The only psychological gimmick that ever helped me lose weight was a diet diary. That works because it prevents you from pretending that you’re not actually consuming an entire day’s worth of calories when you eat a bag of cashews. A good on-line diet tracker such as My Net Diary also keeps you aware of your balance of macronutrients.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, I need another pair of jeans and L.L. Bean, my favourite couturier, just opened a store in Waterloo. Hooray!