So many of us start the year with the resolution to lose weight – but it is usually harder said than done… so we’ve brought you a collection of tips to help you reach your goal.

The best way to succeed at losing weight is to tackle the problem from two fronts – by focusing on exercising more and eating healthier foods with lower calories. While either increasing exercising or reducing your intake of calories on its own will help you lose weight, the combination of the two is more likely to get you to start losing weight – and increase your motivation as you see your hard work paying off.

Get Active

Get up and get active! Spend less time lounging on the couch in front of the telly. Instead, get up and get moving - this will not only reduce the number of calories you’ll need to cut back on in order to lose weight but will also leave you feeling healthier and happier. Exercise produces a chemical called endorphins that leave you feeling more relaxed and happier!

Look for excuses to introduce exercise into your day. Take your dog for a run, use the stairs not the lift, walk to the shops rather than hopping in the car. There are several ways to introduce more exercise into your day at work and home. One effective way is to start a walking or running club at work or amongst your neighbours. Having a group activity makes it harder to wimp out because you don’t feel like exercising today.

As a guideline you should try to include 30 – 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, the type that gets your heart pumping and your cheat heaving, between three to five times a week – but if you’re not already exercising start off slowly with more moderate targets.

Keep a record of your exercise goals and the amount of exercise you actually do to keep yourself motivated and on track. 

Eat right

Don’t embark on a crash diet and starve yourself. If you do your body thinks you’re in starvation mode and reduces your metabolic rate, which makes it harder for your body to use up calories. Try to eat healthy food options and look for ways to lower the number of calories you consume without leaving you feeling deprived. If you can’t live without the odd chocolate, or cream cheese, rather than try to eliminate them altogether, allow yourself small helpings if you’ve been good during the week, or look for low-fat alternatives that don’t pack on the calories quite as much.

Try to eat fruit and vegetables rather than crisps and nuts and avoid fried food and food with a lot of fat. Put smaller portions on your plate, eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly – and stop eating when you feel full.

Drink right

Fancy coffees that are now in vogue and other drinks, especially sodas, can increase your calorie intake more than you think. This means you have to watch what you eat as well as what you drink. Even diet sodas, fruit juice and milk can add unnecessary calories.

Try to drink more water and herbal teas and less high-calorie drinks, or look for substitutes that have a lower calorie count.

Make small, progressive changes

You’ll have more chance of changing these lifestyle habits if you make small changes, and build on your successes, than if you go cold turkey avoiding your favourite things, and then end up bingeing on the wrong calories in a moment of weakness.

Plan a strategy to increase your exercise and improve your eating habits gradually. Give your body a few weeks to adjust to each change and then add on the next improvement. That way, you stand a chance of not only reaching your goal weight but also maintaining it!

This article by Shaz appeared in Online, Teklom’s quarterly staff newsletter.