You know you should be drinking enough water, but how much is enough?

Do you know how much water you should drink? It’s vitally important that you keep hydrated, whatever the weather. Everyone knows that we should be drinking water, but it can be hard to know exactly how much water you should drink.

The often-cited blanket rule of 8 glasses a day is pretty ambiguous, and if you’re a 300lb man your needs are going to be rather different from a 120lb woman. So why should you drink more water, and how much water should you be drinking?

How much water should you drink?

Ah, that’s the $64m question, isn’t it? It’s not an exact science and how much you need depends on a lot of factors: your weight, age, gender, and whether or not you’ve been active that day to name just a few.

In 1945, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board recommended adults consume 2.5 liters of fluid daily. However if you Google it, you may find the more common recommendation that we drink 8-10 glasses, or 8x8oz a day, which is closer to 2 liters a day.

Drinking the recommended 8×8 glasses a day is a good rule of thumb and if you currently don’t drink any water at all, this is where you should begin.

Don’t forget that it’s not just water that counts: iced or hot tea, coffee, low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks count too.

What are the benefits of drinking more water?

Water makes up 60% of our bodies and it’s lost through sweating, peeing and even breathing, so it’s important to maintain this level to stay healthy. Drinking enough water can help with digestion, your blood circulation and can help prevent headaches. And on a more superficial level, drinking enough water can help improve your skin too. Simply put, water is the key to helping your body function properly.

Will drinking more water help me lose weight?

Well, it’s not a magic potion – if you’re not sticking to your calorie goals, drinking a bit of water isn’t going to negate this. However, drinking enough water and staying hydrated is thought to help a little bit, although it’s not clear exactly how.

Some people swear that drinking enough water will ‘flush everything out’, or that a glass of ice-cold water will kickstart your metabolism, but there’s no real research to back either of these claims.

But if you’re used to drinking high-calorie soft drinks every day, switching to water will cut those calories which will help you lose weight. Another commonly-cited reason that water helps you lose weight is that drinking a lot of water will fill you up, so you may end up eating less. But again, this isn’t a magical property that water has – it’s simple calories in, calories out.

This doesn’t mean that it’s not worth drinking water if you want to lose weight, though.

Are there any drawbacks to drinking more water?

It’ll make you pee a lot, especially if you’re not used to drinking enough.

It is also possible to drink too much water, so it’s worth bearing in mind that you don’t need to suddenly start downing 10 liters a day. Water intoxication (also known as hyponatremia) is a real, dangerous thing where drinking too much too fast leads to an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the bloodstream. This can lead to damage to the kidneys, liver and can even be fatal. It’s rare, and you’d have to drink an absolutely huge volume of water, but it’s worth being aware of.

How do I know if I’m drinking enough?

A good indication of whether you’re adequately hydrated is the color of your pee. Yes, really. Take a look and see how you’re doing – if it’s dark, you need to drink more. If it’s pale or almost clear, you’re doing ok.

The other symptoms of dehydration are feeling thirsty (duh), strong-smelling pee, feeling dizzy, a dry mouth and not peeing much. You’re more likely to get dehydrated quicker if you’ve got diabetes, if it’s a hot day or if you’ve sweated a lot after exercise.

But I don’t like water!

Does anyone?! For all of its health benefits, it’s no wonder that about 20% of men don’t drink any water in a day, and nearly half of U.S. adults don’t get enough, according to recent surveys. Because it’s boring, right? Unfortunately, if you’re not a fan, you’ll just have to suck it up. And trust us – it does get easier with time

We’re lucky in the US to have high-quality tap water, but if you think what comes out of your tap tastes gross, you could try getting a water filter. Brands like BRITA, LifeStraw and ZeroWater are among the go-to jug filter kings here and you can either get a fridge jug with a filter or you can get a water bottle with a little filter in so you can fill and go. The downside of this is that the filters are pretty expensive.

