Have you ever found yourself going to bed wishing you hadn’t eaten that last piece of chocolate cake, or had those extra glasses of wine? It’s usually in those guilt ridden moments as we fall asleep that we make a promise to start a diet.

The weight loss industry is a huge $£multi-billion success, launched on the back of our inability to lose weight. We’re surrounded by images showing the latest celebrity who’s lost weight and stories about the latest diet, guaranteed to shift those unwanted pounds.

It’s an industry that taps into our dreams, our desire to lose weight, our longing to be that perfect size, the perfect weight. As we read the ads telling us about the latest miracle diet, inside, we secretly hope that we’ve found ‘the one’. We know there is no magical cure, yet somehow as we part with our money, we cross our fingers and hope, maybe this time, it will be different.

The debt industry (like the diet industry) has grown at an incredible rate with their advertising aimed at our deep desire, our wish to be debt free. There are now thousands of companies offering a myriad of solutions, a variety of quick fixes promising to help us clear our debts.

In truth, obesity and debt are both situations that need fixing, they are a result of over indulgence on our part. We’ve put on weight because we’ve taken in more calories than we’ve used. We’ve got into debt because we spent money we didn’t have.

Despite all the promises, the truth is there is no quick fix. But, you can lose weight and you can get out of debt.

These simple tips will help you on your way, whenever you are ready to lose those unwanted pounds or clear that debt.

Step 1 Ask yourself

• Why do I want to lose weight/get out debt?
• Who do I want to lose weight/get out of debt for?
• How much weight/debt do I want to get rid of?

Step 2 Create Your Plan. Decide when you will begin your weight loss/debt reduction plan. Take into account these things when planning;

• The foods you can’t resist/The items you just have to have i.e. the ones that will make you take out your credit card
• The time of day when you feel most likely to overeat or overspend
• The situations that will make you over eat or overspend
• Identify what types of exercise you like to do and then plan to do it.
• Identify what will keep you on track in terms of people, resources, inspirations.
• Set Short term goals, decide what you need to do each day, each week, each month?
• Identify the things/people that will keep you motivated and inspired.
• when putting these elements into your plan remember creating the plan is part of the process. Make the plan fun to look at and use, make it something you want to go and look at each day.

If you have any difficulty providing the information in step 2, you may find it useful to keep a journal for at least a week. If you are planning to lose weight write down all details relating to what you ate, how much and when. I would also recommend that you make a note of the emotions you felt when eating food. If you are planning to reduce your debt, in your journal write down how much you spent, what you bought, who was with you, describe the emotions you were you feeling when you made your purchase.

When you’ve gathered the information in your journal go back and answer the questions in step 2 before you go any further.

Step 3 Communicate

• Tell the people who matter to you what you are doing, and elicit their support.
• Identify people who will help you to stick to your plan and then tell them what you need from them.
• Are there people around you who are who are likely to steer you away from your goals? If yes, work out what you need to do to stop them sabotaging your efforts.

Step 4 Away you go

• Put your plan into action.
• Celebrate your successes along the way.

Whilst it was easy to put on weight/get into debt, it takes a lot more effort to correct the situation. Willpower, discipline and focus are needed and so too is fun. This change in habits is not a temporary thing, it’s for life. Take it one day at a time, if you stumble, pick yourself up and get back to your plan.

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