Struggling to keep up your strict diet and exercise regime to help you squeeze back into your favourite jeans? Don’t stress, we’ve asked the experts for their weight loss tricks and tips to help get us back on track.

Decrease your waistline with vitamin D
Did you know that the sunshine supplement, vitamin D, could be linked to weight loss in obese and overweight people who are deficient in this nutrient? This is according to research conducted by Dr. Luisella Vigna of the University of Milan.

Dr. Louis Levy, Head of Nutrition Science at Public Health England confirms: “A healthy, balanced diet and short bursts of sunshine will mean most people get all the vitamin D they need in spring and summer. However, everyone will need to consider taking a supplement in the autumn and winter if you don’t eat enough foods that naturally contain vitamin D or are fortified with it.”

Have soup as a starter
“If you have soup before a meal you will end up eating fewer calories during the meal because soup stops the cells in the stomach producing your hunger hormone ghrelin and turns off your appetite,” explains Dr Marilyn Glenville, nutritionist and author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar (www.marilynglenville.com).

“Studies show the body registers greater satisfaction when food is liquidised and soup moves out of the stomach more gradually than a solid meal would, leaving you feeling more satisfied for longer,” adds Glenville.

Never skip breakfast
“The old saying says that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ and when you have breakfast, you are literally ‘breaking the fast’ actually has some truth in it. Sleeping causes your metabolism to slow right down and nothing gets it going faster than breakfast.

“Just as important as having breakfast itself is choosing healthy breakfast options such as wholegrain cereals like porridge, organic live natural dairy products, organic eggs and fruit. Sugar-laden cereals will cause your blood sugar to rise sharply and drop quite quickly, making you feel more hungry quickly – you need something that will sustain you and keep you feeling fuller longer,” says Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at SuperfoodUK.com – the online shopping destination for health and well-being.

Don’t ‘save yourself’ before a meal out
“Don’t miss meals leading up to eating out, for example don’t miss lunch thinking that it is going to helpful in avoiding extra calories because you are eating out that evening. If you miss meals, your body will think there is a shortage of food, slow down your metabolism and hold on tight to your fat stores. And there is nothing more guaranteed to rev up your appetite so that you end up eating more at the meal,” says Glenville.

Go vegan once a week
“Veganism wouldn’t be my first protocol for weight loss. This is because vegan diets tend to be lower protein and higher starchy carbohydrates, which is less successful for those trying to lose weight. However, if a diet has been previously rich in unhealthy processed foods, then veganism stimulates a change to incorporate more fresh vegetables, wholegrains and pulses, so weight loss will be inevitable,” explains Wilkinson.

Time of the month? Don’t overindulge
When surfing the crimson wave, do you constantly think about food and allow yourself to binge on all your favourite treats? “The chemicals in our body – dopamine, serotonin and cortisol – all play a role in appetite regulation. These are affected by hormones in your body, including sex hormones. This is why when you have hormonal fluctuations, such as just before menstruation, you may find yourself with a bigger appetite and in search or sweet or fatty foods. To help beat the fatty cravings try a snack including protein and complex carbohydrates. Try eating a boiled egg with some vegetable sticks or some oat cakes with nut butters,” advises Wilkinson.