If you’re really struggling to keep hydrated because you don’t like water, add a bit of no-added-sugar squash – 250ml of water with a no-added-sugar orange squash is only 4 calories and although not everyone would agree, in our opinion it’s better to drink squash than to not drink any water at all. Just treat yourself like a toddler and make it weak.

Drink Up, Track Up – Stay Hydrated and Keep an Eye on Your Progress

Grab a bottle, guys! Start hitting your 6-8 cups of water a day (or more if you’ve been sweating it out on the field) and log it in apps like Nutracheck. We’ve partnered with them, so check your member benefits for a sweet discount. Staying hydrated keeps you sharp, full of energy, and on track to crush your goals, plus it’s an easy win you can check off every day!

Food labels can be confusing with nutrition information, percentages, graphs and grids. Let’s find out how to get the most out of what’s on food labels.

Those teeny little numbers on the side of packs that you ignore. Yep, labels. They’re your best friend when it comes to healthier eating and losing weight and here’s why.

What are food labels for?

Put simply, they’re loaded with information. Labels list ingredients in weight, as well as Nutrition Facts as a percentage of daily value. Often displayed as a grid or table, they show the number of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, protein, Vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium it contains.

Information is usually listed per serving and sometimes per container, too. Labels are a legal requirement for packaged foods.

The guidelines below tell you if a food is high in fat, sat fat, salt, sugar or not. If you’re trying to lose weight, it can be useful to know what’s in your food so you can make decisions that fit with how you want to eat.

Total fat

High: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g

Low: 3g of fat or less per 100g

Saturated fat

High: more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g

Low: 1.5g of saturated fat or less per 100g

Sugars

High: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g

Low: 5g of total sugars or less per 100g

A note on sugars: manufacturers use lots of words to describe forms of sugar, these include syrup, barley malt, molasses, honey, fruit juice concentrate and words ending in ‘ose’ like fructose, sucrose, dextrose and maltose, so look out for these.

Salt

High: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)

Low: 0.3g of salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)

Be aware that often a manufacturer’s serving size may differ from our portioning. You might dish up twice the amount their serving size suggests.

You’ll also see calories/energy represented on food labels as a percentage of an adult’s daily recommended intake.

Top tips for understanding food labels

• Total fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt are the most important to monitor and reduce for the sake of your health.
• HIgh levels on packaging don’t necessarily mean foods you need to avoid. This is because some foods may have high levels of sugars and fats but still benefit your health. Take muesli with dried fruit, for instance. It may be high on sugars due to the dried fruits, but it contains valuable fiber you need in your diet. Or salmon stir fry. It may be high in fats but it’s rich in omega 3 fatty acids which are of great benefit to you. Get to know your labels and let them help you make great decisions.
• Be mindful of your portion control, read Know your portions? for more detail.
• Use the per 100g column when comparing foods as serving sizes often vary.
• Remember, even healthier packaged foods may be higher in calories and fat/sugar/salt than their homemade equivalent – plus you can usually save money by making meals from scratch too. Win win.

For a healthy, balanced diet, it is recommended you:

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates. – choose whole grain or higher fiber where possible.
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yogurts – choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options.
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein – aim for 2 portions of fish every week, 1 of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel.
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts.
• Drink plenty of fluids – 6 to 8 glasses a day is recommended.

Read the Label, Win the Battle

Next time you’re doing your big grocery run, take a good look at those nutrition labels instead of just tossing items in the cart. Check the sugar, fat, and calorie content – can you swap for a healthier option that still hits the spot?

Small swaps like that add up over time, and your waistline will thank you.

Found any solid low-fat or low-sugar options? Share them in the MAN v FAT Soccer group chat and help out a teammate!

Struggle to hit your fitness target each week? Here are some simple ways to squeeze more physical activity into your everyday life.

It’s not just playing sports and going to the gym that counts as physical activity. You might be used to logging those if you’ve got a fitness tracker or smartwatch, but anything that gets your heart rate up, raises your body temperature, and makes you slightly out of breath counts too. Think walking briskly or jogging up the stairs, instead of just walking.

