There’s nothing like an unflattering New Year’s Eve party photo of you to make you leap onto the scales and then shriek in horror when it displays an equally unflattering number.

While I am pretty focused and strong-willed in many areas of my life, food is not one of them. I love food. Love, love, LOVE it. I live to eat and just can’t understand how some people merely eat to live. I’m not a glutton, but I am a sucker for quality, organic stuff and eating out at a good restaurant is one of life’s great pleasures.

But seriously, this extra 4kg has got to go. So I am going to channel all my energies into shedding it. After all, it’s the same as 16 x 250g tubs of margarine – eeeuw! I managed to lose 10kg in four months about 2 years ago, so I reckon I’ll apply the same rules as I did then:

1. No carbs after 5pm. Just salad/veggies and low-fat cheese or nuts for supper. (Last time I did this I was still eating chicken and fish – now I’m totally vegetarian it might be a bit challenging. Might have to become a pescetarian for the duration…)

2. Drink lots of water. Apparently hunger and thirst are often confused so if I get the munchies, I’ll have a big glass of water, wait 20 min and see if I’m still hungry.

3. No junk or sweet stuff. No biscuits, chips, chocolate (OK, maybe on piece of Lindt’s chilli choc a day), sodas (don’t drink those anyway), ice-cream, desserts (other than fruit and no-fat yoghurt), etc. This is the hardest part for me.

4. Healthy snacks only – twice a day (i.e. between my main meals). I’ve stocked up on wholewheat crackers and spreads like no-fat cream cheese, tapenade, a red pepper and cumin spread, peanut butter, etc. Must buy some baby carrots and hummous when I’m next at the shops.

5. Replace pasta with brown rice or couscous. I do quite like brown rice but it takes so long to cook, compared with the 3 min it takes to boil fresh pasta… I am going to have to make an effort to plan ahead!

6. I’ll be keeping a food diary. Not on here (I hear your relieved sighs) but in a notebook. And I will honestly capture everything that passes my lips :-) Last time I did this, it was quite shocking to see just what I was eating every day.

7. And I’ll be hopping back on my cross-trainer, building up to 40 min three times a week. Now I’d better go compile an awesome workout playlist…

My current weight is 69kg and I’d like it to be sub-65kg. Ideally around 62kg, but we’ll see…

Wish me luck!

Oh and if any of you have ideas for healthy, fat free snacks, please let me know… I think the crackers and carrot sticks may well lose their appeal very quickly!