To celebrate the start of 2017, a slimming expert from Penzance is sharing her secrets for successful slimming to help local people make their healthy New Year’s resolutions a reality.

Susie Tait, who runs a Slimming World group in Penzance, and is also the team developer for West Cornwall, said: "Lots of people will be making resolutions to lose weight and improve their health this New Year. Successful weight loss isn’t just about losing weight, it’s about keeping it off too. Making temporary changes and going on a diet that’s unsustainable in the long-term will only ever be a quick fix, meaning you’ll sadly be bound to regain any weight you lose, and maybe more, as soon as you go back to your normal eating habits. If you really want to live happy for the long term, the key is to make healthy, realistic changes to your lifestyle that you can keep up for the rest of your life."

Susie has offered her top 'new year, new you' tips:

N – Never go hungry: Don't follow plans that are too restrictive and leave you feeling hungry or deprived, making them impossible to keep up.

Keep your appetite satisfied with wholesome, healthy meals the whole family can enjoy

E – Easy changes to make: You can still cook and enjoy all of your favourite meals, just by tweaking them slightly. Try switching to lean or extra-lean meat, trim off all visible fat and remove skin from poultry, and swap cooking oil for low calorie sprays.

W – Write a weekly plan: Spend time at the weekend planning your week’s menu and feel in control with your healthy eating. Know exactly what to get at the supermarket, saving pennies at the checkout and bags of time.

Thinking ahead about any potential pitfalls such as a social event will also help you to plan how to stay on track.

4)Y – You choose: Keep your fridge stocked with filling, natural foods you can snack on such as fresh fruit, vegetable crudités and lean meat. When you’re feeling peckish in between meals you’ll be able to dive right in, rather than eating that extra chunk of cheese or a packet of crisps while dinner’s cooking.

E – Enlist super support: Getting regular, effective support is a vital component in losing weight and keeping it off. Slimming World members attend weekly group sessions, led by a consultant who has lost weight with Slimming World themselves.

A – Add some activity: Being active doesn’t have to mean joining the gym or enduring a rigorous exercise regime. It’s important to start off slow and find something you enjoy. Increasing your activity levels could be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the lift or pledging to park the car further away from work or the shops.

R – Remove Guilt: Learn to be kinder to yourself when you go off track. The reason diets so often fail is because they are restrictive, follow a flexible, generous, plan and you’re much more likely to succeed in keeping weight off.

To find the group that is most convenient for you, log on to SlimmingWorld.co.uk and click on find my nearest group, enter your postcode and all the groups local to you will come up. Alternatively, phone Susie on 01736 850071 or 07813 523072 and she will help you find a suitable group.