1. Weigh yourself on Wednesday
It’s the best day to get on the scales when you really, really want to stick with your diet, say the experts. Researchers at Cornell University in New York found slimmers weigh the least on Friday but blow out over the weekend. This means the usual Monday weigh-in destroys your diet – and your motivation – before it’s even begun. Wednesday weigh-ins are more likely to keep you motivated and on track.
2.Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up
Drinking 500ml of water first thing kick-starts your metabolism by 30%, German studies show. Being hydrated helps curb your appetite too, so you’ll eat less at mealtimes for the rest of the day. Aim for two litres a day and always drink a glass before meals – it’ll help you feel fuller more quickly.

3. Chew your food for longer.
Slim people take their time eating meals, chewing each mouthful at least 15 times (that’s three more chews than the average person), a study has found. This helps your brain get the memo that you’ve eaten – which can take up to 20 minutes, according to US research.
4 Eat natural yoghurt every day
Eating a little every day can help you lose weight, especially from around your waistline, say US scientists. A University of Tennessee study found that dieters who added yoghurt to their meal plan lost 22% more weight and 81% more belly fat than those who’d skipped the creamy goodness. It’s thought the amino acids in yoghurt help to burn fat, while the calcium causes fat cells to release less fat-producing cortisol. Plus, yoghurt is a great source of probiotics and protein. What’s not to love?
5. Sit up straight when snacking
How easy is it to inhale a full packet of potato chips while lying on the couch? Well, sitting up straight when you eat has the opposite effect. When your body is upright, your food will reach the lower part of your stomach faster, sending signals to the brain that you’ve eaten enough and it’s time to put the chips away.
6. Eat your biggest meal first thing
This one is an oldie but a goodie – breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and eat dinner like a pauper. Flipping your meals so dinner is the smallest meal of the day gives your body the chance to burn off the most kiljoules while you’re active, rather than having food sitting in your stomach and taking longer to digest while you’re asleep.

7. Dilute your drinks with ice
Cut down on kilojoules from alcohol by filling your glass with ice first. A long, icy drink will last longer, plus you’ll ditch 534kJ if you use diet cola or soda! This also works for white wine – you’ll save 227kJ.
8. Go to bed an hour earlier each night
Sorry, night owls – women who stay up late and get less than 6.5 hours of sleep a night have more body fat than those who turn in early. While midnight milk and biscuits aren’t exactly blameless, boffins in the US discovered that sleep deprivation not only slows down your metabolism, but revs up your appetite too. Not ideal! Get back on track by aiming for eight hours of shut-eye a night.
9. Turn off your screens
People who scoff meals while glued to their phones, laptops, tablets or TV eat 69% more snacks afterwards. This is because your brain is kept so busy during the meal, it struggles to remember that you ate at all – let alone what was eaten – according to research from the University of Birmingham.
10. Eat an ’80s power breakfast
Scientists are again raving about the power of grapefruit to help shift stubborn kilos. Some say the aroma stops you overeating, while others put it down to high fibre. Experts at the University of California believe the juice could stop the body absorbing fat. Try half a grapefruit with black coffee and a boiled egg for a low-fat ’80s brekkie – studies show that dieters who eat eggs for breakfast lose 65% more weight!