Start by finding an exercise routine that works for you. We know that the recommended target of 150 active minutes a week sounds like a lot. Break it down into achievable chunks to make it easier to crush that target.

Pick activities you actually enjoy and that fit with your current lifestyle. The next step is to come up with a plan, because scheduling your exercise makes it much more likely that you’ll stick with it.

Maybe it’s a few 30-minute gym sessions scattered throughout the week, a swim on Sunday, or a light jog every other day. Take a close look at your routine and see where you can add some physical activity. It only has to be an extra couple of minutes here or 5 minutes there. It all adds up, and before you know it, guys, you’ll have achieved your minutes for the week – and then some.

Here are some tips on how to break it down into smaller, more achievable chunks and add more movement to your everyday life:

• Get off the bus a stop early and take a brisk walk the rest of the way.
• Try some seated arm and leg movements while you watch TV.
• Do some squats while the kettle is boiling. How many can you do? Set yourself a challenge and try to beat your record next time you’re making a cup of tea.
• Go for a walking meeting a couple of times a week.
• Do some lunges while you’re gardening.
• Add some calf raises or side steps while you’re washing dishes.
• Skip boring commercials and take a walk around the house – or do some jumping jacks at halftime next time you’re watching the game on TV.

Finding activities you enjoy is key. You’ll be much more likely to do something if it’s fun. And no one wants to struggle through something that feels like a chore, right guys?

Ready to hit your weekly fitness goal?

Pick one activity from the tips above and commit to doing it today. Track your progress, challenge yourself to improve, and watch how small changes quickly add up to big results. Share your wins with a friend or on social media to keep the momentum going – your future self will thank you!

Eat Smart, Not Just Healthy

Eating healthy is important, but portion control is just as crucial. Even the best foods can lead to weight gain if you eat too much. Planning a balanced diet is one thing – knowing the right amount to put on your plate is another. By learning what proper portions look like and using The MyPlate guidelines, you can make smarter choices, avoid overeating, and feel confident in your meals.

This guide will show you simple, practical tips to master portion sizes and eat mindfully every day.

What’s a portion, and why does it matter?

How much food you eat affects your calorie intake and therefore weight loss or gain. Two terms are important to know:

• Serving size is the amount of food listed on a Nutrition Facts label. It’s a guide for how much people usually eat and helps you compare foods.
• Portion size is how much food you actually choose to eat. This can be more, less, or the same as the serving size.

Calorie needs depend on age, body size, sex, and activity level. As a general guide, many adult men need about 2,200 to 3,000 calories per day, while adult women need about 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day. Your personal needs may be higher or lower. A more precise estimate comes from calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which factors in height, weight, age, and activity. Health conditions and medications can also change energy needs.

Making positive changes like eating more fruits and vegetables helps increase fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while often lowering calorie density. But if your portions are too big, it’s still easy to overeat.

Does “everything in moderation” work?

Not always in equal amounts. A moderate portion of one food might be too much of another. The MyPlate guidelines (from the USDA) show how to balance food groups so you get the nutrients you need.

What does a portion look like?

The best way to check if you’re eating the right amount is to use inexpensive digital kitchen scales and measuring cups. That’s the most accurate way to measure serving sizes. Over time, you’ll get familiar with how healthy portions look on your plate.

Here are general daily targets for adults based on a 2,000–2,500 calorie diet (adjust if your needs are higher or lower):

• Vegetables: 2½ to 4 cups
• Fruits: 2 cups
• Grains: 6 ounce-equivalents (at least half whole grains)
• Dairy (or fortified alternatives): 3 cups
• Protein foods: 5½ ounce-equivalents (meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds)

Top tips for portion control

• Learn how to read Nutrition Facts labels for serving size and calories.
• Be mindful when cooking avoid snacking on ingredients.
• Use measuring cups, spoons, or a food scale for accuracy, especially at first.
• Avoid doubling up on carbs (like bread and rice); pick one or reduce the portion of each.
• Use a smaller plate to make portions look fuller.
• At restaurants, watch out for buffets or oversized portions.
• Skip second helpings until you pause to check if you’re full.
• Serve all food at once, leftovers can be stored for later instead of eaten right away.
  

