There are only two rules for a slimmer you - burn more than you consume or consume less than you burn. Simple science. The complication is that eating is nothing to do with science and everything to do with emotions. We eat to celebrate, to comiserate, when bored, when stressed, as well as when genuinely hungry. Eating a miserable diet will never make you permanently slim. A complete lifestyle change is required and cutting all your carbs and spending hours on the treadmill are not necessary or desirable. Educating yourself to eat more often (yes, really), reducing portions and increasing those items that keep you full (unrefined foods) are a big step in the right direction. The way your mind views these changes will influence how motivated you feel in order to keep on track permanently. (How motivating are the words 'giving up', 'dieting','restriction', 'denial'?) Hypnotherapy and/or NLP can be very effective in helping people change their perception of their new lifestyle. A brief but regular exercise session - something you actually enjoy - for 20 minutes a few times a week is another part of the process and again, don't take up anything you can't sustain permanently. In short, aim for contentedness through a number of small changes that won't make you feel you're missing out. Happy healthy 2013!