
Want to lose weight? Our round-up of easy ways to help your diet can help
Losing weight isn’t easy. With a whole family to take care of, a million and one things to do and never enough hours in the day, sometimes losing weight can feel like the last priority on your list. But instead of giving up altogether, read our 118 no-fuss weight loss tips – just a simple food swap or exercise trick can make all the difference…

1. Try eating two big meals a day
New research has suggested that two hearty meals a day may be more beneficial than 6 snacks. The study says that opting for a big breakkie and a large lunch could be better for you when it comes to controlling your blood sugar levels and weight, supporting the old saying that we should ?Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and have dinner like a pauper.?

2. Girl power
A new study has proven that slimming with a friend means you are far more likely to lose weight. Not only do you have someone there to support you, but seeing them losing weight and not wanting to let them down will spur you on to dieting success.
The nationwide survey found that while a whopping 40% of women give up on a diet after just seven days, (sound familiar, anyone?), 71% were more likely to lose weight when doing it with their friends.
goodtoknow user, Mel, from Nottingham agrees:
‘Slim with a friend. It’ll help you stick with it – if you’re having a day when you don’t feel like going to the gym, or just want to order a pizza, there’s someone there to spur you on.’

3. Take your time
Eat slowly. Your food can take up to 30 minutes to reach your stomach which is why lots of us eat too much as we don’t realise we’re full.

4. Eat before a night out
When you’re out for the evening, eat before you go. Even if it’s just a bowl of soup. Never give in to crisps in the pub or, even worse, chips on the way home!
Karen Stafford, 40, St Ives, Cornwall100s of soup recipes

5. Furry friends
Getting a dog is a very good idea, it kept my weight down when I was pregnant.
Jackie Penalune, by emailHow to exercise when pregnant

6. 1, 2, 3…
When you’re jogging and ready to give up, count to 100 and keep going. You’ll manage it almost every time, sometimes more than once in a single run! It’s great for increasing your fitness.

7. Dry fry
You don’t need to use fattening oil when you’re cooking. As long as you use a non-stick pan, you can put the meat and veg straight in and ‘dry fry’ them.
Rosemary Conley, diet and fitness guruEverything you need to know about good and bad fats

8. For meat-lovers
Eat lean meats not meats like sausage or roasts. They don’t taste any different and you end up eating far less saturated fat.
Carrie, by emailLean meat recipes

9. Celebrate success!
I find that people who like a drink, like myself, find it difficult to count calories in alcohol. I think one good way is to set yourself a target weight (how much you want to lose in one week) and if you do it, have a night out without counting calories!
Stacey, by emailYour favourite drinks in calories

10. Cut out pork
Pork isn’t something that can help you lose weight as it contains cholesterol and saturated fat, so unfortunately that means no more bacon, ham and sausages.

11. Join the goodtoknow Diet Club
It’s a fact that recording what you eat every day almost doubles your daily weight loss. So join the brand new goodtoknow Diet Club to start using your personalised diet plan with our calorie counter so you can realistically achieve your aims.

12. Treat yourself occasionally
Have a little of what you fancy, from time to time. A bit of chocolate or some low-fat crisps won’t ruin your diet.
Sam Chapman, 36, Trowbridge, Wilts100 snacks under 100 calories

13. The veggie option
I’m not a vegetarian, but I use veggie mince now instead of minced beef. It has only half the calories – so great for weight loss – and when I’m making a spaghetti bolognese or a shepherd’s pie I barely notice the difference. And nor do my family.
Cheryl Hedges, 42, Beverley, East YorksVegetarian recipes

14. Fat-burning chores
You can burn 300 calories an hour cleaning the house, if you give it a really good going over.
Rita Woon, 64, Hastings, East SussexHow to burn calories without even trying

15. Stick to the list
I never went shopping when I was hungry and I never, ever strayed from what was on my shopping list. I just bought what I’d planned to eat that week, and nothing else. I was tough on myself, but I had to be!
Mary Weston, 51, CambridgeHealthy supermarket foods
One month meal planner

16. Keep a diary
I decided to keep a food diary, when I found I wasn’t losing weight as fast as I’d like. It forced me to be honest. And yes, eating in the dark does count! I also identified my danger points, like the post-lunch energy dip at 4pm. That way, I could make sure that I’d be distracted by something else.
Holly Roberts, 36, Penge, South LondonHow to balance your blood sugar

17. Stay in control
Every meal you prepare should be at least 50% vegetables. The other half
should be made up of lean meat or fish and carbs.

18. Get frisky!
Have sex! Depending on how energetic you’re feeling you can burn loads of calories plus you’ll feel great afterwards.

19. Fruit swap
I have stopped drinking juice and eat more fruit instead. A glass of apple juice can have 100 calories and won’t fill me up, but an apple has about 30 calories and will.
Diana Riggott, 65, Grimsby, LincolnshireThe Apple Diet

20. Once a week
Weigh yourself once a week only. Make sure you do it at the same time of day. If you keep jumping on and off the scales you may get disheartened as your weight will go up and down with water retention.

21. Minty treat
Don’t chew gum when you’re hungry, it stimulates your stomach. Have a low-cal mint instead.
Caroline Davies, 52, Ipswich, Suffolk100 snacks under 100 calories

22. Energy boost
Exercising first thing in the morning gives your energy levels a real boost for the rest of the day.
Fiona Chambers, 45, Northallerton, North Yorkshire10 ways to boost your metabolism

23. Find inspiration
Keep those photos of your old, skinny self, to help keep you going.
Cathy Johnstone, 43, Swindon, Wilts

24. Spring clean your wardrobe
As I lost weight, I threw out all of my ‘fat’ clothes. It was a great incentive to stick to the diet.
Meera Kahn, 47, Davenport, CheshireTry the Get Back in Your Jeans Diet

25. Quick fitness fix
I exercise during the TV ad breaks. A quick burst every time I’m watching the telly makes a big difference!
Jackie Lang, 60, Doncaster, South Yorkshire10 easy TV workouts

26. Get moving!
Take up a physical hobby. I did salsa lessons a couple of times a week at my local leisure centre, for a laugh. Sounds mad, but I lost weight without even trying. My mate took up Jive dancing, and a similar thing happened to her.
Helen Williams, 49, BirminghamDance to lose weight

27. Tropical fruits
Exotic fruits like pineapple and pawpaw are good at protecting against cellulite as they help break down fat deposits.

28. Sweet treats
When you feel like a treat, forget ice cream and have low-fat frozen yoghurt instead. Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia low-fat frozen yoghurt has 300 calories less than a tub of the same flavour ice cream. If you swap a tub a week, you could lose over seven pounds in 18 months!
Angela Dowden, nutritionist forLow-fat desserts

29. Chart your progress
I mark my weight out on a graph each week, so I can actually see my weight fall. It also helps me identify the weeks when I lost more, and what I’d done to achieve it.
Sara Elliot, 62, Birmingham

30. Eat half a grapefruit a day
According to scientists, grapefruit lowers levels of insulin, making people feel less hungry.

31. Be bold!
Don’t be scared to try different foods, sometimes it’s the only way to change your diet. I thought I didn’t like salads, until I tried mixing in nuts, raisins and little chunks of cheese, and all the other things I really liked.
Kate Reid, 43, Dundee100s of healthy eating recipes

32. Get everyone involved
After a recent family portrait was taken, I decided that we all needed to slim down. The Food Doctor Everyday Diet Cookbook by Ian Marber (£9.99, from www.thefooddoctor.com) has easy recipes, and the kids don’t even suspect it’s diet food. I’ve lost half a stone, and my husband is looking better than ever.
Emy Williams, 39, DundeeGet fit with the family

33. Order well
When eating out, any meat that’s chargrilled, poached, steamed or grilled is a good option.
Anne Roebuck, 47, Bermondsey, South LondonOther tips on eating healthily at restaurants

