No matter the time of year, the statistics are grim: 60 per cent of adults are overweight, while 21 per cent are considered obese, according to the Australian Heart Foundation.

There is a glut of slimming-related jobs, from nutritionists and Weight Watchers leaders to psychologists, surgeons and medical researchers.

Radar spoke to four experts who've made a career out of helping punters shed those kilograms and found very different approaches to the bulge.

Dr Sandra Cabot and Sheree Ward, clinical nutrition consultants at the Dr Cabot Holistic Clinic, Camden

Your wobbly bits are: a puzzle to be solved.

"We take a wholistic approach to weight loss," Cabot explains. She has written books on health and nutrition and has several clinics where naturopaths, doctors and nutritionists help people lose weight.

"We look at all the causes and it's not always the amount of calories that someone is consuming. It's like a jigsaw puzzle-it could be anything from a fatty liver to a hormonal imbalance. "

Banish them by: using a personalised program. Ward explains the signature Cabot weight-loss approach: "We refer clients to our doctors for blood tests for diabetes, hormonal imbalances, etc. Then we tailor a diet to a person's needs."

Ward says supplements and a good liver tonic can help, as well as avoiding alcohol, red meat, refined sugars and fried, fatty food. "We also suggest that people get active and do weight-bearing exercise."

It will cost: AU$75 for the initial one-hour consultation, $40 for each half-hour follow-up session or $239 for a three-month weight-loss plan (blood tests and supplements are extra).

Jennifer Garth, psychologists and Good Medicine magazine's weight-loss advice columnist

Your wobbly bits are: tied to your emotions.

"There are emotional overeaters, compulsive overeaters and those who've simply developed and maintained bad eating habits," Garth says.

"In psychology, we try to deal with the underlying causes that lead to being overweight or obese, whether it's stress, depression or anger. I mainly use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which helps people to rethink their actions and be more pro-active."

Banish them by: changing your lifestyle. Garth contends that many people are triggered by day-to-day stresses such as an aggressive boss, arguments with their partner or an unruly adolescent child. "They reach for food as a comfort or distraction, as a way to deal with the stress.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy can help people to become aware of and change their behaviour, like going for a walk, cleaning out their shoe cupboard instead of eating. It's not about dieting - it's about making positive lifestyle changes. You've got to make peace with food. It's important to have self-acceptance no matter what and not to have unrealistic expectations."

It will cost: AU$100 for a one-hour psychological consultation (it takes a few sessions for weight loss). private health fund rebates may be available.

Tenercy Ho, Chinese medical practitioner, Wonder Life clinic, Bondi Junction     Read whole article

Your wobbly bits are: unique to you.

"There are so many different types of 'overweight'," Ho says, "from a low metabolism to depression, hormonal imbalances, stress-related binge eating or severe fluid retention. Eating a lot of so-called 'fat-free' foods can contribute to binge eating because you don't get that feeling of satisfaction after eating." When someone is overweight, Ho says, Chinese medicine tries to treat the related Spleen and Liver system - the "middle burner" area.

Banish them by: using herbs and acupuncture. "I try to bring the body systems back into balance with acupuncture and herbs," Ho says. "The internal organs are part of of an interconnecting system - from the nervous system to the metabolism and hormone levels. I do a thorough assessment and then prescribe a personalised herbal mixture. I also recommend regular exercise and diet changes - no more 'non-fat' foods, no coffee, refined sugars, etc."

It will cost: AU$60 for the initial consultation. Subsequent consultations start at $40

Laparoscopic surgery specialist Dr James D. Ritchie of the Keyhole Surgery Centre, city.

Your wobbly bits are: the result of many factors.

"The cause of obesity is multifactorial, of course," Ritchie says. "In many patients it's genetic; you can see that it runs in families. Depression and boredom can contribute. It's the environment we live in, too; there is a glut of cheap, high-fat food about and we spend long hours sitting in front of a computer screen and get very little exercise."

Banish them by: undergoing obesity surgery.

Ritchie insists that obesity surgery (biliopancreatic diversion, gastric banding) is not to be taken lightly. "Any operation is a last resort," he says. "A person considering this type of surgery has to have been trying to lose weight through conventional methods, like diet and exercise, for at least five years. They must also be motivated and willing to follow some rules because if they don't, there are more risks and side-effects." Ritchie only accepts obesity surgery candidates who are morbidly obese, which is defined as being either 80 per cent or 45kilograms above one's ideal body weight.