When you’ve gained a few pounds there’s nothing like the tedium of a strict diet to make you feel even more down in the dumps. Take it from someone who’s tried every diet in the book; once you throw punishing exercise regimes into the mix it’s a recipe for total misery.

But if you want to shrink your muffin top without the restrictive diet and punishing gym sessions, you’re in luck.

Fitness and nutritional expert Karen Austin, who has helped hundreds of women lose weight, offers some of the most painless and effective tips for those that love food but loathe exercise…

EAT IN THE RIGHT ORDER

Cutting back starchy ‘beige food’ carbs will always speed up weight-loss but there’s no reason to totally deprive yourself. If you’re going out for a meal with friends you don’t have to be the one munching on an undressed salad while they tuck into exciting dishes. Order steak, chips and spinach if you want, but eat it in the right order.

Karen says: ‘When your dish arrives, eat all the protein [meat, chicken, fish or tofu for example] and fibre [vegetables] first. Take your time and eat them slowly. When you’re finished you can start on the starchy chips or mash. In many cases, because protein is far more filling than carbs, you’ll realise you’re full and don’t want them at all or, at the very least, you’ll find yourself eating way less than you would have done had you eaten them at the start of the meal.’

Follow this principle at home too, especially if you’re cooking for others who expect carbs on the table with every meal.

Karen advises eating protein and fibre in a meal before starchy items such as chips or mash

REFILL THAT TRENDY WATER BOTTLE

Re-useable water bottles have become quite the fashion accessory and something – along with keys and a bank card – some people won’t leave the house without. But they’re no good if you don’t refill them several times a day. The latest research shows that nearly two-thirds of us are chronically dehydrated and, says Karen, it’s that dehydration that often makes you overeat.

‘In about 37 per cent of the population, their dehydration has made the thirst mechanism so weak, it’s mistaken for hunger. People think water isn’t going to fill them up, but a study by the University of Washington found a large glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs in 100 per cent of dieters. Even mild dehydration will slow your metabolism, so get into the habit of drinking one litre of water for every 50 pounds of body weight.’

Karen also recommends drinking half a litre of water immediately before a meal to prevent overeating.

GO FOR A SPANISH RED

There are many diets that ban alcohol altogether, making that glass of prosecco or cocktail all the more tempting. Permitting yourself to drink one day per week will stop you feeling deprived and reduce booze calories.

Karen says: ‘Alcohol is going to hugely increase your calorie and sugar intake. To put it into perspective, pure alcohol is seven calories per gram [about a quarter of a teaspoon] compared to four calories per gram for protein and carbohydrates.’

She advises limiting alcohol to one day per week and to match every drink with a glass of water.

‘With spirits like gin or vodka, ditch the doubles and keep to single measures – most people can’t detect the difference — and have them with diet or low-sugar mixers. If wine is your thing then red wine is generally lower in sugar. If it’s white or nothing, then make it dry [dry being defined as less than 1.4 per cent of residual sugar].

‘To make your drink last longer, fill half the glass up with soda and add ice to make a spritzer [white wine] or a Spanish tinto de verano [red wine].’

KICK OUT FANCY COFFEES

People who need a coffee fix are craving the kick from caffeine, with the milk being largely redundant. So, save calories by ditching your usual frothy milk order and opting for an old-fashioned drip coffee the next time you’re in Starbucks or Pret – with a small splash of cold skimmed milk. Not only will it save you calories and money, it will also mean your drink is ready in half the time.

Karen says: ‘The word “skinny” can be misleading on some coffee orders. A large skinny latte could contain up to 150 calories. Two of those a day add up to more than a two-finger Twix bar. By contrast, a large black coffee with a splash of milk is only around 25 calories – making it a much more figure-friendly caffeine hit.’

A ‘skinny’ latte could contain up to 150 calories, according to Karen, whereas a black coffee with a splash of milk contains around 25

SNACK… ON EXERCISE

Can’t face the thought of a 40-minute jog in the park? How about three minutes in front of the telly instead?

Karen says: ‘Exercise “snacks” are short bursts of activity throughout the day and perfect for gym-phobes. Short, sweet and simple but shown to have similar effects to structured exercise when it comes to firing up your metabolism. All it takes is two to three minutes of micro bursts of a high-intensity fast-paced exercise. Try jogging on the spot during TV ad breaks or mix it up and do 30 seconds each of star jumps, squats, sit-ups and repeat.

‘Short bursts of exercise can create an EPOC [excess post-exercise oxygen consumption] effect afterwards, which means once you’ve finished your exercise spurt, your body has to catch up with its oxygen store creating an after burn of calories.’

Karen recommends short bursts of exercise and tackling chores at home to boost metabolism

OPT FOR ‘NEAT’ SUMMER EVENINGS

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise (including gym sessions).

‘Increasing NEAT can boost our metabolism by up to 20 per cent,’ says Karen. ‘Nutrition will have a 10 per cent boost at most, so it makes sense to make NEAT a big focus.

‘Tackling jobs you’ve been putting off at home, whether cleaning, gardening or DIY, will give you a NEAT increase. Summer’s lighter evenings make it much easier to increase this type of activity too. Go for a stroll after dinner, walk home from work or – if it’s too far – get off a bus or train stop earlier. A half-hour walk in the morning, at lunch time and in the evening, should see most people hitting their 10,000 steps – and burning up to 400 calories. I meet people who think you have to walk 10,000 steps in one go for it to count. You definitely don’t!’

Visit Karen Austin’s website at topazfitnessacademy.com