I have fallen in love with the concept of downsizing!

Trade your Merc in for a Mini and think of the savings in terms of petrol and pollution. Trade your mobile phone for a notepad and enjoy the mystery and suspense of waiting for snail mail. Swap your mansion for an apartment. Who wants to do all the extra cleaning anyway?

Cut the costs and cut the stress to see that small is just as beautiful...Before I get completely carried away, let's apply the principle of "less is more" to nutrition.

Longevity studies show that restricting calorie intake while maintaining a good level of vitamins and minerals can extend your life span. Quality rather than quantity is the common sense approach to health. It is also the secret to a slimmer body. When the body is given what it needs, without excess, it will regulate itself and stop hoarding fat. Starvation diets are unhelpful as the body clings on to its fat stores for dear life when in famine-mode. Mother nature is rather more interested in your survival than your vital statistics. Crash dieting results in easy weight gain - it is also harder to lose the flab the next time round.

Dietary changes, therefore, need to be consistent and long term.

Reprogramming your mind is a key step forward in weight control. Think not about a "diet " but a healthy eating plan.

When you feel tempted to be a glutton, look at the food you should not be eating and say: "Yuck, I refuse to let that mess up my body -let's find something healthy!" Make sure you get your optimum nutrient intake everyday by eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and lean protein (fish, chicken, quorn, tofu) otherwise your appetite switch remains on. A good multivitamin/mineral is a safe back up. Sometimes, thirst and hunger sensors get confused and we may be thirsty instead of hungry, so remember that water is essential. Drink at least six to eight tumblers daily!

Get practical and downsize your plate. By piling food on to a smaller plate you can make it look more.

Never eat on the move, always eat slowly and chew food well to become more aware of how much you eat. Never shop when hungry. You are likely to upsize rather than downsize!

If you fancy a real power shower between mealtimes, nibble some fruit and sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Supplements from health food stores can be useful to maintain normal blood sugar which is important in controlling appetite.

Glutamine helps to overcome cravings and addictions. Take it away from meals, twice daily.

The best blood sugar regulator of all, of course,remains aerobic exercise which increases your ability to burn fat. No down-sizing allowed here!