Ten Golden Habits That Keep Weight Off for Good

The ten habits

1. Eat at regular times. Three meals and a planned snack, rather than grazing all day.
2. Plan your week. A meal plan and shopping list remove daily decisions.
3. Count the bites, licks and tastes. Finishing the kids' fish fingers or tasting the sauce repeatedly adds up.
4. Sit down to eat. Never from the fridge, the packet or standing at the counter.
5. Measure the high-calorie extras. Oil, butter, cheese, nuts, cereal — eyeballing tends to underestimate.
6. Fill half your plate with vegetables. Every lunch and dinner.
7. Drink mostly water. Keep sugary drinks and alcohol for occasions.
8. Move every day. A daily walk, even 20 minutes, is the foundation.
9. Weigh in regularly but calmly. Once a week, same time and conditions, and look at the trend.
10. Plan for setbacks. Decide in advance how you'll handle holidays, parties and bad days.

Picking vs dieting

Picking — the unplanned nibbles between meals — is one of the biggest reasons weight loss stalls. A handful of crisps here and a biscuit there can easily reach 300kcal a day without a single 'meal'. If you're stuck, try a week of noting every bite.

Do you diet by the clock?

Eating because 'it's lunchtime' rather than because you're hungry isn't necessarily bad — routine helps many people. But if you find yourself eating at set times and then snacking as well, try checking your hunger before each meal and adjusting portions.