DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS....DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...

WHO SAYS YOU NEED TO DEPRIVE YOURSELF TO LOSE WEIGHT? GET INTO GOOD HABITS AND SHAPE UP THE POSITIVE WAY

By Charlotte Haigh

1. BE A SPICE GIRL

Brazilian supermodel Gisele swears her love of red chillies keeps her slender. And she may be on to something – research suggests the fiery peppers could help boost metabolism by up to 20 per cent.

2. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST

It’s the mantra for anyone who wants to shift the pounds. A study in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found kicking off the day with a meal, such as a high-fibre cereal and yoghurt, boosts your basal metabolic rate (the speed at which your body burns calories).

3. WORK OUT ON THE RIGHT DAYS

OK, you may feel more like scoffing chocolate than exercising when you have PMS, but working out in the two weeks before your period burns more fat than at other times of the month, according to research from Ohio University. Your basal metabolic rate is eight to 16 per cent higher in the second half of your menstrual cycle.

4. WATCH YOUR TIPPLES

Step away from the wine bottle – it’s easy to forget, but alcohol is crammed with calories (a glass of Sauvignon Blanc is equivalent to a 1oz portion of cheese). You’re also more likely to snack on junk food if you’re hung-over. Add loads of ice to drinks so you guzzle less without noticing.

5. GET THE FIDGET FACTOR

The colleague who jumps up and down from her desk all day and jiggles her feet around may irritate you – but we bet she’s slim. Fidgeters can burn as much as 350 calories a day more than those who stay still. So stop emailing your colleagues and pay them a visit instead!

6. DRINK GREEN TEA

Take a leaf out of model Sophie Dahl’s book – she credits green tea with helping her slim from a size 16 to a 12. The tea contains substances called catechins which can stoke up your metabolism – studies suggest you need five cups a day to help fat-burning.

7. HAVE A STARTER

Kick-off lunch and dinner with a colourful mixed salad or broth-based soup and you’ll naturally eat less of the main dish. Soups and salads are low-cal but high in water, so they’ll help you feel full.

8. DRINK AWAY YOUR HUNGER

Dietician Azmina Govindji says: “Try this rule when you have a craving – drink water and distract yourself. If after 20 minutes you’re still hungry, you can eat.” Azmina is author of The Hot Body Plan (Random House, £6.99).

9. NIBBLE FATTY FOODS

Yes, really! Munching on foods containing healthy fats, such as a few slices of avocado or a handful of nuts, suppresses ghrelin, a hormone that makes you want to eat. It takes about half an hour to kick in, so have a snack 30 minutes before your meal and you’ll eat less.

10. DITCH THE REMOTE

Simply getting up off the sofa and changing the TV channel will burn 10 calories and keep off the weight, says fitness trainer Kristoph Thompson (www.kristoph.co.uk). So get rid of that remote and quit being a couch potato.

11. SLOW DOWN

If you chew every morsel thoroughly, as Madonna does, you could end up eating 70 calories less each mealtime, according to research from the University of Rhode Island. Chewing well gives your body a few minutes to register you’re actually full and don’t need more food.

12. EXERCISE QUICKLY

Fitness trainer Kristoph Thompson says: “Intensity is more effective than duration in burning calories, so go for short, sharp bursts of activity instead of long, slow bouts.” Canadian researchers found just six minutes of intensive exercise a week such as sprint cycling – where you cycle at top speed for two minutes in 30-second bursts with a four-minute rest between each sprint – was as effective as working out for longer.

13. BULK UP WITH VEG

Add extra vegetables to any dish you cook and you’ll feel fuller without eating more calories.

14. ADJUST FOR DRINKS

US research has found people don’t take calorific soft drinks into account when weight-watching. If you can’t ditch the fizz, opt for diet versions instead.

15. BUY A PEDOMETER

These add up the steps you take each day and are a great incentive to walk a fat-busting extra mile or two.