It’s that time you have been dreading. Those promises you made to yourself only a week ago have come around like the credit card bills falling on your door mat. You’re scared to step on the scales as that will only crystallise your over-indulgence. But, your resolve is strong and its a new year, a fresh start, a new you…maybe.

So what’s your plan? A piece of fruit for breakfast, soup for lunch, soup for dinner and an hour walking on the treadmill every day? And, absolutely no chocolate or alcohol for the month of January at least. Is this the same plan as last year, but this time you are going to stick to it…yeah right.

I’ve been there and done it myself, it doesn’t work because its unsustainable and more importantly its not necessarily right. So here are my top tips for losing weight.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR LOSING WEIGHT

1. For sustainable weight loss it is about raising your metabolism. You spend more time at rest than exercising. If you can increase the number of calories your body burns while at rest then in the long run you will have a better chance of losing more weight.
2. Monitor your progress. Keep track of what you eat and how you exercise. It will make you accountable to yourself. To help you, I have put together a spreadsheet to track your progress. See my page “Track your progress” or click here.
3. Don’t starve yourself or just eat soup or have one meal a day. This will only slow your metabolism down. You are also more likely to binge and give up.
4. Eat more frequently throughout the day. Aim for 5 to 6 small meals, but your overall calorie intake should be below your daily calorie need. You’ll be surprised at how full you will feel all day.
5. Do high intensity interval cardio training rather than long low intensity cardio session. This will trigger a response in your body that will boost your metabolism for the rest of the day.
6. Don’t neglect weight training. Women shouldn’t ignore this element either. Additional muscle mass will boost your metabolism and weight training also provides cardio exercise. It is virtually impossible to grow muscles when you are eating less than your daily calorie needs. So don’t worry you won’t turn into the next Arnie!
7. Eat breakfast as soon as possible. This starts your metabolism off earlier.
8. Eat more protein and fewer carbs. Protein is essential for repairing muscles, will keep you fuller for longer and takes more energy to digest. Carbs and water = glycogen. Once your glycogen stores are full, insulin takes the rest and stores it in your fat reserves. This is why you see some people put on weight when all they eat are jacket potatoes and cereal!
9. Obviously avoid saturated fat, but you do need good fats which can be found in fish and nuts.
10. Be realistic in your weight loss goals. Sensible weight loss should be no more than 2lbs a week. Think longer picture. You can make a huge difference in your body shape by the time summer arrives. I did.

Disclaimer: This is what worked for me. You should always seek advice from a qualified person before embarking on any fitness or dietary changes.