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So losing weight has never been easy, nor has looking good been too easy either – and I am speaking for myself here. Diets always last approximately 2.5 hours, and anything slightly fitted or tight is just so not me, and don’t even get me started on gyms and fitness centres, much less swimming pools.

So it was with some pessimism and in all honesty, disappointment that I unwrapped my latest birthday present from my parents – a pair of fitflops. Yep, you don’t need to reread that, they are fitflops, not flip flops.

The blurb on the box tells me that wearing these instead of my normal conventional footwear will help tone up my calves, thighs and bum, and make my daily walking routine into more of a cardiovascular workout.  Yep sure, and eating a McDonalds for breakfast is good for you as well!

In case you missed it, I treated the blurb on the box with disdain and distrust! But then i got talking to some friends in the pub, and 2 of them had also got a pair of fitflops in the previous few months, and both of them had rave reviews about them. They reported that they really had experienced some weight loss, firmer calves and a tightening of the buttock area.

For me the jury is still out. I have started wearing them on a daily basis, and I do admittedly “feel” a little better in myself. I can’t be sure, I did think last night as I got dried after a shower that there was a little bit of muscle tone on my calve, but it may have just been a shadow. I suppose that as long as I mentally feel like its doing me good, it cannot be a bad thing.

Oh, and joy of joys, there is a range of winter fit flops available now as well – and they look very cool!

Losing weight is as simple as taking in less calories than you burn.  In fact, it’s the only way to lose weight.  But, of course it’s not that simple to pull off.  Putting your body in a caloric restrictive state can be next to impossible for some people.  But, by following a low calorie diet and using a few tried and tested tips you can effectively lose weight without even noticing.

Eat more water rich foods. Vegetables, fruits and soups are all water-rich foods.  Why water-rich foods?  Water gives the food more density, which creates that full feeling, but without the calories.

Easy on the condiments. Skip large amounts of salad dressing, mayo and other calorie rich condiments.  They might not seem like much at the time, but added up over the course of a week and you might be surprised.

Dessert in moderation. When a craving hits for ice cream or that piece of cake sitting on the counter, go for it. Just enjoy in moderation.   There is a psychological advantage to cheating every now and then.  It helps you to stay on your diet when you know you can reward yourself.

Choose Whole, Natural Foods. Heavily processed foods such as chips and crackers don’t satisfy hunger cravings and pass on little to no nutrients.  On the other hand, whole foods will keep you feeling fuller longer, pass on more nutrients and are typically lower in calories.

Savor your food and eat slow. If you too eat fast it’s possible to over eat before your body even realizes it’s full.  Try sitting down with your family every night for dinner as opposed to eating on the go.  This will have a positive impact on your family life as well as your health.

Use smaller plates. This may seem like an odd one, but recent studies have shown that people are satisfied by eating what is on their plate regardless of the quantity. So start small, you can always add a little more if you’re still hungry.

There’s nothing wrong with training your abs directly once or twice a week, but doing isolation exercises aren’t the be all and end all of six packs. Most compound exercises have an indirect effect on your abs and this means that as long as you stick to the basic big lifts such as dead lifts, bench press and squats then your abs will still get a work out. One of the most important things to get the abs you have always wanted is keeping your body fat low enough for them to show through. After all everyone has a six pack it’s just not always visible. The next thing to take in to consideration is nutrition. Without the right nutrition your body fat will never maintain the level you need to have those wash board abs.

When it comes to nutrition you should use a bit of common sense and avoid any sugary, high fat foods. As well as this you need to ensure you are consuming enough high protein foods to repair your muscles after your workouts. Good clean foods such as chicken, fish, wholemeal pasta and veg should be staple parts of your diet. If you are working out regularly your protein intake should be between 1.2 – 1.5g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. Protein shakes can help get that much needed protein without adding any extra calories or excess fat and carbs. Your abs are just like any other muscle and should be given sufficient rest between training them (usually 24-48 hours depending on stiffness)

Obesity is a condition where weight gain has got to the point that it poses a serious threat to one’s health. It is often measured in terms of a person’s BMI or Body Mass Index. It is quite simple to calculate your own BMI. You simply need to divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches. This will give you your BMI score. BMI cut-off points have been established and well documented to determine whether an adult is overweight or obese but doing so for young children is more complicated. For adults the BMI cut-off points are as follows:

BMI <18.5 = Underweight

BMI 18.5-25 = Healthy Weight

BMI = 25-29.5 = Overweight

BMI >30 = Clinically Obese

Due to the fact that a child’s BMI varies with age different cut of points have to be used to determine whether a child is overweight or obese.

If you work out that you are either overweight or obese then now is the time to act. The best way to lose weight is to ensure that your body consumes fewer calories than it burns. As a general rule of thumb reducing your calorie intake to between 1250-1750 calories per day . It is important however to recognise that no two bodies are the same. To some extent your metabolic rate will determine how many calories you need to consume. It is also a good idea to consult your family GP before undertaking an new diet. In order to speed things up try introducing regular exercise into your lifestyle.