I believe that the best guardian of my own interest, that knows better than any diet expert what I should and should not eat, is my own mouth. The simplest and most effective way of eating for a problem eater is simply to hold each mouthful for a little while before swallowing it, thus allowing the mouth to savor the food, and to give a clear signal whether to go ahead and swallow it.

I have found that it is impossible to eat junk food consciously, like this. The only way of eating junk food is to shovel it down unconsciously, preferably while reading the newspaper or watching TV.

Not only does my mouth tell me automatically what is appropriate to eat, but also it tells me how much. By eating slower and more consciously, I stop eating when I am actually full, rather than go on eating unconsciously until I am bloated.

Further benefits are that my food is predigested better by the saliva in the mouth, and also that I give the saliva a better chance to neutralise toxins in the food. When I eat fast with hardly any chewing, then all the work that the saliva could do is missed out, and the digestive juices in the stomach have to do not only their own work, but the work of my saliva too.

Obviously I make some intellectual choices about the best food to eat (my choice is an organic vegan diet plus eggs), but that is secondary to holding the food in my mouth. And I don't need to chew each mouthful for ages, chomping away religiously - just holding my food in my mouth for a little while longer than normal, and with a little bit more consciousness than normal, works wonders when I do it.

-- First, in order to take exercise in a sustainable way, for the long-haul, I have found I cannot be too ambitious. If I get all enthusiastic and make a resolution to this everyday, and that everyday, etc, then I might keep it up for a week, but the pressures of my everyday routine will win in the end. So whatever I do has to be incorporated easily into my daily life.

-- I see a Pilates teacher Rachel Swindle who is excellent, and has introduced me to the Gym ball, or Swiss ball. In line with my idea of incorporating exercise into my daily routine, I now sit on this ball while at my desk, and find that in fact it is more comfortable than my expensive desk chair! And I do the various exercises on it to increase core strength (the main Pilates concept) while at my desk and working away.

-- I have also discovered the benefits of slow weights - that is, doing simple dumbell lifts very very slowly. Not only is it effective (there is a lot of talk and opinions about slow weights in the weightlifting world), but doing it slowly allows me to be aware of my body, and the various muscles that are being affected as I slowly move the weight. And I do it sitting on my Gym ball!

-- As far as stretching and yoga go, if you have read my meditation section on this site, you will not be surprised to know that I don't like following teachers slavishly. Two books that encourage you to explore and find your own yoga or stretching routine are Open Body: Creating Your Own Yoga by Ted Walton, and Fitness Stretching by John Jerome - both inspiring reads.