  Take Control of Your Portions Today!

  Start putting what you’ve learned into practice. Use a food scale, measuring cups, or your plate as a guide to serve the right portions at every meal. Track your meals, make small swaps, and aim for a balanced plate using The MyPlate guidelines.

  Your health is worth it – start today and see how mindful eating and proper portion control can help you feel fuller, eat smarter, and reach your wellness goals.

  Tip: Take a photo of your plate before each meal for a week, it’s a simple way to stay accountable and notice patterns in your eating.

One thing you can do for yourself that has a big impact is to make it as easy as possible to build healthier habits. You know what it’s like, the first hurdle that stands in your way can be the death knell of your good intentions: kitchen messy? Guess it’s time for takeout. Favorite exercise clothes in the wash? You don’t want to be uncomfortable, so better put off that workout until they’re clean and dry…

Humans take the path of least resistance, so do your primal brain a favor and make things easy.

In the kitchen

Keep things organized and tidy. No one likes doing the dishes, but it’s a necessary evil. If the kitchen’s looking half-decent, you’ll be much more likely to want to spend time in it preparing healthy meals. And if the kitchen cupboards are organized, you’ll be able to see what you’ve got and make better choices.
Part of organizing your kitchen cupboards is thinking carefully about what you buy. We’ve all got those foods we find difficult to limit – buy them less and move them out of sight when you do buy them. Out of sight, out of mind. Or that’s the idea, anyway.
Avoid having too many food choices. Too much choice can be overwhelming when you’re trying to decide what to eat. Instead, make a weekly meal plan and stick it somewhere you can see it, like on the fridge.
Get rid of food that no longer serves your goals. Give it away to friends or family or donate (sealed, in-date) food to a food bank.
While you’re there, do a sweep and throw away any expired foods.
If you’ve got pesky family members who like to bring home the entire candy aisle, keep their stash somewhere you won’t see often. A few inexpensive boxes or tubs can help.
Visual cues can be incredibly helpful. Bring the fruit, veggies, and other healthy options out of the crisper drawer at the bottom of the fridge and put them at eye level so you can see them clearly when you open the fridge.
Make things convenient. Keep a fruit bowl on a kitchen counter to make it easy to grab a healthy snack.

Around the house

Leave exercise equipment where you can use it easily. Don’t bury your exercise bike in clothes, for example.
Similarly, give yourself a visual cue by leaving your sneakers out somewhere you can see them so they remind you to exercise.
Make your bedroom a haven of peace and relaxation, or at the very least set it up for a good night’s sleep. That means curtains or blinds that block out the light properly, comfortable bedding, and making sure it’s a comfortable temperature when it’s bedtime.
Think about the habits you want to break. If you spend too much time scrolling on your phone, create a designated charging spot and make a point of leaving your phone there to charge in the evening. If watching TV is a trigger for mindless eating, have healthy snacks ready to go (veggie sticks, rice cakes, air-popped popcorn) or do something else like walking on the spot while you watch.

In your relationships

It’s not just about your physical surroundings, it’s also about who you spend your time with. Think about the people in your life and consider how they make you feel about yourself. You want to build relationships with people who encourage you, support you when you need it, and lift you up.

It’s easier said than done, especially when it comes to family, but if you know people who are negative, unsupportive, and make you feel bad about yourself, try and limit how much time you spend with them.

Find your support network (hint, your MAN v FAT Soccer teammates are a good place to start) and lean on them when you need to. We’re easily influenced, so positive social support will rub off on you.

