Before you take action, think carefully about whether you really need to lose weight. You should calculate your BMI (body mass index) to see if you are already the right weight for your height. To do this, see the 'further information' section for a link to the BMI calculator.
If your BMI score indicates that you are overweight, the best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and take plenty of regular exercise.
Physical activity increases the amount of calories you use up. The more exercise you do, the more calories you will burn. This means that if you increase the amount of exercise you do without increasing your food intake, the extra energy needed will be taken from your stored body fat and you will lose weight.
Regular exercise
You should aim to do a minimum of 30 minutes exercise a day, which can be anything that makes you slightly out of breath and warmer than usual. You do not have to go to the gym to exercise. Your exercise programme can include walking or cycling to and from work, a brisk walk at lunchtime, or using the stairs instead of the lift.
If you have not exercised recently, you should visit your GP for a health assessment before beginning an exercise programme. It is also important when starting to exercise that you build up gradually.
If you do decide to go to a gym to exercise, ask a gym instructor to advise you about how to warm up, use the equipment, and cool down. As you exercise more often, you will be able to increase the length and intensity of your workout.
To keep your weight down in the long term, make exercise part of your weekly routine. To increase your chances of keeping your exercise programme on track, choose activities that suit your lifestyle and that you find enjoyable.
Exercise can sometimes be more fun if you have a friend to do it with. Alternatively, you could join a fitness class, or take up a team sport, to make physical activity a sociable and regular habit.
Healthy eating
To reach and maintain a healthy weight, you need to eat a diet that contains balanced amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. You should also aim to include five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Your diet should not include too much fat, salt or sugar.
Dieters are often tempted by foods labelled as low fat, but low fat does not always mean the food is low in calories. Do not cut out all fat from your diet because your body needs some fat to work properly. However, make sure that you choose unsaturated fats, such as sunflower, or olive oil, rather than saturated fats, such as lard and butter.
The best advice is to eat normal foods, but in moderation, and only have fatty foods, like crisps, chocolate and cakes as an occasional treat. The time of day that you eat is also important. You should eat a healthy breakfast soon after getting up, and should try to avoid eating late at night.
Slimming pills should only be used if you are obese (extremely overweight) and if your GP has prescribed them for you. Do not buy them for yourself because they can have lots of side effects and will not benefit your long-term health.
Take it slow
Research shows that crash dieting does not work. You may lose weight quickly, but you are unlikely to keep it off. Once you have lost weight, you will still need to change your eating habits for good, to prevent piling the pounds back on.
Gradual weight loss of around 0.45-0.9kg (1-2lb) per week is usually recommended. You also need to be realistic about how much weight you want to lose and how quickly you can do it.
Support
If you want to lose weight, it is important to have the support of your family and friends. They should keep you motivated at times when you are tempted to give up, and should let you know if you are being unrealistic about your weight loss goals.
If you want to lose weight but do not know where to start, talk to your GP or practice nurse. They can give you dietary and fitness advice and point you in the direction of local slimming clubs and support groups, as well as making sure your weight loss plan is suitable for you.
Further information:
