Make this the diet that works!
We all know that to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you burn up. Simple. Why then is success so hard to come by? Here is some advice that can make your next diet the one that works.

Motivation
Why do you want to lose weight? Perhaps you want to feel sexier, fitter and to look your age rather than five or ten years older. Write your reasons down and keep a copy to hand for whenever you feel a weak moment coming on.

Commitment
Don’t start your diet a week before your sister’s wedding or a self-indulgent holiday. Pick a time which won’t test your resolve too rigorously for a few days. Once started, though, don’t let anything get in your way. You’ll find that the more you say “No thank you,” the more empowered you become.

Targets
Set yourself realistic targets. If you lose weight slowly but steadily, you are more likely to stay slim. Binge dieting is an emergency measure only and has health risks attached. As you reach a target, give yourself a (non-foody) treat. Weigh yourself once a week and no more. This will give you a truer impression of progress, less affected by daily fluctuations.

Staying happy
Do what makes you happy. Most people snack and binge to comfort themselves when they are feeling low. Surround yourself with friends who make you feel good about yourself and who will encourage you – and tell you how fab you are looking as the weight begins to drop off. Remind yourself that it’s much easier to stay motivated once the diet begins to take effect. Be patient and hang in there.

Be prepared
Don’t wait until you feel starving before you eat. You might just eat too much, and wrongly. Prepare what you have planned to eat before your stomach starts to rumble, tempting you to raid the fridge. Make a mental note of your danger zones (last thing at night? mid-afternoon?) and be prepared with a strategy. Have something ready to eat that will not bust your diet.

Slow down and enjoy…
Slow down the pace of your eating. Chew each mouthful thoroughly and enjoy it. Eat until you are satisfied: you don’t have to finish every crumb on your plate. Eat calmly and give your brain a chance to hear the signals telling it your hunger has been satisfied. Drink lots of water, eat plenty of fibre, treat your body well!

Eating disorder checklist
By all means go on a controlled weight loss diet if you are overweight or obese. But don’t let it become an obsession. One of the most dangerous aspects of eating disorders is that the sufferer is likely to deny strenuously to everyone, often themselves included, that they have a problem. Take a practical approach. If you suspect that you or someone you know might be on the slippery slope to an eating disorder, look at the list of warning signs below. There is help available from the medical profession, charities and self-help groups.

Anorexia

Weight drops to about 20 per cent below normal.
Refuses food, denies feeling hungry.
Exercises excessively or obsessively.
Feels fat, though the scales and mirror tell an opposite story.
Becomes socially withdrawn.

Bulimia

Regularly visits the bathroom immediately after meals.
Overeats regularly but doesn’t gain weight.
Uses laxatives and diuretics on a regular basis.
Becomes socially withdrawn.

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