Everybody wants to lose weight yesterday, but instead of rushing in, slow is the best strategy if you want to get rid of the pounds permanently. Aim to lose no more than 2-3 lbs per week for long term weight loss.

Only make changes you can live with - don't cut out things that will be impossible to follow for the rest of your life. If you feel like you can make a change today that you can still do tomorrow, then you抮e on the right track.

Follow our 6 top tips below, which can all be easily implemented into your daily routine -

Plan ahead

We have all been guilty of coming home from work, finding the fridge bare of fresh food, and ended up calling for a take-away. The key to diet success is planning your meals a day to a week in advance, so you know exactly how many calories you will consume each day. The results will be more than worth the extra effort.

Fry light

Always try and bake or grill your food, but for times when frying is the only option, opt for a 1 calorie spray. You can also spray sliced potatoes for roasting in the oven, for chips that taste like they have been fried.

Flavour up

Brown rice is an excellent source of low fat complex carbohydrate, but let's face it not a very tasty one. Next time you cook it add a chicken or beef flavour stock cube to give it a unique flavor.

Don't do it alone 

Ask your partner of friend for support and tell them you are on a diet. Change the way you socialise and make sure it抯 not always around food. Substitute your favourite restaurant outing for an activity instead, and you will soon see a difference on the scales.