UAE: 9 things to know to lose weight for good

Want to lose weight? Keep your workout routine to 3-5 times a week, say experts. Italian expat Andrea Giovannini (30), Group Exercise Programme Manager, Fitness First , says those making a start on their weight-loss mission should work out three days a week.

Want to shed kilos and be toned? You are going to have to keep an eye on both food and exercise, warns Sakina Mustansir, Diet and Nutrition, Prime Healthcare Group. “"If you only do diet, you’ll lose weight but the toning is not there. And if you are only toning up without diet, then weightloss doesn’t happen so effectively. I usually suggest that it should always go hand in hand."

As for the diet, it is definitely good to go with a more protein-based diet – think eggs, fish and lots of vegetables. “Meat is recommended, too. Essentially, eating a protein-rich diet can help people lose weight because it [stops you from] binging or over-eating, says Giovannini.

4. Lebanese expat Banin Shahine (33), Nutrition Manager at Fitness First said: “70 per cent of weight loss can be attributed to your nutrition. I have seen people look the same despite working out a lot. This is because they have not altered their nutrition.”

History matters: Keep an eye on family history while formulating your diet plans. If there are pre-medical conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, the diet should be tailored accordingly.

Think long-term. “When you think of a diet as a quick fix, rather than a long-term solution to better your health, you will be more likely to give up and gain back the weight you lost,” said Giovannini.

Do these exercises. Neurometer exercise, also referred to as “functional fitness training” involves motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait). When you combine all these exercises during the week you are toning your body really well as well keeping the cardiovascular exercise going.

People should train each major muscle group two or three days a week using a variety of exercises and equipment.

Is to wrong to do extreme diets? No, say dieticians. "It has to be a little extreme in the start and then of course it should become more gradual. What I recommend – you start with something more aggressive so you’ve started losing, seeing the results and then gradually get back to something that’s more sustainable," recommends Mustansir.