Dieting by numbers

1: the ideal amount of weight (in pounds) to lose in a week

One to two pounds a week is what to expect to be able to lose in the long term. This can be hard because you often lose larger amounts per week initially. The key thing is not to give up – an average of 1.5lb per week adds up to a stone in just nine weeks.

Want to lose weight? Here's all the help you need Diets, expert advice and weight-loss insight