As you pine for the figures of those stick-thin models on catwalks and size zero actresses in films and magazines, it’s easy to think – you’re overweight, and it feels like there’s nothing you can do about it.
But you’re not alone – the UK is one of the most overweight countries in Europe, with 67 per cent of men and 57 per cent of women categorized as overweight or obese.
According to Dr Christopher Murray, “In the last three decades, not one country has achieved success in reducing obesity rates, and we expect obesity to rise steadily as incomes rise in low- and middle-income countries in particular, unless urgent steps are taken to address this public health crisis.”
However, it’s not all hopeless. There are steps you can take to become thinner. Here are just a few.
Erase that facial fat
As though your daily intake of donuts and Domino’s Pizzas has decided to migrate to your chin alone, your unhealthy diet is likely to curse you with that dreaded blight – a double chin.
And, while you’ll find plenty of guides on how to get rid of a double chin, there’s only one way to make that stretched skin look good – clinical skin care.
Essentially a cream to improve your skin, it will also make your pores firmer and your skin less saggy. Give it a go for a return to independence.
Cleanse your diet
So, you’re living on a diet of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Diet Coke, various ready meals and an almost endless supply of Doritos, are you? Then we’ve probably found the root of your problem.
It’s simple, really – with a high-fat diet comes a heftier waistline. Add in the saturated fats and exorbitant sugar content of most processed foodstuffs and you’ll suffer arteries messier than the Dresden fire bombings before you’ve even hit 30.
Instead of endless junk, chocolate and takeaways, live on a diet of fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates, with minimal red meat and other blood pressure-raising foodstuffs. Before you know it, that fat will be shedding like a lizard from its skin.
Consider trying The Dukan Diet to meet your weight loss goals.
Fight fat with fitness
You might be tempted by those infomercials bellowing, “LOSE WEIGHT FAST!” But don’t be fooled – the most effective way to lose weight and stay healthy is old fashioned – exercise regularly.
While this might seem daunting for anyone who’s spent the past decade lolling around on a settee, it can actually be a leisurely process if you do it right. Take regular walks, do intense levels of exercise for just 15 minutes a day and stick to a consistent pattern to have your fat shedding and those muscles showing.