Lose weight with these tried and true tips from Fitness Trans4mations.

• Ensure you eat every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism revved up and to prevent you overeating at your next meal. Leaving big gaps between meals leaves your body feeling sluggish and encourages it to store fat.
  
  Consuming 5-6 small meals a day is the best way to control weight gain and keep you energised throughout the day. 

• Drink 2 litres of water every day. Water acts as a natural appetite suppressant so you won't be as tempted to over eat.  Not only will this leave you feeling more alert, but may prevent headaches and prevent fatigue.

• Snack on fresh fruit and vegetables between meals to give your immune system a boost and keep you full.

• Eat the majority of your food during breakfast and lunch and have a smaller meal in the evening. Eating too much in the evening disrupts your sleep and prevents your body from burning off those calories as the body begins to wind down.

• Eat slowly. Take your time eating and chew your food properly. Eating too quickly causes you to overeat as the brain does not get the message that you are full. Sit at the table and not in front of the TV and enjoy and savour what you are eating.

• Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry as you are far more likely to make poor choices. Before a night out ensure you have a good balanced meal to prevent you snacking on fast foods.
  
  If you are going out to dinner don't starve yourself all day to enable you to eat more when you are out. Just have smaller portions regularly throughout the day.

• Plan your meals in advance and always carry with you healthy foods for snacking such as fruit, seeds, nuts (small portions) and oat cakes.

• Consume foods with a low to medium glycemic index. These include kumara, wholemeal rice, low fat yoghurts, apples, bananas and pears, all bran, baked beans, oatmeal and rye bread.
  
  These foods will keep you fuller for longer and prevent you snacking on high fat foods. 

• Include a portion of lean protein with all your meals. Good sources include skinless chicken, Salmon, lean red meat, cottage cheese, eggs and baked beans.
  
  Nuts and yoghurt contain good sources too.

• Follow 80/20 rule. If you eat well most of the time then you can afford the odd lapse. Its not healthy or realistic to ban any foods altogether.
  
  Enjoy your treats and don't beat yourself up after having them, just return to your good eating habits.