Many of us will gain an extra 2lbs a year throughout our adult lives without even noticing.

That might not sound like much, but left unchecked that could add up to over four stones by the time you¹re 50.

And that¹s a lot when you consider that the culprit of this sneaky weight gain could be as little as an extra 100 calories a day.

Lisa Cooney, Head of Education for World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), said: ³Excess weight can creep up on you over time. Whilst a few pounds may not even be noticeable in the space of a year, over a lifetime it can become quite significant.

³Excess weight is linked to a number of serious conditions, including cancer, so it¹s vital to maintain a healthy weight throughout your life.

³And small changes really can make a huge difference. By simply cutting your daily intake of food by 100 calories or burning off an extra 100 calories, you will help stop that creeping weight gain.²

Lisa has come up with 12 easy ways to help block the bulge.

Walk it off
15 minutes of brisk walking or 30 minutes of window-shopping will burn 100 calories.

Take the stairs
20 flights of steps may sound like a lot, but if you work on the fifth floor use the stairs instead of the lift and you¹ll soon have burned 100 calories in no time at all.

On yer bike
A mere 10 minutes on a bike will help shed those extra calories.

Wash the car
Save money on expensive valet services by doing it yourself and after 20 -25 minutes you¹ll have a clean car and burned 100 calories to boot.

Get in the garden
Gardening for 25 minutes will burn 100 calories, so get digging.

Clean up
20 - 30 minutes of housework should do the trick.

Ditch the butter
Swap your buttered toast for honey on toast and save 112 calories for every slice.

Nuts for dried fruit Exchanging a 50g bag of salted peanuts for a handful of dried fruit will save you 125 calories.

Lay off the Mayo
One tablespoon of mayonnaise contains 100 calories so leave it out of sandwiches and leave it off salads.

Drink more water
Swap sugary drinks for water. It¹s completely calorie free so you can drink as much as you like without worrying.

Baked over fried
Opt for a baked potato with low fat spread instead of chips with your meal and significantly reduce the calories, 180 in fact.