The book in overview ii To be fair to Tony’ s normally loving and supportive wife, she had lived through dozens of failed diets that he had tried over the years. She had, quite understandably, become rather skeptical. She refused to shop differently for him this time around – unless he proved he would stick to it – but that time had not yet come. In a particularly scathing tone she responded,‘ Sounds like psychobabble BS to me. How could you lose weight eating cereal that is more colorful than the packet it came in!?’‘ Darling, I think that the question you’ re asking me should be:“ How have you lost weight eating that rubbish?”’ Tony stood up and with great pride pointed to the wear mark on his belt.‘ What do you notice?’ Somewhat contrite, his wife said,‘ Two notches! What’ s going on?!’ I share Tony’ s story with you because it highlights the psychological issues around weight loss, including some of the issues with partners. The most important point was that when I asked him how hard he was finding it and whether he thought he could do it long-term his response was:‘ Are you kidding me? While I have lost weight more quickly, this is the easiest weight I have ever lost. I can’ t see why I can’ t do this forever!’ And that is my goal: helping people to bring to life a new eating lifestyle that they can continue for life. Navigating this book Gone are the days when people read a book in order, from cover to cover – if they ever existed. While this book is loosely sequential – it can be read by jumping from chapter to chapter. What follows is an overview as to how the book is laid out to assist those of you who might not wish to read the book in the traditional way. Chapter 1 explores our deep attachment to food and how we must respect this so we do not set ourselves up to fail. It is just not good enough for doctors and dietitians to tell overweight patients they‘ should exercise more and eat less fattening food’. I have not met an overweight person in my clinical practice, or outside it, who did not know this. As a psychotherapist I have spent two decades helping people to change, permanently. I could not be more uninterested in short-term