I think the biggest revelation I had a couple of years ago, with regard to losing weight, was to think of it as a long-term, slow change. Once I'd accepted the fact that it was going to take a long gradual time I managed to just settle into it and, as other people have said, slowly making changes to what I was eating.

I think the phrase 'going on a diet' is wrong, both psychologically and nutritionally. To me, 'going on a diet' implies that one day it will finish and, if you're weak like I am, that 'one day' will be a couple of days later. It's tricky though, as taking a long-term approach makes it harder to focus on a goal and stay committed, but if you strike the right balance you will see change start to happen, and more importantly not beat yourself up about minor slippage.

About two/two and a half years ago I had hit 17.5 stone (I'm 5ft 10; luckily my weight tends to distribute itself really evenly over my body, so I wasn't hugely visibly overweight, but I knew I was heading in the wrong direction). At the end of last year I'd got down to 13st 13lb. This was the first time for probably a decade or more that my weight had had a 13 in the front.

What with Christmas etc I've now crept up again to just under 14.5 stone, and I know that I'm now at that 'stubborn' last coulple of stone - hopefully my new running hobby might help some with that ! ;-)

Simon