“This year I’m going to lose weight.” It would have to be one of the top New Year’s resolutions – and it should be banned! Just the thought that tomorrow you can’t have dessert, chocolate or whatever happens to be your particular weakness is sure to ruin any New Year celebration. And if you are anything like me, thinking you are not allowed something only makes you want it more!

I call it the DIG cycle. You Deprive yourself of the ‘naughty’ foods which leads to obsessing so much about them that you finally Indulge. Even as the first forbidden mouthful passes your lips, Guilt sets in and you resolve to Deprive yourself again.

So how can we lose or control our weight without becoming caught in the DIG cycle? Here are my top ten tips…

I found these beautiful decorations at the Saturday Balmain market: cinnamon sticks, dried chillis and a native Australian gum nut. The ideal foodie Christmas tree decoration and so much better than candy canes or sweets.  Oops – this one is a bit late -  Christmas Day has been and gone. I hope that you have had a fun and joy-filled day with perhaps a few quiet moments to remember the true meaning of this celebration.

No. 11 Give someone a break: Strife and stress on Christmas day is often because of old grievances still held against some family member. It’s easy to stay angry and hard to forgive. But as the Bible story goes of the crowd who were ready to stone an adulteress, Jesus said to them “If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” No-one did. Sometimes it’s easier to let an offense go when we remember that we are not perfect either!

Get your family moving over Christmas with some activity presents such as a cricket set, rugby ball, roller blades, skateboard, a triathlon, Pilates classes or bicycle tour.