34. Take it slow
In a restaurant, I only eat half the food at first. Then I just chat and sip my water. After about 10 minutes, if I’m still hungry I eat the other half.
Kelly Ingram, 51, Doncaster, South YorkshireTips on portion control

35. Enjoy your treats
When you’re eating out, don’t touch the bread basket. If you do give in, don’t have butter as it’s high in calories. Save those for your pudding.
Sunshine Williams, 41, Burton, Staffs100 snacks under 100 calories

36. Healthy curries
When going for an Indian, stick to tomato rather than cream-based dishes, and always opt for plain rice. Anything with coconut milk is to be avoided. If you don’t know which is the healthiest, ask the waiter. They usually know what to recommend.
Nita Smith, 38, Edgware, North LondonHealthy Indian recipes

37. Salad dressing tricks
I love rich, tasty sauces, so I made my dressings go further. I’d use half the amount of cheese in a cheese sauce, but add a couple of teaspoons of Dijon mustard. And I’d mix my salads with a teaspoon of mayo, then add a good splash of balsamic vinegar before mixing. Loads of taste, but half the cals and fat!
Caroline Wilson, 42, Halifax, West Yorks

38. Don’t dispair!
Take your weight loss one day at a time. If I’d had a bad day, I’d
simply say, ‘Right, today wasn’t my best day. But tomorrow will be a
good one.’
Steph Cook, 43, Runcorn, Cheshire

39. Don’t get bored with exercise
1. Firstly add some weights exercises to your routine, if you exercise in a gym, ask an instructor to plan a programme for you.
2. If you mainly walk for your exercise, try walking with some hand weights, this will give your upper body a workout at the same time. Or try walking with some shopping bags!
Becky Houghton, personal wellness coachFind your perfect exercise quiz

40. Stretching
Stretching is one of the most important parts of any exercise routine. It helps your body recover faster, prevents injury and will reduce the aches and pains the next day, making it easier to stick to your fitness regime.

41. Get off your bum!
Little things can make all the difference. I get up and walk over to work colleagues now, instead of emailing them.
Gloria Fitzsimmons, 45, Shenfield, EssexEasy exercises at home and at work

42. Weight loss gadget
Eurohike Step Counter, £5.99, Millets Our kids gave us the coolest present this year. It’s a pedometer, and it encourages me to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. My husband says he’s never seen me so active!
Joelle Brett, 65, Carshalton, SurreyWoman’s Own Walk off a Stone Diet

43. Hot hot hot!
Spicy foods speed up the metabolism, which means you can burn more fat – great for weight loss!
Dawn Slade, 53, LincolnDelicious curry recipes

44. Freeze seasonal goodies
I freeze fruit in the summer, like grapes, watermelon or banana slices,
and eat them as a snack. They’re delicious, and my kids love them.
Helen
Leeming, 47, Wellington, ShropshireTip
on freezing food

45. Portion control
I swapped my big dinner plates for smaller ones. It automatically made me eat smaller portions, but I was still getting a plateful!
Lou Markham, 45, Croydon, SurreyPortion control

46. Watch for hidden sugars
I gave up my soft drink addiction of four cans of full-sugar fizzy stuff pretty much daily, and the weight just fell off me.
Kelly Harris, 37, Southend-on-Sea, EssexCalories in hot drinks

47. Stay hydrated
Water regulates metabolism and is also great for the skin so I keep a jug filled with fruit squashes on my desk, to make it pleasant to drink.
Tracey O’Donnell, 43, Chelmsford, EssexWhy water is so good for you

48. Breakfast
I followed the old saying, ‘Breakfast like a queen, eat lunch like a princess, and dine like a pauper.’ It means eating less as the day goes on, and it worked for me.
Laura Ellis, 39, Bromley, KentHealthy breakfast ideas

49. Keep it simple
I have one rule. Never eat pastry!
Simone Spencer, 39, Dumfries

50. Snack swap
Satisfy your cravings and stick to your diet with our healthy alternative snack swapper.
Charlotte Gunn, goodtoknow Recipes and Diet Editor

51. Switch off cruise control
Increase the intensity of everyday activities, from lunges while you Hoover to power-walking with the dog.

