Setting yourself a goal to be leaner, and to lose overall body fat is a good one, but how you go about achieving it is a completely different matter.  

Taking a holistic approach will work wonders because the weight gain wasn’t caused by a single factor. I know that this may make losing weight sound potentially complex and perhaps even more trouble than it’s worth, but it’s not really, and the vast majority of it entails some simple common sense and a good dollop of commitment.

Overall lifestyle factors, such as getting enough sleep and trying, as far as possible, to minimise stress, or your response to it, are very important and often wrongly overlooked or even dismissed as insignificant when it comes to weight loss. 

There are also 2 other key factors involved in weight loss, and consulting an expert in each will reap the best reward.

You would expect me to start with the need to increase your physical activity, because that’s my business after all. And I have spoken often about the numerous ways of doing that. I have also spoken of the need to ensure that you take a carefully phased and progressive approach to whatever physical activity you choose to do so that you build a good solid foundation for your fitness future, and avoid injury. In order to learn how to get the most out of the time you spend exercising for maximum effect, then it would be very worthwhile enlisting the help of a Personal Trainer who will make an assessment of your present health and fitness level, and use this information to build a tailor made programme to meet your needs.

Another key factor in the fat loss battle is “food, glorious food” because it’s almost impossible to ‘out exercise’ a bad diet. And here I know from personal experience that having a consultation with a Nutritional Therapist, mine is Jocelyn Peregrine (http://www.jocelynperegrine.co.uk/), works wonders not only from a dietary perspective, but because she also looks at the person as a whole in order to formulate a bespoke nutritional  solution.

But what about popping a pill, or taking some sort of potion because it will speed up your fat loss, allegedly? People who know me well know that I always query the source of even the most innocuous of vitamin supplements, and so was appalled to read an article by the Food Standards Agency last week warning about so called ‘fat burners’ (in either powder or pill form) which contain a substance called DNP. The article serves as an urgent warning to the public as a whole, but more especially the body building community, and explains that DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol) is an industrial chemical which is extremely harmful to human health, and is even believed to have caused the deaths of 2 people.  

The article explains that labelling may vary, but that any products containing DNP (or 2, 4-Dinitrophenol) should be avoided. And if you think you may have ingested some, it is suggested that you immediately contact a Doctor.

A very sobering article indeed and one which highlights both the potential dangers of seeking what you perceive as the body beautiful, as well as the need to always be vigilant and very mindful when taking any supplements which may seem to be innocuous. 

So, for me, the moral of this particular story is that it’s a great goal to want to be leaner, but just make sure that you achieve it within the safe framework of bespoke exercise and nutrional plans written by exercise and nutrional professionals. And if you have any questions or concerns about supplements you may have come across, then ask their advice before trusting the marketing hype on the packaging.