How to lose weight in January and keep it off

The New Year always starts with the best of intentions. You have decided which parts of your life you would like to improve – health, finances, career – and January marks the time for change. Right? Wrong. Unfortunately, statistics say that you are doomed to fail, according to a study by author and psychologist Richard Wiseman.
His research found that 52% of resolution-makers were confident that they’d achieve their goals, yet only 12% succeeded. So what’s the secret to successful weight loss in 2013?
Be specific
Set step-by-step goals with realistic targets and be specific about the end result you would like to achieve. For example, if you want to lose 10lbs you need to allow at least two months for this to happen. Weight loss should be a gradual and healthy process. Experts recommend losing 1-2lbs per week.
Keep a food diary
This sounds tedious and boring, but by writing down everything that passes your lips (including drinks) helps you to better understand why you put weight on in the first place. Overweight people often eat without realising how much they have eaten in a day. Food diaries will enable you to spot patterns in your eating habits and pinpoint the times in the day when you are snacking or overeating. A food diary is a particularly effective tool to start using before your weight loss project begins because it will enable you to make a plan that you will be more likely to stick to, rather than winging it from week to week.
Tell people
Statistics show that people who told family and friends they were on a weight loss plan were successful in achieving their goals. The reason for this is two-fold. None of us like to lose face or let people down so by telling friends and family you have a health regime in place shows commitment and gives you the will power you need to succeed. At the same time, friends and family will want to support you. Perhaps they opt to cook low-fat foods for a dinner party or politely decline you the chance to dip your hands in the biscuit tin.
Know the solution
Okay, so your food diary shows that you never or rarely eat breakfast, you have a high-sugar snack mid-morning, a large meal at lunchtime and then graze on small amounts of moreish food throughout the evening. But how do you make changes and alternatives to your food habits. You could speak to a personal trainer or dietician to help steer you in the right direction, although most of it is common sense. Everyone should eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast after a night’s sleep. Choose high fibre, low-fat breakfast cereals and fruit and you won’t go far wrong. This will eliminate the need for a mid-morning snack and get you used to eating a lighter lunch that has a good mix of carbohydrates, protein and good fats. Choose bean salads, chicken or fish salads, or sandwiches that are light on dressing and use whole wheat or whole grain bread. Finish with a piece of fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Evening meals should be eaten before 7:30pm, be relatively light depending on your activity levels and should be made up of mostly vegetables.