Weight Loss Guides

Whatever diet you decide to follow, weight loss guides will prove an invaluable tool along the way.

Many weight loss guides focus on giving you sensible and realistic advice about how to choose the right diet and stick to it over a long period of time. It's well worth taking the time to read one or two weight loss guides before embarking on a serious diet and exercise programme; the better informed you are, the more likely you are to succeed.

Basic tips to remember:

• Go for gradual weight loss. Losing two pounds a week is a realistic goal.
• If you need to lose weight more rapidly for health reasons, always do so under your doctor's supervision
• Don't trust a diet that promises quick results without requiring you to change what you eat or your level of activity.
• The only real way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less and eat healthily, and to exercise more.

• Set your goals clearly at the beginning. For example "I want to lose enough weight to get into my favourite black dress again." Once you know your specific goal, it's easier to know what you have to do to get there.
• Check your body weight and body fat ratio. It's much easier to plan your diet and fitness programme if you know where you're starting from.
• Be prepared to change what and how much you eat. To lose weight, calories in must be lower than calories out.
• Don't believe the weight loss myths. If you stop exercising your muscle will not turn to fat. Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue.