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no can do! The body loses fat from all over, not just from where you want it to. And the idea that you can ‘burn’ fat from specific areas – a concept known as spot reduction – is a myth. In fact, in one study, subjects performed a vast number of sit-ups over a few weeks and lost not a single gram of fat from their abdominal regions. However, an appropriate exercise program will help to firm up slack muscles and create a streamlined, balanced silhouette. This is one reason why exercise is such a crucial part of your DAS plan.

       How long will it take to drop a size?

      To drop a dress size, you need to lose at least 2.5cm/1in off your bust, 4cm/1.5in off your waist and 4cm/1.5in off your hips – that’s a total of 10cm/4in. Men need to lose at least 2.5cm/1in from the waist and the same from the chest – a total of at least 5cm/2in. The amount of effort and time you are willing to put in will dictate how long it takes to drop a size (you can read more about this in section two) but don’t be too impatient for results. Bear in mind the story of the tortoise and the hare. You can drop a size very quickly if you want to and if the time is right for you. All the volunteers who took part in the research for my previous book, Drop a Size in Two Weeks Flat!, dropped a whole size in just 14 days – and many of you have written to me to tell me you have too. However, it may not be the right time for you to drop a size in just two weeks and you may find it a lot more pleasurable and attainable if you take it a little more slowly. If you do it slowly you’re also more likely to sustain the weight loss.

       Will I always be able to stay at my new size?

      In a word, no. As we age, physiological and metabolic processes slow down, often resulting in weight gain. This doesn’t mean you’ll inevitably gain weight, never to lose it. Life is continually changing and there will be times when it will be very hard to stay at your new size – you may even find that occasionally you gain a size. Conversely, there are times when the weight seems to just fall off without much effort. Learning how to respond to your body’s needs, both physically and mentally, will enable you to stay within a healthy weight range – and to return to your ideal size – throughout your life.

      TAKE A REALITY CHECK

      It is important to realize that how much weight you want to lose and how much is realistic in a given time frame may be two different things. Being realistic about what you can achieve is vital. How much time are you willing and able to put in? How many changes can you make at once? Weight loss isn’t an all or nothing thing. Just because you won’t fit into a size 10 by your next holiday, does that mean it’s not worth doing at all? Think of approaching weight loss in terms of bite-size goals. What can you do right now? Now may not be the right time to go the whole hog, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything towards dropping a size.

      Imagine you’re relaxing with a group of friends, enjoying a bottle of wine and a bowl of tortilla chips while discussing the latest diet you’ll start next Monday. The good intention is there, but it isn’t a ‘now’ intention. Ask yourself what you can do now? Well for a start you can stop hogging the wine and eating most of the tortilla chips! You can ditch the sugar from your tea. At lunchtime, forgo the mayonnaise, butter and other added fats. Ask for skimmed milk in your cappuccino. Walk to school to pick up the kids instead of driving. It’s the drip-drip effect – all these small things are positive steps towards your ultimate goal. Do what you can do now – and praise yourself for it.

       HOW THE BOOK WORKS

      Drop a Size for Life will help you master, develop and sustain the skills you need to lose weight and keep it off – and it will help you feel good about your body. I have written it in three simple-to-follow sections.

      Section one is all about preparing to drop a size. It looks at how to get yourself mentally in the right place to lose weight. Many people want to drop a size, but in reality they are not in the right state of mind to do it. They may have a fear of failing, or have experienced great frustration with their weight loss efforts in the past, or they may simply be convinced that weight loss is some sort of losing–gaining, losing–gaining process. Such people resign themselves to starting a new diet every spring, rather than accepting that it is possible to lose weight and keep it off.

      Finding the shape and size you are happy with is as much about your brain as your body. If you view your weight loss efforts as open warfare against your body, you’ll be fighting against your best ally. Section one is about mastering six simple and easy-to-follow steps that form the foundation for you to drop a size for life. They centre around building your self-esteem, making friends with your body so you can work with it, strengthening your resolve and empowering you to be in control of your efforts. Achieve that and you’ll not only look great but you’ll feel good about yourself, too – and of course, you’ll reap the rewards from the myriad health benefits of a nutritious diet and active lifestyle.

      Section two is about dropping a size. This is the practical stuff about actually shedding those excess pounds. It includes eating and exercise plans that will provide you with a template to drop a size. As we go through the year our tastes change so I’ve provided summer and winter eating plans to help you keep that weight off all year round. When it comes to exercise, you’ll find a ‘workout wedge’ that is suitable, whatever your available time and energy level. This section also includes ten vital strategies that underpin the plan – you can adopt these to whatever extent you feel necessary to make this work for you. And to help you stay in great shape, you’ll find the drop a size for life foods and recipes offer you loads of ideas to keep you bursting with health and energy.

      Section three is about staying at your new size throughout your life. As we age, our bodies naturally change shape, but how we manage the ageing process, our changing emotions, social lives and environment directly affects our bodies. Section three will take you through the changes associated with the different life stages, explaining what happens so that you don’t feel that your body has suddenly turned against you. It will arm you with skills and strategies that are easy to slot into your life and that will help you navigate your way healthily and successfully through changing times. You’ll also find helpful references to point you in the direction of relevant exercises and tips from sections one and two.

      So, if you’re ready, let’s make a start and prepare to drop a size.

       SECTION ONE

PREPARING TO DROP A SIZE

       INTRODUCTION

      Many people want to lose weight. What’s the first step? I guess you’d expect to hear something about reducing calories and getting down the gym, however, my experience with the thousands of people I’ve helped over the years suggests that the first step should have nothing to do with diet or exercise – instead it should involve sorting out your state of mind. Getting in the right ‘head space’ – being mentally ready – is something you’ll need to master for successful long-term weight management. Why? I see many clients with the keenness to achieve their weight loss goals, but they set off with false ideas – about how much they need to lose, how quickly it can be lost and how easy it will be. Attempting to achieve unrealistic goals means you are more likely to fail – either by not getting the result you wanted or by finding the plan too difficult to stick to and giving up. Either way, setting yourself up for failure in this way is bad for your self-esteem and confidence.

      In contrast to those who are very keen, are the clients who have been through the weight loss mill so many times that despite saying, ‘I really want to lose weight this time’, at the back of their mind they are in fact saying ‘here we go again – don’t expect this will work

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