Even better is if you can find friends who have the same goals as you (again, this is a good time to get closer to your MAN v FAT Soccer mates), so you can swap tips and maybe even become exercise buddies.

How do I know a quick 5-minute stretch doesn’t make you match ready? Because that’s exactly what I did when I turned up to my first game and I’ve seen plenty of other guys do it too. In that first match, I played for 5 minutes, made one sprint down the right wing, and tore my calf. That injury took me out of a playoff-contending team for weeks. Worse still, it hit my motivation hard, playing soccer was one of the biggest reasons I joined MAN v FAT Soccer to begin with.

Could it have been prevented? Maybe. Injuries can strike at any time. I’ve seen guys tear ACLs from non-contact movements, just an awkward twist or landing – even perfectly healthy, fit players aren’t immune. There are no guarantees, but you can take steps to reduce your risk. And one of the best is a proper warm-up.

A warm-up prepares your muscles for the movement and impact you’re about to put them through. It loosens joints, activates muscles, and sets your body up to perform. Warm-ups reduce stiffness in connective tissues, improve nerve signals, and help your muscles respond better to what’s coming.

Clinical research shows that structured warm-up routines can cut injury risk by a massive 50%. Spending just 30 minutes warming up can improve blood flow, boost oxygen delivery, and delay fatigue – meaning fewer muscle tears and strains. It also gradually raises your heart rate and gets your cardiovascular system prepped for the match.

According to Brukner and Khan (a go-to guide in sports medicine), a quality warm-up should include jogging, general stretching (both static and dynamic), and resistance-based exercises. Stretching helps increase your range of motion, which not only prevents injury but can also improve performance and reduce soreness.

Your warm-up should reflect the sport you’re playing. For soccer, that means movements like shooting, passing, and ball control. Strike a few balls into an empty net. Move laterally. Mimic the motions you’ll use in-game.

And don’t underestimate the mental benefits. Warm-ups give you a chance to mentally prepare, build focus, and get your head in the game. You can talk tactics, connect with teammates, and ease any nerves. Jumping straight into a match without getting into the right frame of mind—and body—can throw you completely off.

What Can I Do to Warm Up?

Jogging
Light jogging helps your body adjust to the physical demands of soccer. It warms you up and raises your heart rate.
Can’t jog? A brisk 5–10-minute walk will work too.

Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are great for activating specific muscles and adding load to your warm-up. They’re different from traditional stretching and target key muscle groups. Research even shows loaded dynamic warm-ups improve power and performance in sports. Boom.

Try these:

• Side steps

• Donkey kicks

• Kicking motions

Static Stretching

Static stretching involves holding a position for around 30 seconds. It’s basic, safe, and helps your muscles relax.
Make sure it feels comfortable. If there’s any pain, ease up – you’re likely overstretching.

Examples:

• Calf stretch

• Cross-arm shoulder stretch

• Hamstring stretch

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretches involve controlled movement and mimic soccer-specific actions. These increase your heart rate and promote mobility through multiple planes of motion. They also enhance nerve activity and prepare your muscles for gameplay.

Examples:

• High knees

• Leg swings

• Open and close the gate

• Arm circles

• Skips

• Heel flicks

• Sweeping the turf

Set up cones about 15 paces apart and move between them while performing each stretch. It keeps things fluid and fun.

Warm up do’s and don’ts

When it comes to warming up for a MAN v FAT Soccer match, it’s important to get it right without overdoing it. Aim to raise your heart rate and feel your muscles activating, but don’t push yourself so hard that you’re out of breath before kick-off. You want to break a sweat, not burn out. Avoid the “no pain, no gain” mentality, it doesn’t apply here. Focus on movements that mimic what you’ll actually be doing during the game, especially lower body exercises and light cardio. Keep static stretches short and controlled; they have their place, but deep stretching before a match can do more harm than good, especially if you’re just getting back into fitness. Also, steer clear of ballistic stretching – those quick, jerky motions at the end of a stretch aren’t worth the risk. A well-paced, sport-specific warm-up that gets your body moving and your mind focused is your best bet for staying injury-free and playing at your best.

