Let’s break it down: fat accumulates when unused calories are stored in the body as energy reserves. Just demolished an entire Domino’s pizza and wondering how to burn the fat off the next day? If you aren’t planning on running a marathon the next day then it’s likely you didn’t quite need as many calories, and more than a slice or two will be sticking around your middle.

Sugar is a killer, and are in more foods than you might think. Desserts obviously contain spoonfuls of it, but carbohydrate-heavy foods (bread, pasta, cereal, beer, fruits, smoothies) are also serial offenders, as carbs are broken down into their constituent sugars in the body, leaving you feeling more than a bit doughy.

We’re talking literally here. Approximately 300,000 US deaths per year are estimated to be linked directly to obesity. Meanwhile, in the UK, one in four adults is obese, according to the NHS. This can lead to a plethora of nasty problems, from heart attack to stroke, depression, and some cancers. Not only does the visceral fat stored just below the skin put extra strain on your organs, those living a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to overindulge, creating a deadly cycle.

But, hope is on the horizon. According to the most recent data nearly 58 million US citizens held gym memberships as of 2016, while on Instagram the hashtag #wellness has over 20 million results – evidence of our international obsession with burning fat, getting in shape and living healthily. But, buying a gym membership is the easy part. Figuring out a weight-loss regimen that works for you, and sticking to it, is another matter.

So, What Are The Shortcuts?

“To be honest, there aren’t really any shortcuts,” begins Roar Fitness PT Luke Grahame. “Fat loss takes time and anything claiming that it produces results in a week is trying to sell you a lie. The most valuable fat loss hack that can be learned in a week is to understand that being ‘in shape’ is a long term pursuit that goes deeper than ‘no carbs before Marbs’.”