Aspire for Life's 10 weight-loss tips

1. Do it for yourself. You will have greater long-term success if you change your lifestyle and diet because YOU want to lose weight, not because your partner or GP says you need to do it.
2. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits.
3. Move. Physical activity has many benefits – it burns energy, lifts your mood and keeps your body strong
4. Get a good night’s sleep. If you consistently struggle to get a good night’s sleep, efforts to improve your sleep - such a limiting your evening caffeine and alcohol intake, avoiding large meals before bed, and having a consistent bedtime routine – may help you manage your weight.
5. Eat a healthy breakfast.
6. Keep a food diary. People who are successful at weight loss, regularly monitor what, when and how much they eat. The most important thing is that you write the food down as you eat it so you accurately remember what you’ve had.
7. Pull back on portions. Use smaller plates, bowls and cups. Cook smaller meals. Buy single serve portions instead of bulk bags. Get used to having a little less on your plate. People can often eat 20% less (or 20% more) without even noticing it.
8. Turn off the TV. People who watch more television, tend to weigh more. Likewise people who’ve successfully lost significant amounts of weight, tend to watch less than 10 hours of television a week.
9. Fossick for fat. Cut back on the added fats, oils and fatty foods (such as fried foods, chips, biscuits, and chocolate) in your diet to reduce kilojoules. Enjoy small amounts of nuts and seeds for their healthy fats and vitamin E.
10. Eat your calories, don’t drink them. Kilojoule-laden drinks like fizzy drink, sports drinks, juices, full-fat milk based coffee drinks and alcohol can easily pack on the kilograms without satisfying your hunger. Water is always the best beverage choice. Other low-kilojoule options include teas (herbal, green or black), black coffee, clear broth soups, soda water and sugar-free drinks in moderation.