing out.”

Mrs Sym said the new book featured recipes for everything from chicken basil stir-fry and barramundi burgers to cookies and cream baked cheesecake.

She said she had noticed people's tastes change in the 13 years she had been publishing cookbooks.

“People are much more educated now,” she said.

“They want food to taste good. They won't accept ‘this is low fat, it will do'.

“They expect me to make a recipe that will excite their palate.”

She said she still got a kick out of working on a new project.

“I have been looking at all the props and I feel like a bride looking at my wedding dress. This is a very special thing for me.

“I have sold three million cookbooks, so I am not reinventing the wheel this time around: it works.

“I am sticking with my distributors, I will remain loyal to my newsagents throughout Australia.”

Mrs Sym said she would go on a book tour after the launch before heading to the United States again to further promote the American version of her books.