New year weight loss tips from the family who lost 15 stone between them

Katie before and after

A family of four who lost 15 stone between them on the diet they created and built a £1M diet business based on their success have released their top tips for successful weight loss. They have also published an e-book to help support dieters in 2022.

The e-book, titled How to Lose Weight in 2022, is available as a free download from the DAGroup website.

Emma and Tony Scrivener, their daughter Katie Thomas and Katie’s husband Shaun Thomas devised a diet plan that’s easy to follow and easy to stick to. It encourages portion control and healthy eating habits and has a long list of permitted foods as well as plenty of recipe inspiration. The company also sells pharmaceutical grade products formulated with clinically proven ingredients to support weight loss. It supports hundreds of thousands of dieters all over the world online, over the phone and via the DA Group’s VIP Facebook group.

The family lost 15 stone on the diet prior to launching their business in 2012. Here are their top tips for dieting success:

1. Decide why you want to lose weight and write it down. Looking back at this can help you stay focussed.
2. Eliminate temptation
Give yourself a fighting chance by clearing out your “naughty food” cupboard. Replace items with healthier snack options.
3. Don’t skip breakfast
Get into the habit of eating breakfast. Set a regular morning wake-up and make time for a healthy meal. This will prevent you snacking mid-morning and overeating at lunch
4. Have protein with every meal
Proteins take a while to digest, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. This stops you snacking between meals. Eggs, lean meat, seafood, cheese, nuts, beans, and pulses are perfect.
5. Keep a food diary
Keeping track has a significant effect on your weight loss – it has been shown that people who keep a food diary lose twice as much compared to those who don’t… and they keep it off.
6. Keep yourself busy
Being busy takes your mind off food. Try something to distract yourself – a new hobby, learning a new skill, reading a book, going for a brisk walk or catching up with friends/family.
7. Limit alcohol
Alcohol is calorie laden, makes us feel hungry and also impairs our judgement. Your body tends to burn alcohol off first too, so any food you consume may end up on your tummy and hips.
8. Control your portions
Our perception of a portion has grown over the years, so shrink your plate and portion size! Measure recommended food quantities for a week and relearn the basics.
9. Eat less:
• REFINED CARBS (like white bread, potatoes, rice and pasta) – they are preferentially converted into energy, storing as fat if they aren’t used up
• FAST FOODS – full of saturated fats, added sugars and excess salt
• PROCESSED foods and snacks
• SWEETENED drinks and fruit juices.
10. Eat more wholegrains, lean proteins, colourful vegetables, pulses and low-fat dairy.
11. Record your weight.
You are more likely to lose weight successfully, and keep on track if you weigh yourself regularly. Do it once a week, first thing in the morning to avoid the daily fluctuations.
12. Get help and support
Join a group of like-minded individuals and you are three times more likely to succeed! Find a community to motivate and keep you on your weight loss journey. Facebook is a great place to start – join ours here.

DA Group co-founder Emma Scrivener said:

“We’re aware that many people will start 2022 wanting to lose weight. The Christmas period, coupled with the effects of lockdown and working from home, has left many people with extra pounds they want to shed. We know from experience the frustrations that can come from weight gain – and the joy of managing to achieve your weight loss goal. These tips pull together the basic principles that helped us on our weight loss journeys, and have helped our members stick to their diets, lose weight and keep the weight off.”