52. Stop and think
I rate how hungry I feel on a scale of one to 10. One means I wasn’t hungry at all, five means moderately hungry, 10 means ravenous. I have to be at least six on the scale before having something to eat. Anything lower is just being greedy!
Sue Adams, 35, Sunderland, Tyne and WearPaul McKenna’s Think Yourself Thin Diet

53. Race to clean the quickest
Turn boring household chores into something more fun by racing. Race yourself by setting a timer or stop-watch, or you can race your partner to see who can get his chore done first. This will get your body moving faster and burning calories while getting the house clean.
Angela Wilson, Fun Ways to Lose Weight

54. Clean your teeth
After eating dinner, if you want something sweet, simply go and clean your teeth. Any sugar cravings should immediately disappear.
Ian Marber, author of The Food Doctor
Brushing your teeth also helps to improve you dental health, see more ways to do this here

55. Read the label
Coleen Nolan thinks the good thing about shops now is everything is listed really well. Its really important you know how many calories and grams of fat food contains, and now it says it all on the packet.

56. Treat yourself to a massage
Research has shown that as well as helping to relieve stress, massage also has a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness levels which in turn helps control weight loss.
Scott Haywood, editor of weightloss.com.au.
Massages can also be used as erotic foreplay which could lead to a fat-busting sex session

57. Wear a pedometer
Its a great motivational tool and will make you aware of your activity levels. Aim to do 10,000 steps a day.
Rosemary Conley author of Slim To Win (£18.99 Century)

58. Dance, dance, dance
If youre not a fan of the gym, try learning a dance routine for a fun and different way to work out.

59. Enjoy your bed
Not getting enough sleep has been shown to increase levels of the major hunger messenger (NPY) in the brain. This promotes food cravings and the desire to snack, warns Dr Penny Kendall-Reed author of The No Crave Diet (£10.99 Virgin)
How to sleep well

60. Replenish spent energy
Ensure you have a healthy snack straight after you’ve exercised. Cereal bars that have oats, fruit, nuts and seeds are a good idea.
Ian Marber author of The Food Doctor Ultimate Diet (£14.99 DK)
See celebrity chef, James Martins tips, on healthy snacking

61. Park further away
Park the car further away from your destination or get off the bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way.
Azmina Govindji, nutritionist and author of The Hot Body Plan (£6.99 Vermillion)

62. Eat before you shop
The worst mistake you can make is to go shopping on an empty stomach, youll only be temped to fill the trolley with sugar-rich goods.
Rick Gallop, author of The GI Diet Clinic.

63. Make sport fun
Aim to play sport once a week. Whether it’s tennis, squash, badminton, football or horse riding, plan to do it with a friend and turn it into a social event.
Rosemary Conley author of Slim To Win (£18.99 Century)

64. Forward planning
Buy a nice pair of shorts or T-shirt that you want to (realistically) be able to fit into by summer.

65. Remove temptation
Clean out your cupboard and your fridge by removing snacks and crave inducing foods. Make sure you have something healthy available in the event of a craving emergency says Dr Penny Kendall-Reed author of The No Crave Diet (£10.99 Virgin)

66. Don’t wait till later
Never leave items at the bottom of the stairs to take up later. Each trip upstairs will help you to burn extra calories.
Rosemary Conley author of Slim To Win (£18.99 Century)

67. Get inspired
Watch TV programmes like The Biggest Loser or Celebrity Fit Club and real-life weight loss stories for inspiration.

68. Avoid distractions
Always sit down to eat your meal and avoid watching television at the same time. You tend to eat more if youre walking or standing.
Dr Penny Kendall-Reed author of The No Crave Diet (£10.99 Virgin)


70. Relax
Research shows that stress triggers a hormone that increases our appetite and deposits fat around the organs in our stomach.
Pamela Peeke, author of Fight Fat After Forty.

