• Live the autumn: whether you like it or not, the season is here so you might as well enjoy it. Even if you are not a big fan of days getting shorter and colder, there are so many things you can enjoy in the fall: from the changing colour of the leaves in the tree, to the fresh breezes to the smell of the new crisp air. Find what motivates you the most and schedule in a trip or two to an outdoor place you can fall in love with.
• Start something new: we are never too old to learn something new. So many new things start in the fall apart from school: take advantage of the time, find out what your neighbourhood can offer and sign up for exercise classes, dancing classes or any other activity that keeps you moving!
• If not…hobbies, hobbies, hobbies: remember to give yourself proper breaks throughout the month so schedule in your favourite activities. If classes are not for you, remember that there are always other activities you can do. For example, if you like photography but do not want to commit to lessons, take a long walk and take this time to shoot beautiful sceneries. If you like to play the piano, opt for playing it somewhere public rather than at home: this might not apply to all the UK but in London, for example, there is a piano inside the station of St. Pancras that can be played by anyone. Lastly, another thing you might like to do to relax is to get away. So if you like to travel, organise a day-trip in a place close to home that you have not seen yet and start wondering around. All these activities will help you keep busy without spending too much or committing to a class.
• Go back to the gym: if you are a gym person, start again the routine that you might have stopped whilst on holiday. This is the time to get organised again and a steady visit to the gym, along with a new routine, can help!
• Motivate yourself: the end of summer and the beginning of autumn can be a daunting period. Try to find short-term goals (they could be birthdays, holidays, fun activities with friends, etc…) that would keep you going and happy to continue to live healthily. If it is hard for you to find something to be motivated about, try setting up your own motivational goals: maybe buy a new pair of trainers when you reach a particular goal or reward yourself with a hot bath or a nice haircut. Remember to make the goals achievable, neither too easy or too hard, and at the right time, neither too close to one another nor too spread out. You could also motivate yourself by doing something nice to another person. Whatever it is, there is always something to be looking forward to so do not despair.
• Eat well: About.com has a list of wonderful low-fat dishes, using ingredients that are in season, that you will almost certainly enjoy making. The three foods listed as autumn foods are: pumpkin, apples and pecans. These are also foods that are not too expensive, and can be prepared in a wide variety of ways.

Take the time to enjoy the taste and feel of autumn without hibernating! You can find more tips on Webmd.com.

• Proteins: to help our bodies repair and grow tissues
• Carbohydrates: the main source of energy
• Vitamins: to help the body function at its fullest capacity
• We also need fats, occasionally, for energy and for protection and safety of the body.

Any weight-loss diet should include all of these, if the diet wants to be a long-term, healthy commitment rather than a sharp, short-term weight-loss method.

Keeping the balance right is very important. There are many diets and each different diet has slightly different ratios between the foods. One diet worth considering (and eventually tweaking) is the Mediterranean diet. The pyramid shows the ratios that this diet suggests. Feel free to read more information on the Mediterranean diet if you are interested or you want to try it out.

The Mediterranean diet is a great strong base for a healthy diet: however, it is important to keep in mind two main things.

1. That exercise is of the utmost importance when following any type of diet
2. That carbohydrates can and should be reduced if you want to lose weight and your exercise is low to moderate.

Having considered these two elements then, it is recommended to change the ratio of carbs and veggies to 1:1. Otherwise, veggies might also be the primary component of the diet and carbs could be cut down a bit.

To finish off with carbs: it is important to consider which type of carbs you are consuming. In fact, grains and wholemeal bread is much healthier than white bread and if you are thinking of losing weight safely, you might want to consider these as alternatives to your normal loaf of white bread (either permanently or temporarily).

Do not forget to write down what you eat, especially when beginning a new diet: you might think you are having crisps rarely but maybe you are actually consuming a packet every other day. Crisps are a particularly easy food to pack and have without being fully conscious. Try to substitute them with carrots, or any other veggies. You might struggle at first, but in a few days you might notice the difference already.

Finally, remember: it is important to keep in mind that change does not happen overnight. If you keep on changing a small thing regarding your diet every week, you will gradually get in the habit of eating healthily. Balance is everything: if you have a bigger meal than normal one day, don’t despair and try to make up for it by cutting down the next day. Oh, and most importantly: don’t forget to drink water. Drinking loads is essential to keep your metabolism going!