I WILL KNOW WHEN I'M FULL
'The key is to change the way you think about food,' says hypnotherapist Paul McKenna. 'If you're truly hungry, eat what you want, but slow down your chewing speed to about a quarter of your normal pace. Eating causes your body to release feel-good endorphins, but when you eat too quickly, these hormones flood your brain so it can't register the full signal. By eating slowly you're more likely to get a feeling of fullness, making it much easier to leave food on your plate.' For information about McKenna's weight-loss seminars, call 0845 2302022 or visit www.paulmckenna.com.
I WILL THINK LIKE A CAVE GIRL
'Steer well clear of starchy foods,' says Dr John Briffa, a doctor specialising in nutrition and author of The True You Diet (Hay House, £9.99). 'These tend to induce gluts of the hormone insulin that predisposes fat accumulation in the body. Also, these foods, calorie for calorie, tend not to satisfy the appetite as effectively as foods that release sugar slowly into your system, especially those rich in protein. There is now plenty of evidence supporting the idea of eating what is essentially a primal diet, made up of foods such as meat, fish, nuts, veg and some fruit.' For more info on Dr Briffa's approach, visit www.thetrueyoudiet.com.
I WILL USE MY TASTEBUDS
'Restricting what you eat or banning foods altogether isn't sustainable in the long-term,' says Slimming World dietitian Carolyn Bye. 'Dieting does not automatically mean you should eradicate certain food groups or treats from your diet. If you're a fan of curry and spicy foods, for example, adding fresh chillies and spices to vegetables and healthier meals will still give you maximum taste and flavour, and means you won't be straying too far from your usual diet, making your weight-loss plan easier to stick to.'
I WILL BUDDY UP
'Don't underestimate the power of peer support,' says nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton. 'Following a programme with a friend should keep you on the right track. Make sure you choose the right person, though, and avoid "do little and moan a lot" types. Choose someone positive who has a similar amount of weight to lose. By agreeing to be a weight-loss buddy, you vow to encourage your friend to resist temptation and keep her exercise promises.'
I WILL GET REAL
'Be realistic about your weight-loss goal,' says Sue Baic, dietitian and spokesperson for The British Dietetic Association. 'If you set your sights too high, it can be a real struggle to get to your target weight and stay there. Set yourself realistic short-term goals, then reset them once they've been achieved. Remember, you don't need to be down to your lowest weight to obtain health benefits - a loss of about 10% of your starting weight can benefit your blood pressure, cholesterol and risk of developing type-2 diabetes, not to mention making you feel a lot better.'
I WILL NOT PICK 'N' MIX
'The pleasure of eating a specific food increases up to the third or fourth bite, but then drops off,' says Anita Bean, nutritionist and author of Food For Fitness (A&C Black, £12.99). 'If you have lots of different foods on your plate, you prolong the sensory pleasure, which stops you feeling full as quickly and you end up eating much more. By simplifying the selection of food on your plate, and only eating four mouthfuls of each, your eating will slow down and you'll feel satiated more quickly, so you'll eat less.'
I WILL STOP THINKING 'CREDIT-DEBIT'
'More emphasis should be placed on the energy you expend rather than what you consume,' says nutritionist Fiona Hunter. 'It's a common mistake to over-compensate and think that the more you exercise, the more you can eat. You need to eat for energy, but to lose weight you need to burn a lot more calories than you consume. Plus, the more you exercise, the more lean muscle tissue you'll develop, which burns more calories. Your metabolism will also increase - helping you burn energy even when you're not exercising. Aim for four 30- to 45-minute sessions a week.'
I WILL DRY-FRY
'For a quick calorie-cutting trick, don't use any butter or oil when you cook,' says diet guru Rosemary Conley. 'Oil consists of 100% fat, and butter 80% fat. Ounce for ounce, eating fatty products such as these will give you twice as many calories as protein. You can't and shouldn't avoid natural essential fats in your foods, but by cutting out obvious added fats you'll dramatically reduce your calorie intake without compromising your meals or eating less, and you should substantially increase your rate of weight loss. Dry-fry meat and veg, and make mashed potatoes with yogurt or organic skimmed milk.'
I WILL AVOID THE PLATEAU
'If your weight loss takes off with a flying start, you're more likely to stay motivated, but you need to take measures now to protect yourself from plateauing further along the line,' says Emma Hetherington, head of programme development at Weight Watchers UK. 'Give yourself the tools to help you stay in control - plan your meals for the week ahead and keep a detailed food and exercise diary. If you do plateau, your food and fitness diary will help you pinpoint where you're going wrong. You might notice that you're eating more or even fewer calories than you realised, or that you're not creating enough of a deficit through activity to keep losing weight.'
I WILL WEIGH MYSELF EVERY DAY
'There's nothing wrong with weighing yourself regularly, if it helps you stay on track,' says Zest 's nutritionist Angela Dowden. 'Studies looking at successful dieters in the US, who lost more than 30lb, found that those who kept the pounds off weighed themselves at least once a week, and some every day. Doing so allows you to take action immediately if your weight begins to creep up. Most women who weigh themselves once a week or fortnightly feel devastated if they put on a few pounds and then they give up dieting. Also, weighing yourself more regularly allows you to get to know your body - by tracking the daily ups and down, you'll soon know the difference between fluid retention and genuine weight gain.'
