Let’s face it, many of us have piled on a few pounds during lockdown.
Be it because the biscuit tin is just that bit easier to reach while we work from home or because we now have more time to cook our favourite meals, waistlines have been expanding.
But if you want to shed weight without giving up your favourite foods – or anything at all – Graeme Tomlinson can help.
The man better known to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers as The Fitness Chef has come up with a foolproof plan to make eating fewer calories a piece of cake (excuse the pun).
It turns out with just a few simple changes that you’ll barely notice – yes, you can.
Fitness expert Graeme insists that swapping some foods for almost identical ones can make a huge difference.
The 32-year-old from Aberdeen said: “The point of consuming food is to remain alive. The point of controlling our intake of food is to manage our physique and overall health.
“The point of consuming calories is to reduce body fat across our composition. But one constant in all of the above shold be our enjoyment of the food we eat.”
But Graeme doesn’t want people to give up their favourite foods, simply be aware of how many calories they need – and are eating.
He explains the only way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit – consume fewer calories than you use.
And it doesn’t matter where you get those calories from.
But there are some ways you can still have all the taste AND reduce the number of calories you’re consuming.
For example, switching two bacon rashers at 108 calories for two bacon medallions at just 45 calories will save you 63 calories.
Can’t give up your spag bol? If you use five per cent fat mince beef at 262 calories instead of full fat at 503 calories, you’ll save 262 calories.
Love a good steak? Just switch from sirloin at 510 calories to fillet at just 312.
If you’re a cheese addict then just swap regular Cheddar at 210 calories for the light version at just 145 calories.
You can even save on your tea simply by switching what milk you use.
Full fat is 198 calories while semi-skimmed, which tastes almost the same is just 150.
And you can slash the calories in your coffee just by taking the milk out, reducing a morning cup from 50 calories to just five.
If you love a bit of fizz in your life, switch full fat coke at 163 calories to diet coke, which has none, or regular Fanta at 63 calories to diet at just 10.
It’s summer so we all like a tipple in the sunshine but if you switch from a bottle of Becks at 125 calories to Becks Premium Light you’ll save 61 calories.
Meanwhile swapping your tonic for the slimline version in your G&T will save another 60 calories.
And all this adds up – by making these simple changes you can reduce your calorie consumption from 4,295 to just 1,782 – that’s a reduction of 2,513 calories.
Graeme, who has now written his own recipe book, said: “When an individual embarks on fat loss, each of the above are important.
“One must enjoy their energy consumption, be aware of energy intake in relation to their energy output, and consistently ensure that they are in a state of caloric deficit.
“To ensure progress, one may have to change and adjust their dietary habits.
“But instead of completely radicalising the diet, adherence to change may be more likely if one makes subtle changes over time.
“Losing fat is not straightforward.
“It requires a change of habits. But if an individual recognizes opportunities to make small changes which reap handsome long term rewards, it’s seems short sighted not to take them.