6 best doctors: sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self confidence and friends

The phrase "On a diet" is self defeating from the get go. The idea is you go on a diet, lose X number of pounds...then you go off of a diet and guess what? Your mind set has to be that you are changing your eating habits forever. So go out with your friends and just count calories. By the way I successfully lost 10 kg about 4 years ago after my first heart attack and kept it off by counting calories. Some people lose their minds over the idea of counting calories, but I'm proof that it works well.

Believe me that regular workout, walks and disciplined diets can put you down. Please be aware of portion sizes. It's almost impossible not to overeat when you have a huge plate of food in front of you. Offer to share an entree with someone or ask for a takeout container and put half of your meal in there before you start eating. Then you can have two or three meals for the price of one without the extra calories.

If you mess up and cheat a little or don't give up completely on your diet or getting healthier. Just get back up and keep going. Over time you'll develop a great amount of self-control and no matter who you hang out with, you'll stick to your diet and make sure you get to the gym. Must have a salad or a soup for appetizer, have fresh juice or water for drinks, once you reach your main dish you will be half full so pick a grilled main dish and go easy on the desserts as yo need to just have a fresh fruit and no sugary desserts.

Basically know your triggers—do you have trouble staying in control after your night out if you have sugar? Or alcohol? Or fried foods? Carbs? Avoid the trigger foods, but let yourself indulge in a little bit of the foods that are not in your normal list, but won’t mess up your entire week. Is the event all about the food? If it’s not, then pack your own food, or eat beforehand. I have a friend who developed a disease that required a very strict diet (for a few years) and he just started bringing his own food, so he could visit friends without worrying about getting violently sick—or avoiding social interactions entirely.

If the event is all about the food, and you can’t avoid triggers, then maybe avoid that particular gathering, or suggest going to a movie, a game, or mini-golf, or some activity that doesn’t involve food as well. You can eat beforehand, and/or skip the meal and join for the other fun. Invite people over for dinner, and you can be in charge of making the food. I do this sometimes, as I have a couple food allergies (wheat and soy) that make things a little difficult when you aren’t used to avoiding them (they hide on nearly all food labels).

You can also bring your own snacks, if you had your meal beforehand, so you can eat with others, and not stand out as much. Ultimately, as a culture, we have made food a central part of many gatherings, but it doesn’t have to rule our social lives, and some forethought can make it pretty simple. I would say prepare for the moment and let your friends know that you’re on a diet so that it’s out there and known. This will reduce that awkwardness when you don’t engage in your usual activities when they are around. Sometimes we let peer pressure get the best of us.

If you usually drink or eat pizza around your friends then it’ll be pretty difficult to turn it down whenever they are around because it’s the norm, but if you make it known to not only yourself but for them that you’re on a diet, then it makes it feel a little bit less awkward. Hopefully, they can respect your decision and not make you feel too awkward about it. Often people avoid telling people they are on a diet because it draws attention to you. Hopefully, your friends are the kind of friends who will understand and support your decision. You got to take care of yourself.

Of course rest for about 7-8 hours of sound sleep is needed. We must also take breaks in between our work and move around on feet during lunch time and tea breaks to break the monotony of office desk work and mingle with friends and colleagues. It is a great idea to plan outdoor weekend treks or bike expeditions where you continue to lose calories while having fun with friends.

Last but not least is not to lose your mind over stressful conditions at work or don't carry tension at home. Once you enter your home you must try to shut off all the external distractions including social media limiting its use only for an hour or so before you go to bed. I normally turn off my wifi during the night so that you are not disturbed by notification of messages or any other apps that are playing behind the scene. Cheers!