Every morning when you wake up is a new beginning. Forget yesterday's trials and tribulations and just sit a while and mentally plan the day ahead. What could prove challenging? How can you plan ahead to deal with it? Perhaps a packed lunch prepared now could avert a foray into the staffroom biscuit barrel later on? Think, plan, do. We all screw up at times – whether it concerns our business, our relationships or our health. It happens. The only people with no problems at all in life are six feet under.

Yell a mental 'stop!'

Slow down, forgive yourself and move on. You're learning a whole new way of living after years of yo yo dieting. To expect perfection is unrealistic – and you know it even though you can't abide it when you falter. Sometimes there seem to be so many obstacles and temptations that it's just so darned hard and you question if it's all going to be worth it. Maybe slimness is not all its cracked up to be. Believe me, it is. Regroup, regroup. YOU CAN DO THIS. The binge is over and now we dust ourselves down and start over.

See this as a journey, not a 'diet'

Restrictive diets are appealing to many folks because they offer a high degree of control and often define exactly when and what to eat. Thus all responsibility and decision making is taken away. This explains why people very often stick religiously to these plans and experience the desired weight loss. However the potential for binge eating is high – especially at the perceived 'end' of the diet when the behaviours that caused the excess weight in the first place are still lurking beneath the layers of tight control. And when they surface again...

Remember we decided that obstacles are inevitable? A binge is an obstacle and obstacles are surmountable.

Whenever I hear the word 'obstacle' I think immediately of that SuperMario game when the little guy is racing along in a car at dizzying speed as mountains loom whilst large rocks and showers of bouncing boulders continually try to thwart his efforts. What does he do? Well, he doesn't stop. He goes over, around, under and every which way to get past these temporary blocks. I'll let you think about that.

Keep your eyes on the prize

The only way to stay on track is to want it so badly that you will do whatever it takes to succeed. Why do you want this? Yes you want to lose weight but why exactly? To live to see your grandkids? To attract a new partner? Only you know. Stay intensely focused on what you want, never give up on reaching for it REGARDLESS OF WHAT GETS IN YOUR WAY and your success is guaranteed