Slimmers can make major weight loss transformations by implementing new diet, exercise and lifestyle habits.
However, keeping the weight off once you've lost it is another challenge, and many people end up putting the pounds back on.
A dietitian who lost 3st 6lb shared the "weight loss hacks" that have helped him retain his weight over a decade.
Bill Bradley said on his YouTube channel MediterraneanLiving: "A successful weight loss diet is not about losing weight. It is about losing weight and keeping it off permanently. My hacks have not only worked for me but for many other people, helping them lose weight and keep it off."
'A successful weight loss diet is about losing weight and keeping it off permanently'
YouTube/mediterraneanliving
Bill advised slimmers to keep some healthy food with them "at all times" to curb unwanted cravings.
He shared: "I always had an apple with me. If I had a sugar craving and needed something to eat, I would eat an apple.
"This worked at any time of the day if I got to a place where I felt too hungry. You never want to get to a place when you have to start bingeing food."
The dietician also shared his thoughts on the role of fat in a weight loss diet. Some slimmers are tempted to cut out fats, not realising that these contain "nutrients" and can "curb cravings".
The dietitian explained: "If you go to the Mediterranean, you see people eating 40 per cent of their calories from fat and copious amounts of olive oil. But they are thin and healthy.
"It is important to get over your fear of fats. You want to eat extra virgin olive oil and have a good amount of fat in your diet."
An article entitled 'The Skinny on Fat - The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown', published in News In Health, confirmed that fat should not be seen as an enemy of weight loss.
Indeed, nutrition expert Dr Frank Sacks said that people should actively make unsaturated fats a part of their diet, adding that you don't need to avoid healthy fats to lose weight.
As for exercise, Bill encouraged slimmers to set themselves a "challenge or goal".
He revealed: "I did a hiking challenge, hiking every day for 120 days. In one of my weight loss classes, a woman said she always wanted to hike the Swiss Alps.
"She lost weight and hiked the Alps. Make a challenge, something doable over time that keeps you motivated."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
'If I had a sugar craving and needed something to eat, I would eat an apple'
PA IMAGESLifestyle can also have a big impact on weight loss success, with slimmers encouraged to look after their stress levels to help "reduce cravings and stress eating".
The dietician advised: "Choose a form of mindfulness. When I put on weight, I was going through a very stressful time and stress eating.
"I went to a couple of mindfulness retreats and started meditating every day. It only has to be 10 minutes, and it will decrease your cortisol levels, which helps decrease belly fat and stress."
Another slimmer, who lost 1st 6lb, credited a habit they picked up on holiday to their weight loss success.
