THE DOWNSIDES OF WEIGHT LOSS

Hot on the tail of your amazing resolutions, you may be celebrating some early weight loss success just now. If so, well done! I want to give you a little advance warning of some potential pitfalls.

Much like Delia will tell you in advance how your souffle might go pear shaped, here's a little heads up on how your weight loss may disappoint you.

Common issues with early or speedy weight loss are flabby skin, badly fitting clothes, wrinkles and/or a sallow complexion. There's nothing more likely to have you reaching for a bun than someone asking if you've been ill instead of complimenting you!

The truth is that when you blow up a balloon, it doesn't deflate neatly again. Neither will your skin at first. Add to that a changing body shape in the wrong size/style clothes and your hard won successes can often feel worthless.

I want to make it clear that these issues are only temporary and there are some great, cost effective and easy solutions to keep you on the path to a healthy weight.

1. Time heals most! Your skin will regain a level of elasticity over time. A good diet and regular toning will speed this along.

2. Lotions. There are many toning lotions available on the market. They will have a temporary smoothing and toning effect, certainly enough to reward you for your diligence so far.

3. A new wardrobe. Yes, we'd all like to employ a personal shopper to advise us on styles and colours but January often isn't the time for a splurge. It is, however, a time when people clear out wardrobes and donate to charity shops. Have a rummage through the charity shops in the poshest area close to you for ensembles you wouldn't normally try. They don't have to be in great nick. If the fabric or cut suits you, you can invest in a similar item when you're ready.

4. Multivits. No, there's no definitive proof that we need a multivit but if you're making changes to your diet it makes sense to go for a belt and braces approach.

Finally, bear this in mind:

You must treat weight loss as the first stage of your new body.

You must maintain your weight loss long enough for your skin to adjust.

You will find your new shape with better tone and increased muscle mass.

By way of conclusion, here's a favourite phrase of mine (apparently wrongly attributed to Catherine Deneuve):

"After the age of 40, a woman must choose between her ass and her face".

We lead with our smiles so keep looking forward!