Tips

Put the words “low-fat” or “fat-free” on the label and people will assume it won’t make them fat. But it’s worth knowing that “fat-free” or “low-fat” or “no added fat” usually means more sugar. Simple white refined sugar is the very stuff which converts to fat once in the body.

Don’t assume that the scale is always a true measure of what is going on with the body. If exercise levels are adequate (5-7 days a week), you may be putting on muscle but losing fat, thus losing inches even if you are not losing pounds. It’s always a good idea to do several body measurements to have a second objective way to monitor progress.

Drink eight glasses a day. Water is a natural appetite-suppressant.

If you’re trying to lose weight, remember to count the booze – a single gin and tonic has about 140 calories.

Cool-downs are your first line of defence against lactic acid build up and muscle soreness, but you don’t have to fight the fight on your own. Massage is a great way of helping your metabolism recover from the effort and trauma of your gym sessions. A good massage also helps reinforce the sense of reward.

If you don’t know why you want something, it won’t be as important for you to get it. But be positive. Don’t write down things like “I don’t want to be this big or this fat”. This is telling yourself what you don’t want. Instead write down positive goals like, “I want to look great in my little black number on Valentine’s Day”. This is telling yourself exactly what you want.

Repeated weight loss and gain changes the structure and number of your fat cells, which ultimately make it much easier for you to regain weight you’ve worked hard to lose. Once created, fat cells never disappear, they can only shrink.