Don’t diet right away – you need time to get organized. Set a start date (research shows that Sunday is most effective). Then before the big day arrives, make sure you’ve cleared out unhealthy food from your kitchen and stocked up on healthy ingredients and ‘good’ snacks.

A new way to cook – tweak your meals and start thinking and cooking like a dieter. Grill, steam and bake instead of frying, spray oil rather than pouring it, and substitute low-fat options – for example, swap gravy for a grilled tomato with steak and chips.

Never aim too high – the prospect of reaching your dream weight may seem distant right now, so set achievable weight loss targets, whether that’s 1lb, 2lb or 5% of your body weight. Or aim to lose 4lb in the month before a a special occasion, and get active by moving a bit more for 10 minutes each day.

It’s a team effort – It’s hard to stick to a diet when you’re cooking different meals or your kids and/or partner won’t eat healthy stuff. Tell them that if your cooking they will eat what you’re having, but involve them in picking out healthy recipes or taking part in food preparation.