I am overweight and need some assistance in finding out how to lose weight healthily. I try to eat well and am naturally quite well built.

When it comes to weight management, we'd want to start with exercise – you didn't mention this in your email so I'm not sure how much you're already doing. If you're already doing some exercise, then try to up the amount and variety. The body gets used to doing the same exercises week after week so, if the aim is to lose weight and not just stay active, we need to add a little more in.

If you aren't used to doing much exercise, however, you don't have to start with anything too strenuous – people tend to be put off by doing too much too quickly. Begin with an activity like walking which you can easily incorporate into your routine – take a walk at lunch time, for example, or walk instead of driving places. Once you get used to this, you could up it to a short run or incorporate other activities like an exercise class or a swim.

Other than that, it may help to reduce your sugar intake as research shows this can slow down metabolism - the rate at which we burn energy – and may directly contribute to the build-up of fat. Sugary drinks, sweet teas and coffee, and snacks like biscuits, can all add up to a high daily sugar intake. Instead try to drink lots of plain still water (we need 1.5-2 litres a day) and, if you can, snack on the likes of fruits, nuts and seeds instead.

It's also a good idea to get plenty of protein in your diet as this could manage weight further. Make sure you are getting fresh sources of protein though, and not processed options. Foods rich in protein include eggs, lean meat, poultry, fish, dairy and more. You could explore our recipe hub for some healthy meals high in protein and other nutrients.

I hope you find these tips helpful.