Quick checklist to boost your weight-loss efforts

Here’s a quick checklist, in random order, to help you towards your goal weight. Some of these you’re probably doing already, but everyone will find at least one thing on the list that you can add to your regime.

As ever, I’m keen to hear your comments. Tell me which items work for you, which ones you’ll try to add to your current efforts, and which ones you might even disagree with. This list is not exhaustive, so add some of your own in the comments section, things you think are important or particularly effective.

1. Drink plenty of water between meals

2. Eat fruit every day, but no more than 3 portions

3. Eat at least 4 portions of veg a day, ideally more

4. Tell everyone you know that you’re trying to lose weight, and ask them to support you

5. Set a goal for how much you want to lose, and when by, then work out how much weight loss a week this means. You want to aim for 1-2 lbs per week weight loss.

6. Don’t cut out all fats. Some fats are good, and crucial to your health, so eat oily fish, avocados, almonds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil. All in moderation of course.

7. If you have a personal trainer, squeeze maximum value out of them. Keep a food diary and ask them to assess your eating habits.

8. Include resistance exercises to your workout regime, it’s the best form of exercise to lose excess body fat. So pushups, squats, and dumbbell exercises are all good.

9. Get plenty of good quality sleep. Poor sleep habits mess up your hormone balance and thwart your weight-loss efforts.

10. Don’t skip meals. You need to keep your metabolism ticking over with regular feeds, otherwise your body thinks there’s a famine and goes into fat-storage mode.

I look forward to your comments!