1. Get into protein like tuna, salmon, eggs and low fat dairy foods. Not only protein is beneficial for muscle development - protein has a higher satiety ranking. In other words, protein foods will help you stay 'fuller' for longer. Compared to foods that are high in carbohydrate and fat,protein rich foods are more effective at suppressing something called ghrelin, a hormone that is secreted by the stomach to stimulate appetite.

2. Get your daily dose of fiber. Fiber rich foods like wholegrain, and carbohydrates which have a low GI rating are nutritionally beneficial for the body. Not only does fiber fill you up but it takes longer for the body to break down, so you'll feel fuller for longer. That means - less cravings!

3. When it comes to fitness, one factor trumps all others - CONSISTENCY. And while this is the key to experiencing all the benefits exercise has to offer, few people make it a long term endeavor. Why? Because life is often hectic and that makes it easy to lose focus on the importance of physical activity and healthy eating. The key to consistency is preparation and planning your schedule ahead. So plan your day and week out to include your workouts and 6 healthy mini meals a day.

4. This is the obvious point but often misunderstood - but Eating Less makes you hungry! But if you Eat little, but more often, you will control your cravings. The best approach to combating the snack attack is to plan a daily dose of five to six healthy meals a day for sustained energy and better concentration, so tap into your inner bovine and graze away. Eating less, but more often controls blood sugar levels, preventing dips in energy and focus once that 'high' from your loaded lunch has dwindled. You'll also be less likely to gorge at the nearest KFC. The challenge is to keep your mini meals 'mini'. It's critical that at the end of the day, the calorie content of your mini meals does not exceed what you would eat in three larger meals. The best rule is, fill up of your plate with leafy veggies for fiber load.

5. Keep Track and Take Control - begin a journal. Start today. It is one of the most powerful ways to teach you more about you than any book or course you take. And the best part is, you can keep it simple - just enough to keep you aware of what you're eating. The basics of a journal entry should record what and how much you eat and drink for at least 5 day (try to include a weekend day), how you felt at the time (stress and boredom are common causes of mindless eating) and the kinds of snacks (extras) you had. By reviewing your journal, you can identify your eating patterns, and promote fat loss by controlling your portion sizes.

Finally, 6 months is a reasonable time to lose 50 pounds, but to reduce the risk of a big let down - add 1 to 2 months onto your time frame, or forget it completely. The last thing you want is to add more pressure. The best approach to this is to look after your body by following the guidelines, sticking to it and allowing time to take care of the rest. Down the road, whilst growing into this new lifestyle, you can lose 50 pounds or more - but more importantly keep the weight off.