This article should really have been called “Lifestyle Tips” but that sounded way too preachy. Taking a larger, more holistic view of your life will help guide you to a more successful outcome. There are three main areas to tackle in a successful diet plan:

Three very basic areas, but vitally important to your overall wellbeing. Let’s take them in order and give a few tips and pointers on each.

Perhaps the most obvious area, the easiest to understand but the hardest to follow, right?

In fact there is often a mystique about what we consume every day that hides the simple truth about food. We all know the simple mantra of calories in equals calories out, but that simple truth is often hidden from us by things like processed food, ready meals and take-away.

A set of boring, restricted meals is a sure recipe for failure. Don’t give up on the things you like. We all know the things we should not eat or drink, but still do. Instead of giving them up, have a treat every so often, just don’t overdo it.

Instead of completely removing the things you like, add healthy options and eat them first so you are fuller and you will eat less of the higher calorie options.

Humans like fatty and sugary things, manufacturers know this so they add more fat and sugar to their food, in amounts that would horrify you, if you were cooking at home.

Cooking at home need not mean hours of toiling over a hot oven, simple salads can be prepared in minutes from salad leaves, apples, grapes and any other fruit you like (use orange juice as a dressing rather than oil). This can be accompanied by cold meats or cooked chicken for a simple delicious meal. If you rely on processed food a lot, try this one night a week, you may be surprised at the end results.

Again the manufacturers are deceiving us, quite often low fat means more sugar and can often mean higher calories gram for gram. Often the way they make something with 10% less calories is by making it 10% smaller.

Yes I know, one a day is hard enough. Try to have a smoothie for breakfast with at least 4 different fruit and veg. A really nice and filling smoothie can be made from two small oranges, 1 apple or pear and a carrot with as little skimmed milk as possible. The carrot adds body to the drink and keeps hunger at bay for longer. If you can’t make it through till lunch time, add a small bowl of oatmeal as an extra dish.

No I don’t mean the chocolates, I mean literally don’t eat after eight in the evening. This will give your body time to digest the food and it will be less likely to lay down fat as you sleep.

This is a great way to keep on top of a diet. It is very easy to forget what you eat in a day, so using a diary helps you focus on what you really do eat in a day. There are plenty of online food diaries some charge others are free. Just go to Google and search for “food diary USA free” without the quotes, to see a large selection.

We need some stress in our lives, otherwise we would not get up in the morning! However too much stress is a dangerous thing.

Before sleep or upon waking up, try to find five minutes to calm down. This can be as simple as listening to soft music, closing your eyes, or even meditating.

There is a technique called Progressive Relaxation which is simple but works very well at the end of the day:

Lying down on your bed or the floor, work from your toes up to the top of your head. First scrunch your toes and feet for a few seconds, then relax them completely. Follow this one at a time, with your calves, legs, stomach and bottom, chest, back and neck. By the time you are finished your body should have completely let go of any tension.

Yes I know it sounds daft, but I learnt this one from my dog. Before sleep he lets out a sharp, noisy exhalation of breath and is asleep instantly. This is his way of letting out the tension. Try it you might be surprised by the results.

Some love it, some hate it. Where ever you are on the exercise scale a little bit of exercise is a good thing. It will keep you healthy and help prolong your life.

It does not have to be much, just find something you enjoy and progressively do a bit more. I have listed a few ideas below.

A word of caution: You should always consult your doctor before embarking on any new or strenuous activity.

One of the best exercises to promote wellbeing. Just going for a short walk two or three times a week could add significantly to your weight loss over the period of a few months.

Really good low impact exercise, if you can swim great! If you can’t then perhaps you might enjoy an adult swimming class. Your local swimming pool will usually have at least one session a week, where the pool is emptied of other people and your new activity can begin.