Warm-Up Plan

Resistance Bands

• Side steps: 30 sec each direction

• Donkey kicks: 30 sec each leg

• Front kicks: 30 sec each leg

• Adductor stretch: both legs

• Abductor stretch: both legs

Dynamic Stretches (move between cones)

• High knees

• Front leg flicks

• Mimic passing (alternate feet)

• Open the gate

• Close the gate

• Cross-body kicks

• Sweep the turf

• Heel flicks

• Jog with arm rotations

• High-knee skips

Static Stretches

• Hamstring stretch

• Quad stretch

• Groin stretch

• Cross-body shoulder stretch

That’s your full pre-match warm-up! Stick to it, tweak it to suit your body, and give yourself the best shot at avoiding injury and enjoying every minute on the pitch with MAN v FAT Soccer.

Found yourself reaching into a family bag of chips when feeling down, stressed, or bored? You’re probably an emotional eater.

Many of us turn to food for comfort when things get tough, and you probably don’t even realize you’re doing it. It’s a common and completely normal response to difficult feelings like anger, sadness, loneliness, and boredom, but it’s a pain when you’re trying to lose weight.

Why do we comfort eat?

Sometimes eating just feels good, especially when we’re feeling far from happy. Eating triggers a release of dopamine (aka the pleasure hormone) in the brain, so we’re hardwired to seek out these pleasurable foods.

But while it feels like it’s helping in the moment, eating doesn’t fix the underlying issue, so we end up still wrestling with our emotions but with the added complication of feeling ashamed or guilty about overeating.

How can I stop emotional eating?

It’s a tough one, because when we’re in that cycle of turning to food when we feel down (or angry, or stressed, or lonely), nothing else feels like it’ll help, and the more you do something the harder it is to change.

Here are some ways you can begin to break the habit:

• Feel your feelings. Get into the habit of asking yourself ‘how am I really feeling?’ because all too often we try to bury unwanted feelings. Acknowledging that you feel angry, low, or lonely is the first step to figuring out what to do about it that doesn’t involve food.
• Learn to question why you want to eat. Sometimes you’ll be genuinely hungry, and that’s fine! But we tend to know the difference between emotional urges to eat and actual hunger, so if you think you want to splurge on snacks because you need a pick me up, stop and think about whether it’ll help. Most of the time it won’t.
• Have an action plan. Ok, so you’ve figured out that you want to eat because you want to cheer yourself up. What can you do to lift your mood that doesn’t involve food? Perhaps you could go for a walk, watch a few episodes of your favorite sitcom, play a video game or meet up with a friend. It always helps to have a few things you can turn to.
• Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry or stressed. Honestly, if you go shopping when you’re hungry or you’re looking for comfort food, you’ll buy the whole store. Save the food shop for when you’ve eaten and have written a meal plan and a shopping list.
• Avoid buying foods you’ll overeat. Some people can have loads of snacks in the kitchen for weeks and not bother with them, but others can and do eat them all at once. If you know you’re likely to overeat when you’ve got tempting foods in the house, stop buying them, at least for now.
• Plan your menu and weekly shop. Getting into a routine with what you eat can help cut back on those moments of uncertainty where you end up calling for a comforting takeout because you’ve got nothing in. Make a meal plan and shop for it, and then you’ll know exactly what the plan is for food.
• Look after yourself. If you’re really struggling with how you’re feeling, it’s time to take a good look at how you can improve things. Work, relationships, money problems…our headspace gets battered when things aren’t going well, so taking steps to improve your situation can help you feel more in control.

Above all, be kind to yourself – emotional eating is a hard habit to break, but it is possible. Take it slow, and don’t beat yourself up if despite your best efforts you end up sprawled on the couch with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s after a hard day.

You know you want to lose weight, but do you know how much you want to lose and why it matters? Grab a pen and let’s make a plan.

