Are you the romantic type that believes in love and happy every after? Are you looking forward to valentines day and hoping to find true love? Or perhaps you have already found your true love and want to make valentines day a special occasion. Either way is your weight letting your down and threatening to spoil your day? Do you feel fat, frumpy and frustrated? Have you been let down in the past by weight loss diets that just do not work? I know just how you feel, you want to look your best but you have put on so much weight that all your clothes feel tight and uncomfortable and you need to take some drastic action but do not know which way to turn.

The first thing to do is to try not to panic and get stressed out. Being stressed will only lead you on a downward spiral and you will end up comfort eating, which will in turn lead to guilt and frustration. So think positive and read on.

Here is some good news:

You do not have to starve yourself to lose weight.

When you cut down on calories your metabolism will slow down and you will burn fewer calories. So please do not try and starve yourself by skipping meals to try and lose weight.

You can eat 3 to 4 times a day and still lose weight

When you eat your meals at regular intervals your metabolism will speed up and you will lose weight. You will be less likely to eat between meals and be tempted by sugary snacks and fizzy drinks. So eat at least 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at regular intervals

You can still eat your favourite food occasionally without feeling guilty

Give yourself the occasional treat but be sure to eat in moderation and do not binge. If you are too strict and try to avoid all the food you really love all of the time, you will end up losing your will power and could resort to binging, which in turn will lead to guilt and maybe the end of all your weight loss efforts. So reward yourself with the occasional treat and then go back to your weight loss diet.

It is not necessary to exercise to lose weight

You can still lose weight without exercising, but exercising on a regular basis will help with your weight loss goals. Exercising will also give you more energy and make you feel good about yourself. It is a proven fact that exercising makes you feel happy. This is because exercise can decrease stress hormones like cortisol and increase endorphins which are your body’s ‘feel good’ chemicals to give your mood a natural boost.

It does not have to be anything too strenuous, just brisk walking will burn off some calories. But aerobic exercises will really boost your weight loss efforts. Swimming and cycling are also great ways to exercise and will help speed up your weight loss efforts.

So if you want to lose weight before Valentine Day or any special occasion just follow the above advice and soon you will be slim and fit and ready for the man (or woman) of your dreams to come along and sweep you off your feet!