Summer is a time when many Australians either suddenly find that last season's clothes are too tight or simply want to make themselves more swimsuit-friendly.
CSIRO dietician Manny Noakes says the biggest mistake most people make when they diet is that they want to lose weight "now".
"Whether we nutritionists like it or not, we have to accept that's the philosophy most people have," she says.
Ms Noakes says one of the fundamentals of losing weight for summer is to set limits and plan ahead. This means being acutely aware of intake because much of what we eat, particularly outside regular meal times, tends to be unconscious.
The key to success in losing weight, says Ms Noakes, is patience, persistence and planning.
"This means that crash dieting or any eating pattern really low in kilojoules will be too painful to endure beyond a few days, if that!"
"At CSIRO, we found that when we advised people on mildly restricted diets (around 6-7000 kilojoules per day), they were rarely ravenous, stayed focused for up to 12 weeks and lost at least 0.5kg a week."
Ms Noakes says summer slimmers should ignore the myth that fat in food equals a fat body.
"Fats are not the bogeys people think. Our recent research on diet composition and weight loss has shown that it didn't really matter whether our volunteers were on high or low fat diets; they all lost the same amount of weight."
"What really matters is the total energy intake. However, what we did find was that the type of fat eaten makes a big difference to how useful weight loss is to heart health. Take nuts for example: they contain fats but they also have protective nutrients and are known to reduce blood cholesterol levels."
"Losing weight is not as simple as cutting fats. Everything contributes to the calorie count. Low fat foods such as many sweets, soft drinks and alcohol can easily push up kilojoule levels."
One of the barriers to losing weight for many people over summer is the societal increase in alcohol consumption during the festive and new year season.
You don't have to be a teetotaller to lose weight. Like eating, setting yourself a limit is a good idea and two drinks a day is a sensible target to help control your weight. She also believes you don't have to become a hermit to control your weight during the summer holidays.
Ms Noakes' tips for dining out include:
Ms Noakes says there is no magic formula for losing weight because everyone is different, but most of us need to be "restrained but not obsessive eaters" these days because of the wide variety of foods on offer and a general lack of exercise.
"Becoming active is foremost in achieving good health and looking good, no matter what the weight. But in the end, a PhD in nutrition and all the know-how in the world will not take the place of motivation. If you really want to lose weight, you can do it, but be patient, be persistent!"
More information:
Manny Noakes, CSIRO Human Nutrition , ph 08 8303 8827,
mob 0411 104 525