MILAN – It’s almost holiday season but half of Italians (53%) say their bodies aren’t ready. One in three women (31%) aren’t happy with the several pounds they’ve put on over Christmas, and as many as 43% of men would say they were overweight.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT – Could not having your dream body influence your psychological well-being? Almost six Italians out of 10 (55%) think so – as many as 70% of women and 60% of men. On an emotional level, not being beach ready makes Italian very irritable (22.5%), feel apprehensive (21.5%) and feel depressed (20%).

THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING HYDRATED – Does drinking water help stop putting on weight? Dr. Alessandro Zanasi, an expert from the Sanpellegrino Observatory explains: “Water helps our stomachs feel full. This means that if we drink a lot we tend to eat less and consequently don’t consume as many calories and don’t put on weight”.

A how-to guide to getting back in shape

– Follow the rule of five for meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner plus two snacks – one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon
– Include a large portion of vegetables at each mealtime 3 – Snack on seasonal fruit
– Drink at least 1.5-2 litres of liquid a day. If you exercise a lot, it’s recommended you drink water that’s rich in minerals
– At least two or three times a week have just one course for one of your main means, such as legume and grain soup with a side of vegetables
– Limit intake of sweet foods to at the end of your meal or at breakfast and have them instead of other foods and not in addition
– Don’t be tempted to overdo things: start with some gentle exercise when you wake up and in the evening before going to sleep
– Don’t lose heart if you don’t see results: mood has an impact on willpower 9 – Learn to love your body, because the first step is to be happy with yourself, rather than trying to please others
 – Lighten up and don’t take yourself too seriously: admitting you have faults actually makes you stronger