71. Give your kitchen a makeover
Take a look in your fridge and cupboards and be ruthless about what you need to keep and what you should throw away.
Rick Gallop, author of The GI Diet Clinic.
See celebrity chef, Phil Vickerys, store cupboard essentials here

72. Check you’re hungry
When you feel hungry, it could actually be your body telling you youre thirsty. Drink a glass of water and move on.
Azmina Govindji, nutritionist and author of The Hot Body Plan (£6.99 Vermillion)

73. Don’t rush
Never gobble your food. Remember it takes 20-30 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain its full.
Rick Gallop, author of The GI Diet Clinic.

74. Honey helps
The body needs 80g glucose to set off a chain reaction of hormones, including those that are responsible for fat breakdown while we sleep. Yet we lose up to 10g of glucose an hour between eating dinner and going to bed so have 2 dessert spoons of good quality honey before you drift off to sleep.
Mike McInnes, pharmacist and author of The Hibernation Diet
If you dont want to eat honey off a spoon see lots of delicious honey recipes here

75. Walk on tiptoes
Even if it?s just a trip from the sofa to the kitchen, walk on your tiptoes to work your calves and tone your bum.
Angela Wilson, author of Easy and Creative Ways to Lose Weight

76. Drink iced water
You should drink two litres of water a day anyway, but if it is iced, the body will burn 100 calories just heating it to normal temperature.
Find out how water can help weight loss, stop headaches and clear-up skin here

77. Swap ketchup for mustard
Mustard contains a special ingredient, capsaicin, which speeds up the metabolism and increases calorie-burning capacity between 5 and 10% for up to two hours after eating says Sacha Tarkovsky.

78. Freeze
Frozen fruit and vegetables are just as healthy and nutritious as fresh fruit and veg. Buying them frozen means you have plenty to hand when you need it, without having to spend time stocking up with fresh produce every few days.
Make a healthy and tasty treat for breakfast using frozen fruit

79. Keep to a routine
If you run, whether it?s 3 or 6 days a week, make it consistent. The body doesn?t like random training because it doesn?t know whether to adapt to a new level or challenge.
Sam Murphy author of Running Well (£14.99 Kyle Cathie)

80. Use dark-coloured plates
Research shows that the colour of our plates affects our hunger. Dark blue is best as it?s the number one colour to fight off appetite, avoid red, orange and yellow as they make appetites skyrocket.

81. Play with the kids
Games such as Twister, hide and seek or it are great ways to improve flexibility, strength and endurance while having fun at the same time.
Angela Wilson, Fun Ways to Lose Weight

82. Get skipping
If getting to the gym proves difficult, invest in a skipping rope for a cheap way to get fit. Put on some lively music and burn up to 700 calories an hour.
Get more exercise inspirations with our retro outdoor games gallery

83. Eat with chopsticks
Take the opportunity to savour each mouthful of food with chopsticks, plus it will make you eat slower which give your brain the chance to catch up with your stomach when it gets full.
Angela Wilson, author of Easy and Creative Ways to Lose Weight.
Make Zoe Taylors Chinese noodles for the perfect excuse to use your chopsticks, see the recipe here

84. Set a date
Having a holiday, wedding or special event to look forward to will help motivate you to achieve your goals.

85. Keep moving
Move around whenever you can – it’s that simple, says Coleen Nolan. So if the school run is a 5-minute drive, make it a 10-minute walk. 10 minutes of exercise is better than nothing.

86. Plan meals in advance
This way youll know exactly what youll be having each day and be less likely to be tempted by takeaways and unhealthy treats.

87. Throw a healthy party
Dinner parties neednt be full of unhealthy meals, treat the girls to a sumptuous low-calorie meal thatll be easy on all figures.