Sweeping statements like ‘I want to be healthy’ and ‘I want to feel confident’ are well meant, but they do little to spur us into action.

Setting yourself some healthy ambitions, goals and targets, on the other hand, can be really motivating. Finding out why you want to lose weight, really digging into the reasons behind it, can mean the difference between plodding along as you are and dropping the pounds.

Finding a healthy weight

A body mass index (BMI) calculator can tell you what your healthy weight range is. It’s imperfect as it’s not accurate for everyone, including athletes who have a very high muscle mass. Many experts consider the waist-to-height ratio a more accurate way to measure things.

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25, so picking a goal weight between these two numbers is a great place to start. Or aim to lose 5% of your body weight as studies have found this to be a point where you’ll see great health improvements.

Track your progress in different ways

This is so important as weight loss isn’t always linear. Hormonal changes, what we’ve eaten and even the time we weigh can all affect the numbers on the scales.

Even if you’re doing all the right things, sometimes the numbers don’t head straight down. We’ve all been there and know how disheartening that is, so try taking photos to see your progress instead of relying solely on the scales.

Sometimes losing a few pounds might seem insignificant but you’ll be able to spot the difference in a photo. Taking measurements weekly and seeing the inches melt away can also be extremely satisfying.

Set mini goals

It can feel daunting if you’ve got a lot of weight to lose. It might be some time before you’ll get to your goal weight but break it down into manageable chunks so you can celebrate each step.

Ticking off every 7lbs lost and every stone is very encouraging, with each mini goal bringing you closer to your ultimate goal. You can also add in a celebration when you lose 5% and 10% of your body weight. Don’t forget, every loss brings health benefits as well as goal points for your team too.

Set SMART goals

Set yourself some SMART goals to help you reach your weight loss targets. Don’t forget, weight loss isn’t all about the numbers on a scale, it’s how you feel, how your clothes fit etc., so factor this in too. Your goals should be:

• Specific
  • Be clear about what you’d like to achieve. “I’d like to lose 16lbs, which is 5% of my starting weight” is better than “I’d like to lose weight”.

• Measurable
  • “I’d like to be able to wear my favorite jeans again” is better than “I’d like to fit into smaller sizes” because it’s something you can easily measure.

• Achievable
  • Be realistic. As much as we’d like it to, 5 stone won’t come off in a week, nor will you be able to run a marathon in a month if you’ve never run before. But committing to tracking what you eat every day for a week, or sticking to the couch to 5k running plan is achievable and something you can keep building on.

• Relevant
  • Not everyone who wants to lose weight will have the same goals. If you’re not interested in going to the gym, that’s fine, instead focus your attention elsewhere. Don’t give yourself the goal of going to the gym 3 times a week because you think that’s what you should be doing. Make your goals as personal to you as you can. If, for example, you enjoy cooking, make it your goal to cook more healthy meals as a way of eating better.

• Time-limited
  • Give yourself a realistic timeframe for achieving your goal. If you don’t, you could find excuses can sneak in and you’ll easily justify putting things off for another day.

Try writing down your SMART goals to give yourself a real goal that you can visualize and are more likely to achieve.

Setting rewards

It’s important to mark your achievements, you’re working very hard to get them. Try and reward yourself with things that’ll help you reach your goal. Treat yourself to a new workout shirt or a sports massage for those newly worked muscles.

Other ideas include activities like a trip to the cinema or a gig, something active like bowling or ice skating or even just a PS5 game you’ve had your eye on.

Another motivating way of marking special achievements is adding a coin to an empty jar for every pound you lose. This is a great visual representation of your weight loss and can be built on until you reach your goal weight. You can then treat yourself with the proceeds – since you’ll probably need it to buy new clothes in smaller sizes.

Bit by bit, you can lose all the weight you need to. By setting SMART goals, you won’t feel overwhelmed by the challenge, and you’ll enjoy achieving each milestone.