Eat, drink and sleep more

What if, you could lose a few pounds and feel better and the effort-to-effect ratio was minimal? As in minimum effort, maximum results? I have an action plan and trust me when I say it is ridiculously easy to follow...

Drink more water

Drinking more water is not a new recommendation but it is an important one and for good reason too. Aside from its beneficial effect on your skin, kidneys, and cardiovascular system, it may also reduce rates of long-term weight gain. Research indicates that people put on over 3lbs every four years, except this trend is not the same if you drink water.

Just adding an extra cup of water to your daily intake can have beneficial effects on your weight. 6-8 glasses of water a day should be sufficient but individual differences do exist. If you exercise, have an active job, or eat a high protein diet then you may need more.

Protein for breakfast

Eating breakfast has long been associated with healthier body weight but it turns out what you eat is just as important. According to a recent study, consuming protein for breakfast regulates your appetite for the rest of the day meaning you are less likely to give in to that post-lunch slice of cake.

A further study also found that eating a high-protein breakfast is protective against weight gain, whereas a breakfast without protein is not. Time to deploy those soldiers and crack some eggs.

Eat more, not less

This recommendation may come as a surprise, however, consider this: the more you eat, the higher your metabolism is. By now you must be thinking, eating more is also how you get fat and you wouldn't be wrong. Yes, there is a caveat in making eating more work for you, which is that you have to eat better.

A large population study carried out in the US and UK found those who ate six or more meals a day had a lower body mass index in comparison to those that ate four or fewer meals. The six-mealers did however eat fewer calories and their meals contained more nutrients.

Increasing the number of nutrients should be the main aim of any weight-loss plan. Since most of the vitamins and minerals we need come from plants, our focus needs to shift to consuming a greater proportion of our calories from vegetables. Gradually going vegan could be an answer to it.

Practically adding more veggies may look like this: a handful of spinach and a pilled tomato with your poached egg and toast at breakfast, a side salad with your lunchtime sandwich, some peas and green beans alongside your normal dinner. Eat more but do eat better.

Sleep longer

In case you need an excuse for that lie, there is scientific proof that those who sleep longer tend to be slimmer. The reasons are twofold:

1. As humans, we are programmed to seek out food whilst awake, thus a longer time spent awake adds up to more food consumed.

2. Following sleep deprivation, our ability to resist food reduces, and we naturally, go in pursuit of the nearest carbohydrate source.

In case you hit that snooze button too many times in the morning, just remember you probably still have a job to go to. Getting to bed earlier is the best policy.

I have devised two beautiful recipes for Exclusive - Watermelon Salad and Blueberry Nice Cream.

1.Watermelon salad

This refreshing salad is full of the right kind of nutrients. Eat it as a side salad alongside a summer BBQ or sprinkle some feta cheese on top to create a fulfilling lunch.

Ingredients (serves two) 10 mint leaves (torn), 2 slices of watermelon (chopped into bite-sized chunks), 4 handfuls of mixed salad leaves 1/2 cucumber (turn into ribbons with a peeler), Juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Method: Put the salad leaves, mint, and cucumber into a large bowl. Drizzle over the olive oil and squeeze over the lime juice. Stir to coat well. Scatter over the melon and serve immediately.

2.Blueberry Nice cream

When ice cream is out of reach, make this nourishing, three-ingredient. "nice" cream instead.

It contains no sugar or dairy yet delivers maximum taste.

Ingredients (serves four) 1 cup of cashews (soaked overnight in water and drained), 2 cups of frozen blueberries, 5 drops of vanilla

Method: Put all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and bind until smooth. Scoop into The cream bowls and enjoy.