Table of Contents

Introduction

 

Know what you’re eating

Know what you should be eating

It’s a mindset

You have to want to lose weight

Understand why you eat

Only eat when you’re hungry

Ask yourself why

Change your habits

Set goals

Keep a diary

Think positive

Stand up straight

Use affirmations

Eat only in public

Don’t eat mindlessly

Don’t listen to the voice of doughnuts

Don’t believe the myths

Spot the trigger

Spot the trigger (again)

Reward yourself

Think half full

Pretend to finish the packet

Meet the family

Tell your parents where to get off

Expect fluctuations

Live on credit, not debt

Look at your assumptions

Go on a part-time diet

Use practical ploys

Don’t eat less, eat differently

If you’re going to have a second helping, don’t have the first one

Buy a smaller plate

Don’t finish it off

If you can’t resist temptation, avoid it

Count to ten

Always shop on a full stomach

You can eat when you like…

…but be careful

Always put food on a plate

Don’t buy food you don’t like

Check which snacks are actually high calorie

Keep healthy snacks in the house

Don’t keep unhealthy snacks

Make it a ritual

Stop!

Use stronger food

Eat low cal

Be label smart

Grill, don’t fry

Get your vegetables in proportion

Vegetables first

Give up potatoes

Never eat anything bigger than your fist

Hands off the kids’ leftovers

Find something to do with your hands

Distract yourself

Snack as you cook

Drink more

Drink less

Avoid diet drinks

Take food to work

Carry emergency rations

Weigh yourself

Switch off

Get more sleep

Don’t get hungry

Eat ahead

Eat more slowly

Pause between courses

Eat with a teaspoon

Eat more fibre

Drink your food

Eat little and often

Watch those portions

Always check the packet

Divide your cheese

Portion out snacks

Recognise 100 calories

Find a shortcut

Show two fingers to cake

Cut down snack portions

Don’t try to match

Eat less, do more

East less, do more

Know how much you're burning

Get off the bus

Walk faster

Get a pedometer

Make everyday life more energetic

Mind how you party

Eat before you go

Say no to nibbles

Be last at the table

Have two starters

Dressing on the side

Leave something on your plate

Share the pudding round

Rehearse saying no

Cook your own

Limit the alcohol

Don’t give up on yourself

 

Back Cover

So, you’ve decided it’s time to lose some weight? Good for you.  Most of us know we need to lose that excess weight, both to look better and for the sake of our health. But you shouldn’t have to feel downhearted while you’re doing it – and that’s where this book comes in.

 

It isn’t a diet. It doesn’t have recipes. It won’t make you spend hours laboriously weighing your food. And sadly, no, we haven’t discovered the secret to eating fry-ups and pudding and staying slim (sorry).

 

Instead, this book delivers a collection of simple, common-sense principles that you can use alone or apply to any diet in order to make it more effective.  These principles come from Richard Templar’s years of trying many diets, before finally realising that slim people don’t just eat differently, they think differently too. He studied their tricks and strategies, and, by following these simple ideas, he found a way to lose the weight and keep it off.

 

Filled with his usual mix of wit and wisdom, with just a dash of irreverent humour, this clever book not only gives you tips on how to work with your mind to lose weight, but also gives you very practical everyday things you can do to keep temptation at bay, eat sensibly and maintain your ideal weight – without having to feel miserable in the process.

Author

Richard Templar is the author of the international bestselling Rules books. Over 2 million people around the world have enjoyed and now play by Richard Templar's Rules. The complete list of titles is as follows: Rules of Life, Rules of Work, Rules of Management, Rules of Wealth, Rules of Parenting, Rules of Love and the latest bestseller, The Rules to Break.