Women

Unless you are excited to be following a very specific diet and exercise plan, do not try and change too much too fast. If you have been eating poorly and not exercising, both your body and your mind will have a lot of adjusting to do. All the sugar and fat were actually quite enjoyable, and sitting on the sofa didn't feel too bad, either. If you try and change everything too quickly the odds are greater that you will feel bad, get discouraged, and give up. So be patient.

Shoe buying doesn’t have to involve only heels. Invest in good quality exercise shoes for your foot type. You are setting yourself up for injury if you don't have the right shoes or if you fail to retire your shoes after 300-500 miles. Avoid running shoes with a heel counter that is "too" high. Also, avoid running, jumping, skipping on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete.

Caution with the size of your meal portions. Don’t heap food on your plate (except vegetables) unless your plate is very small. Think twice before having second helpings because as they say “a moment on your lips is a lifetime on your hips”.

Try and get as much time during your working day up on your feet. Break up your sitting time. Stand up for ten minutes out of every hour and take a walk around to get your muscles working and your heart pumping even for a few minutes. It can change your mood and make your more receptive and productive.

Think about your drinks. Choose water or sugar-free squashes. Unsweetened fruit juice contains natural sugar so limit it to 1 glass per day (200ml / 1/3 pint). Alcohol is high in calories; try to limit the amount you drink.

Weight training will not cause you to immediately develop muscle like a She-Hulk. In thousands of gyms all over the world you will find men who work out 3 to 4 times a week and still struggle to develop muscle.