Sneaky ways to lose weight for you AND your man

Thinking of introducing a healthy eating and exercise regime for you and your other half? There's a way you can do it without even realising!

Wouldn't it be nice to join forces with your other half when you want to try slimming down and have decided to tackle a diet head on?

Us girls aren't the only ones wanting to look trimmer and feel slimmer, the men in our lives are becoming just as concerned with what they're eating and the exercise they're getting - so why not try a weight loss regime together?

Ok, so your partner might not want to admit to 'being on a diet' (especially in front of his pals down the pub), but there are lots things you can try together without actually realising you're on a healthy eating plan. Plus, slimming with the support of a friend or a group is proven to assist weight loss, so what's to say slimming with him at home couldn't have the same effect?

It's easy to slip into bad habits when you live together, but if you think it's time to shake things up and introduce a healthier lifestyle, we have just the tips and tricks for you and your man!

Things to remember

1. Men and women feel differently about dieting. They prefer to 'get in shape' rather than lose weight

2. Generally speaking, men prefer clear 'rules' - don't eat this, do eat that - so maybe come up with a list of rules that you both want to stick to (hiding the biscuit tin is a good place to start!)

3. Men are said to have an easier time resisting cravings, so why not try telling him when you feel like you're most likely to cave (in front of the TV, on a long car journey), so he can be on alert to swipe that snack out of your hand!

4. If your hubby is used to having a big meal at dinner time, try mixing up the portion size you're serving. Instead of a huge pile of pasta with a small portion of chicken and veg, swap the pasta and veg portion sizes. It'll make a huge difference!

Give man meals a makeover

There is a way to make sure your other half still gets his favourite foods without realising he's eating healthier substitutes (after all, we're not sure he'd stick to a plan that only involves lettuce leaves!).

Just click on one of the images below to find healthy makeovers for his favourite meals!

Swap: Greasy fry up For: Skinnier cooked breakfast

Swap: Chinese takeaway For: Chinese vegetable chow mein

Swap: The chippy For: Low-fat fish and chips

Swap: Cream cakes For: Low-fat brownies

Swap: Takeaway pizza takeaway For: Homemade pizza

Cooking methods for weight loss

Just a simple change to the way you cook can greatly reduce your calorie intake. Follow our guide below to see where you can make a change

Straightforward swaps

1. Ditch the salt, butter and oil: use herbs and spices instead, such as cumin, paprika, turmeric and chilli powder, or herbs like basil, parsley, tarragon and chives

2. Use low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat milk and cream to make sauces. Try low-fat yogurt, semi-skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, low-fat fromage frais and low-fat créme fraiche

3. Swap creamy sauces for tomato-based. As long as it doesn't spoil the dish a tomato-based sauce is usually lower in fat

4. Watch out! Low-sugar or sugar-free foods often contain more fat than the regular version, so check the label carefully.

Easy low-fat cooking methods

Braising Meat is cooked slowly in a shallow dish of water, stock or wine. The dish is covered and the oven is on a high heat good for making meat really tender.

Grilling Always a great way to cut down on fat and it's quick too

Marinating Basically this is soaking meat, fish or vegetables in a liquid for a length of time. It's a good way of making bland food really flavoursome and as long as you don't add loads of oil to the marinade, it can be a really low-fat way to cook. After marinading, grill, bake or roast the food.

Microwaving You can cook almost anything in a microwave and you always need less fat - the only thing you need to watch for is that you don't overcook it as you can lose a lot of food nutrients that way

Poaching Not just for eggs, chicken and fish are great poached and you can use stock to add flavour

Roasting Cut back on how much oil you use and try spices and fresh herbs to add flavour, and if you find this method a bit dry cover the food with foil and spray with a little water.

Steaming Good for vegetables as it's quick and keeps the vegetables crunchy and full of vitamins

Light frying It's fine to fry food once in a while as long as you use spray oil and ensure the pan is really hot

You've got the cooking sussed, now get him moving - you don't need to literally kick him up the bum, just follow our clever tips

Easy exercises

13 easy ways to get exercise every day!

Why not try some simple exercises with your hubby? We're not talking joint gym memberships here, there are a host of fitness ideas you could try without him even realising that he's burning calories!

Get 30 minutes of exercise a day the easy way, by talking the dog for a walk, playing with the kids or even getting involved in the gardening.

Here's a few tricks to try to get you both moving:

  • Have more sex! Did you know that you can burn around 150 calories for just half an hour of sex?
  • Buy a dog - it'll pester you both at least once a day for a long walk, so you'll have to get up, get moving and get some fresh air
  • Leave the car keys for short journeys and walk, you'll soon get used to leaving the car at home and building more activity into your day
  • Get down to the park at the weekend with the kids! Football, rounders, anythign you fancy that gets you moving will work wonders
  • Go for a long romantic walk
  • Do some of those chores together that you've been putting off for ages - cleaning the windows, mowing the lawn, hoovwering - there are loads of household taks that burn serious calories!