88. Get competitive
Challenge your partner, friends or even the kids to see who can hula-hoop the longest. This is a low-intensity way to exercise more, plus its cheap, easy and entertaining.
Angela Wilson, Fun Ways to Lose Weight.

89. Make a playlist
Create a list of your favourite up-tempo songs and dance like crazy. Turn the music up and let your hair down. Roll about on your bed, jump up and down or run in circles. Whatever you do, its sure to get your heart racing and blood flowing.
Take a look at the best dance DVDs to help you lose weight here

90. Chew, chew, chew
If you are a stress eater, try munching on sunflower or pumpkin seeds. They take lots of chewing and have few calories.
Zen Habits weight loss tips
Sunflower seeds also help beat insomnia, find out what else does here

91. Don’t exercise on an empty stomach
Your body will use fat as fuel leaving you with little energy for the actual workout. Have a small meal, heavy on carbs about an hour before any exercise for more energy and better results.

92. Blueberries
You probably already know blueberries are an excellent superfood to snack on, but scientists now say they can also slash the fat cells in the body by up to 73%. The clever little purple fruits are said to change the way our bodies process fat and sugar, helping us to lose inches from our waistline.

93. Carry parsley with you
Parsley is an excellent thing to munch on between meals. Not just because it’s packed with vitamins, but it’s also a perfect way of making your breath fresher.

94. Ban the remote control
Remote controls are bad news for dieters. Instead of staying on the sofa, get up every time you want to change the channel. Just small changes like this can make a big difference.

95. Don’t fast forward the adverts
During TV breaks get up, walk about, jump on the spot or do some lunges. Any small exercise that gets your blood flowing is great and itll give your eyes a break from the screen.

96. Find a mantra
Choose a sentence that inspires you. I want to be slim more than I want that biscuit, I respect my body and dont need another glass of wine or Im strong and can say no. Say this to yourself when youre tempted to stray.

97. Grow a garden
By growing (and eating) your own vegetables, youll be getting good exercise and improving your diet. This is a great way to squeeze in more exercise, eat healthier and save money.
Angela Wilson, Fun Ways to Lose Weight
Check out our seasonal food calendar for ideas of what to plant

98. Leave your phone out of reach
At home or in the office, leave your phone somewhere you can hear it but cant just reach into your pocket and answer it. See to it that you have to actually stand up and walk two steps before you can pick it up.

99. Keep it local
Ian Marber, author of The Food Doctor says: Make sure the gym, swimming pool or park you go to is one that you can get to easily. Youre more likely to go if its just down the road.

100. Breathe
You can lose up to an inch from around your tummy in just 20 days following a simple breathing exercise. Breathe in as strongly as you can and as you do, tuck in your tummy as much as you can. Hold it like this for a few seconds and then slowly release your breath, taking care not to let out your tummy. Try to do this 50 or 60 times a day for the best results.
Breathing also helps avoid stress, see more ways to do this here

101. Daily detox
Start your day with a glass of hot water and fresh lemon. It’ll flush out the toxins in the morning and re-hydrate you. It also gives you a kick and fills you up, both great for weight loss.
Glenda Hart, 54, Kings Langley, HertsWoman’s Own Detox Soup Diet

102. Make promises
Princess Beatrice has struggled with her weight in the past, but decided to set herself a fitness goal and run the London Marathon. She’s managed to shed 2 stone and drop 2 dress sizes!

103. Stop for tea-time
Green tea helps burn fat. Honest! Four or five cups a day could mean you’ll be half a stone lighter in about 10 months, due to the boosting effect green tea has on fat burning.
Angela Dowden, nutritionistThe health benefits of tea

104. Snack wisely
Snacks are where most dieters mess up. Crisps, chocolate and cereal bars
are packed with sugar and saturated fat, causing a spike in blood sugar
that then leads to yet more sugary cravings. Make your own low-calorie snacks – like an oatcake topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg – instead. They’re healthy and delicious!

