Changing habits

Eating for weight loss and becoming more active mean making some real changes to the way you live your life. Changing what you do - the habits you have - is never easy. To change successfully, you will need time to think about and plan what it will involve.

Keep track

A diary will really help you keep track of how you eat and the activities that you do. That way you can look for the simple changes you are going to make in your life, which will be the breakthrough for you. If you write down what you were doing on each day and any particular thoughts and feelings you had at that time, it can help you identify times when you eat more or do less activity. Be honest with yourself - that way you can look for simple changes which will really make a difference.

Set goals

Remember that every small change you make will be a step towards taking control of your weight. The starting point for you might be to make changes to your snacks - fruit instead of biscuits, for example. Your diary will help you keep track of what you've achieved. Having it written down could also help you to stay motivated.

Be positive

Remind yourself that you are doing your very best to make changes. Success is when you've stuck to the changes at the end of each week. Some people start to blame themselves if they have a bad day or if they don't lose weight as quickly as they'd hoped. Don't let negative thoughts steer you off course. If you have a few bad days, don't worry. Pick yourself up and keep going.

Eating for comfort?

A lot of people who struggle with their weight say that food comforts them. They eat for emotional reasons, rather than because they are hungry - comfort food is usually high in calories. If you eat for comfort, take some time to think about what sets this off and plan what you can do when those situations arise. If you're feeling down or you think you've eaten too much, try to stick to your activity goals. Activity relieves stress and anxiety by releasing 'feel-good' hormones. You'll feel pleased with yourself when you manage to take control in these situations, and not use food as your comfort.

How to keep it off

If you have succeeded in losing weight, well done! The next challenge is to continue the good work and keep the weight off. To do this, you will need to stick to good eating and everyday activity habits.

• Keep eating healthily every day, but don't worry about enjoying a special meal out from time to time.
• Keep active - it is one of the most important things you can do if you want to keep your weight off. Ask family and friends to join you in walking, swimming or your regular exercise sessions. 
• Keep track of your weight by weighing yourself once a week. If it starts to creep up, even by just a few pounds, check what you are eating, and do more activity to help you get back on track.

Lifestyle tips

This list covers things people found helped them change their lifestyle - for good. They might help you too.

1. Ask for encouragement and help from the people close to you, like your partner, friends and children.
2. Only eat at planned times and stick to similar times each day.
3. Plan meals ahead for yourself and the whole family.
4. Check if you're really hungry before you eat. It may be thirst or a craving.
5. Sit down at the table to eat and do nothingelse while eating.
6. Set aside regular times for activities or classes. Make it a habit by planning to attend come rain or shine.
7. Plan to be more active with a friend or relative and make it a social occasion, for example gardening together or walking to work with a colleague.
8. Chew slowly and take your time over food.
9. Plan to say no to second helpings or cook only the amount of food you will eat.
10. Don't shop for food when you're hungry. Keep to your shopping list.
11. Put healthy snacks like fruit, chopped vegetables and yoghurt at the front of the fridge where they're readily available.
12. Write a list of activities you can do instead of being tempted to eat, for example cleaning out a cupboard, going for a walk, sorting out your papers or going swimming.