It’s the best day to get on the scales when you really, really want to stick with your diet, say experts. Researchers at Cornell University in New York found slimmers weigh the least on Friday but blow out over the weekend. This means the usual Monday weigh-in kills your diet, and your motivation, before the week has even begun. Wednesday weigh-ins are more likely to keep you motivated and on track.

Drinking 500 ml of water the first thing in the morning kick-starts your metabolism by 30 per cent, German studies show. Being hydrated helps curb your appetite too, so you’ll eat less at mealtimes for the rest of the day. Aim for two litres a day, and always drink a glass before meals as it’ll help you feel fuller quicker.

Slim people take their time over meals, chewing at least 15 times (that’s three more chews than the average person), a study has found. This helps your brain get the memo that you’ve eaten, which can take up to 20 minutes, according to US research.

Eating a little natural yoghurt every day can help your lose weight, especially around the waist, say US scientists. A University of Tennessee study found that dieters who added yoghurt to their reduced-calorie diets lost 22 per cent more weight and 81 per cent more belly fat than those who skipped the white stuff. It’s thought the amino acids in the yoghurt help to burn fat while the calcium causes fat cells to release less fat-producing cortisol. Plus yoghurt is a great source of probiotics, which keep your digestive system healthy.

How easy is it to inhale a full packet of potato chips while lying on the sofa? Well, sitting up straight when you eat has the opposite effect. When your body is upright, your food will reach the lower part of your stomach faster, sending signals to the brain that you’ve eaten enough and it’s time to put the chips away.

Cut down on calories from alcohol by filling your glass with ice first. A long, icy drink is more refreshing and will last longer, plus you’ll ditch 128 calories if you use diet cola or soda. This also works for white wine – you’ll save 54 calories.

Scientists are again raving about the power of grapefruit to help shift stubborn kilos. Some say the aroma stops you from overeating, others put it down to high fibre. And experts at the University of California Berkeley believe grapefruit juice could stop the body from absorbing fat. Try half a grapefruit with black coffee and a boiled egg for a double-whammy low-fat 1980s brekkie – studies should that dieters who eat eggs for breakfast lose 65 per cent more weight.

Women who stay up late and get less than 6.5 hours of sleep a night have more body fat than those who turn in early. While midnight milk and cookies aren’t exactly blameless, scientists in the US discovered that sleep deprivation not only slows down your metabolism, but revs up your appetite too. Not ideal. Get on track by aiming for eight hours of shut-eye a night.

People who scoff meals while glued to their phones, tablets or TV eat 69 per cent more snacks later. This is because your brain is so busy during the meal, it struggles to remember that you ate at all – let alone what was eaten – according to research from the University of Birmingham.

This one is an oldie but a goodie: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Flipping your meals so dinner is the smallest meal of the day gives your body the chance to burn off the most calories while you’re active, rather than having food sitting in your stomach and taking longer to digest while you’re asleep.