105. Go skinny!
Next time you treat yourself to that coffee with a friend, think before you order. ‘Skinny’ hot drinks usually contain far less calories and fat because they’re made with skimmed milk. Cut out sugar or sweetener if you can – it tastes funny at first but you’ll soon get used to it. Sipping on super-healthy green or peppermint tea rather than coffee is an even better idea because it gives your metabolism a boost too!

106. Fidget
People who fidget naturally burn more calories because they’re always moving. If fidgeting doesn’t come naturally to you, next time your phone rings wander around while you’re having a natter. Pacing up and down the living room might not seem like much, but little bursts of easy exercise really do help.

107. Use kitchen scales
Kitchen scales aren’t just useful when you’re following a recipe – they can stop you overeating too. Bupa’s guide to portion sizes is really helpful so use it to tailor your own eating plan. And where measurements are given, be sure to weigh the item properly so you don’t over do it.

108. Know your BMI
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It’s the measurement doctors use to determine whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. Check yours with our easy to use BMI calculator. You may need to lose less than you think.

109. Eat enough
We don’t need to tell you that skipping meals isn’t a good idea. Not only will feeling hungry affect your moods and energy levels, but the body will go in to starvation mode and cling on to fat if it doesn’t get enough food so you’ll struggle to fit back in to that dress anyway. Eating a varied, portion controlled diet – packed with plenty of tasty veg – is a much better idea.

110. Fill up on fibre
Most dieters cut out stodgy foods like bread, rice and potatoes, thinking they’re to blame for a big tum. Wrong! The fibre found in good carbs (wholemeal bread, brown rice, jacket potatoes etc) is essential. It helps keep you regular and helps you feel fuller for longer. Check Bupa’s handy portion control guide to find out how much you should be eating.

111. Know your fats
Before you give up eating fish, nuts and avocado to cut out fat, remember that not all fats are equal. In fact, some fats can actually help you to lose weight. Omega 3 (found in oily fish like salmon and walnuts), monosaturated fat (avocado and olive oil) and Omega 6 (eggs, chicken and cereal) will give your diet a boost because they’ve been found to kick-start your metabolism, suppress your appetite and help the body burn bad, processed fat found in junk food. So stock up!

112. Swap potato for cauliflower
Did you know that cauliflower and potato have the same texture when mashed? Cauliflowers contain far fewer calories than potatoes though, but taste just as good. Try swapping a quarter of the potatoes for cauli next time you’re making mash. It’s better for your waistlin, as long as you don’t over do it on the butter and milk!

113. Take a break
If you’re not fully concentrating on what you’re eating, you’re likely to overdo it because your brain is so distracted that it doesn’t register when your stomach is full. Step away from your computer or TV at lunchtime, leave texting for later and really concentrate on every mouthful.

114. Dont be tempted by supersized snacks
Snacks like crisps and chocolate are the worst offenders for sugar, salt and fat. You don’t need to rule them out altogether though – a small packet or handful a day is fine, just make sure you don’t buy supersized packets to munch on in front of Strictly. The temptation to scoff the lot will be too much! Stick to small bags instead.

115. Don’t pick!
We’ve all been there. You’re cooking the kids tea – or clearing up – and you can’t help but have a little, especially if there’s leftovers. Pour a glass of water to sip on whenever you get the urge to nibble!

116 Make your own lunch
There’s so many hidden calories in shop or restaurant-bought food, especially sandwiches, so make your own lunch everyday. That way you’ll know exactly what you’re eating at all times.

117. Leave a little
We’re always told to finish up what’s on our plates, but that might be stopping you from losing weight. Next time you’re eating, stop when you get to the final three mouthfuls. This gives your brain time to register that you’re full and will save you calories.

118. Order wisely
You don’t have to order a main meal in a restaurant. Why not order two lighter starters instead? Most starter dishes are high in protein rather than the stodgy carbohydrate like pasta or rice that makes up a main meal so they’re better for you.
Where to next?
Find your best diet with our guide Advice for easy exercise
103 low calorie snacks