Exercise doesn't have to be boring

1) Skip late night snacks. Snacking in front of the TV makes you eat more. If you can’t give it up chop up some carrots and celery and munch on them instead.

2) Lose the extras throughout the day. A tbsp of mayonnaise has a shocking 100 calories; a slice of cheddar cheese around 115 and a scraping of butter 74, even a dollop of ketchup has 40 calories.

3) Do more exercise. Do anything you can to include exercise in your daily routine. Check our list for inspiration.

4) Learn about food labelling. Companies trick us with promises of low fat and low calories and then fill their products with artificial flavourings that leave us craving more. 

5) Eat little and often. Make sure you are never starving, or when you finally eat, you will end up over-indulging. 

6) Drink water. Sometimes our body mistakes thirst for hunger; if you feel the pangs sip some water first and wait 20 minutes to see if you’re still hungry. Substitute coffee and tea for white or green tea – proven to speed up your metabolism.

7) Know your danger areas and times. If you normally head straight for the fridge when you get in from work, replace this with going for a run or a shower until the moment passes. If, after you’ve put the kids to bed, you raid the cupboards, try a fitness DVD, or join an internet fitness community to share your day with others.

8) Consider a nutritional therapist. ‘Go and see an expert,’ nutrition expert Fiona Kirk says. ‘If you were sick you would go and see a doctor and if you had a legal problem you’d go and see a lawyer, so why not consult a food expert?’

9) Make exercise fun. Try erotic aerobics, like pole dancing and strip classes or just dancing to your favourite tunes around your room can be great exercise.

10) There is no quick fix. Busy lifestyles and too many time commitments make it hard to find the time to overhaul your diet and exercise regime. For long lasting results you need effort, determination and to make healthy choices a habit.