Top tips to boost your weight loss

■ Don’t assume giving up meat and dairy will help you lose weight – many vegan foods are packed with calories, especially if they contain a lot of oil, coconut products, nuts, seeds, and/or dried fruit. Vegan cheese, for example, is still high in calories and fat. So get into the habit of checking the nutrition panel.

■ Snack wisely – vegan crisps, chocolates, cereal bars, cakes and biscuits can be just as high in fat, sugar and calories as regular ones. Fruit is a better choice.

■ Honey is off limits on a vegan diet but that doesn’t mean you should go crazy with alternatives like maple or agave syrup. They’re still free sugars (the ones we should limit) so be sure to use them sparingly.