1. Cut Down on Portion Sizes

It's easy to underestimate the amount that you are actually eating, so try to cut down on your portions by using a smaller plate or bowl. If you have less on the plate to start with, this can help to reduce the number of calories you consume. At the same time, try to eat slowly, which will give your stomach time to tell your brain that it is full.

2. Get the Right Things in Your Diet

Forget about fad diets, and focus instead on eating a wholesome diet. Make sure you get a good mix of healthy food in your diet, including lots of fruit and vegetables, fibre (wholegrain bread, oats, brown rice), which helps you feel full for longer, and healthy fats like nuts.

3. Join a Fitness Class

Being active is one of the best ways to lose weight. But if the thought of spending hours in the gym does not appeal, try to find something you enjoy.

Outdoor boot camps are ideal. They provide you with a fun way to get into shape and actually enjoy exercising. If you enjoy it, you'll do it more often, leading to long-term results

At fitandhappy in Edinburgh, we offer boot camps for women that are friendly, fun, welcoming and supportive. They are for all ages and any fitness level. So come along and try one for yourself!

If it has been a while since you have exercised you might prefer a low impact outdoor class or a yoga or Pilates class. That will help you to get used to exercising again with the added benefit of meeting new people who will encourage you too.

4. Get Extra Support from a Personal Trainer

Take things further with a personal trainer. There are lots of great reasons to get specialist personal support to help you get into shape and lose weight.

A personal trainer can create a programme that focuses on losing weight in a fun way to get you feeling fit and confident. The fitandhappy female personal training coaches can develop real strategies for long-lasting weight loss without any focus on weird diets.

5. Stock Up on Healthy Snacks

When you get hungry, it's easy to reach for a quick fix like a chocolate bar or biscuit. So start replacing unhealthy snacks with healthy ones.

Find some healthy and tasty snacks like oatcakes, natural popcorn, dried fruit, hummus and nuts, and reach for them when you need to.

6. Get into the Habit

One of the most important things about losing weight is that nothing will work long-term if you give up. You need to change your lifestyle for good, which is one of the hardest things to do.

You might want to try a Healthy Habits Made Easy course, which is especially useful if you've tried to lose weight but found that it never lasted. This focuses on behavioural change to help you learn new habits and stick to them.

7. Make Time for Treats

Don't cut out treats entirely - it will only make you want them more. Give yourself a time to enjoy them and have the occasional bowl of ice cream or chocolate bar without feeling guilty.

It Starts Today!

Losing weight can often seem like a lost cause, but it really can be done! You can change your lifestyle, learn new habits and enjoy lasting change. Most importantly, it can actually be fun! When it starts becoming fun to lose weight, you know you're making a change that will really last.

Good Luck! We know you can do it.