I think most of us are guilty of overindulging a bit over the festive season. Shaking those extra kilos can be tough, especially when the stress of going back to work kicks in. There are some basic guidelines that may be helpful. Make sure that you are getting enough good quality sleep. Sleeping less than 8 hours per night will make it much harder for you to lose weight and may actually contribute to weight gain. Exercise is the fastest way to start burning away that extra fat and get you back on track. Any good cardiovascular exercise such as walking, running, cycling or swimming will do the trick. Start with 30 minutes 3 times per week and work your way up from there. Make sure that you are drinking at least 2 litres of clean, filtered water per day. Cut out all refined carbohydrates like bread, pastries, pasta and baked goods as well as all refined sugars. Reducing portion sizes is also very effective. We tend to eat too large portions of food. Eat slowly, chew your food well and stop eating the moment that you are full. There are also several nutritional supplements which can assist with weight loss such as Green Tea extracts, Green Coffee Bean, Cinnamon extract and Hoodia. If you are unsure about supplementation, make an appointment with one of our Health Renewal doctors for expert guidance.