1. Make sure that you're not being neurotic and overly body conscious.

Meditate. Try to catch yourself naked unawares in a full length mirror. Find out your ideal height-weight ratio. Get some amateur photos taken of yourself in casual clothes. Try to be detached and objective.

Overweight is sometimes a state of mind instead of body. What trauma or childhood inadequacy causes you to see yourself as fat and undesirable, when medically you're normal, or just a little full figured?

If you are definitely a fatty:

2. Meditate. Try to home in on reason you are overweight.

Is it genetic; are your family 'big-boned'? If not, what need are you trying to fill by stuffing yourself; are you anxious, insecure, do you have family or money or sexual troubles? If so deal with THEM and your need to eat will be easier to beat.

Eating is pleasurable; we get a rush of blood sugar which makes us temporarily feel good, and having a full stomach makes us feel sleepy and calmed down. Are you going for effect rather than nourishment?

3. Change your diet.

Eat simpler, less processed, less over-prepared and overcooked food.

Get back to basics. Substitute fruit for candies, wholemeal bread and boiled potatoes for potato chips, lean steak for burgers, water instead of fizzy drinks.

Eat a grape or a piece of orange instead of a candy; you get a better 'buzz', and it's healthier for you. Another benefit of eating whole, natural food is you fill up quickly, while eating less. The horror of junk food is that it's got loads of fats and sugars in it while not being physically substantial; you can eat ounces of fat in seconds.

Basically, if a chimp wouldn't eat it, you shouldn't eat it. Yes, I KNOW a chimp could probably get hooked on junk food. All right, try this; if an athlete preparing for a track meeting wouldn't eat it, you shouldn't.

Have three meals a day only. Have a proper breakfast; people tend to skip this and then have snacks later to keep themselves going. This is folly.

NO snacks in between; let your belly growl. You're going to train it to need less. It will protest, as it's used to being big, but it will adjust in time.

Stay away from people and places which remind you of your old treats. Try not to let on you're dieting; your 'friends' will try to get you off it, or tempt you for fun.

4. Take more exercise.

There are many fitness benefits to swimming. By making it seem like body weighs much less than it actually does, swimming is perfect alternative for those who are not capable of performing other types of exercises and activities. Individuals with a spinal cord injury, for example, are able to strengthen their muscles through swimming when they may not possess strength to walk. By establishing exercise routines in local gym, you can begin a progressive workout scheme that will help you improve quality of your health.

Before you jump up, go to pool, and swim, there are many things that you should be aware of. First, while swimming exercises can allow those who cannot perform in many physical exercises begin to improve their health, it must be done carefully. Jumping in a pool and swimming laps does not mean that you will improve your health at no risk. Getting started in a swimming routine should be a slow process. You should start off with easy breathing exercises, and learning basic strokes. Knowing these strokes will enable you to begin lap swimming, synchronized swimming, and other forms of swimming based exercises.

When you swim, regardless of type of exercises you are doing, it is important that you understand how your body reacts to exercise. Because of nature of swimming, it can be a rather deceitful activity. It is very easy to do, and makes it appear as if you are not straining yourself. However, every stroke you make exercises muscle groups and works your lungs and heart. If you have any cardiovascular or other conditions, you will need to ensure that you do not strain any portions of your body. This is even more important if you are recovering from a serious injury.

Most importantly, you will need to establish what level of a swimmer you are. Most individuals who have been injured or are just starting swimming exercises will be a beginning level swimmer. At beginning level, you should focus on various strokes, and how to breathe while swimming. This is very important, as it can prevent you from drowning in future. Even if you suspect that you are better than beginner status, start from this level. This will ensure that you unlearn any bad habits, and that you do not strain your body. It is important that when you begin process, you make use of fitness centers and trainers that are available to you. This will prevent injury and ensure you are working with a swimming program that will benefit you in long term.