External controls never work long term. Eventually, we get fed up and rebel. Only an internal change can become a way of life. So how do we achieve an internal shift that will help us obtain and maintain our ideal weight?

To my surprise, this smaller, quieter way of goal setting actually began to work. By keeping quiet, I didn't feel compelled to check in with people (or worse, explain to them why a goal hadn't yet been met). Without this cycle of shame, I found my goals actually had a chance to gain more traction.

This year we got a little closer to understanding why we turn to ice cream and chocolate whenever we get stressed out, crabby or overly emotional. Yes, we still have a lot to learn. Our emotions and eating behavior are incredibly complex.

There were many contenders for this year's prize for stupidest diet. The desire to shed weight seems to breed an endless stream of particularly magical claims, supernatural devices and silly, dangerous plans.

The worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves. Before the holiday season eating extravaganza is upon us, here are a few common diet lies -- and how your better angel would react if he were awake.

Before putting all of your energy (literally) into your workouts, be sure that you are prepping yourself by eating the foods that provide you with the nutrients your body needs. A successful pairing of exercise and nutrition is not beyond your reach!

That's my suggestion for this holiday. Start looking at what you've bought into. Get some therapeutic help to look at why you overeat. Make a decision that you are just not going to give it all the attention you normally do. Ever again.

Interviewing Vanna again would be a chance to see if she was still struggling with bingeing or if she'd found a way to move on. Talking with this now 55-year-old single mother of two would also be a great opportunity to speak the unspoken truth about this all-too-common eating problem.

Dieting during the holiday season is difficult. It is hard to shake your head and decline every time you are offered something indulgent to eat or drink during the six or so weeks between Thanksgiving and the end of the year.

Since I tipped the scales at 360 pounds when I'd just turned 17, I know how daunting a task it can seem to have over 150 pounds of fat to lose! I tried every plan under the sun -- the pills, the drinks, the machines, the trainers -- and every time, I would make some progress and backslide.

The holidays do not have to be a recipe for disaster when it comes to staying healthy, keeping fit and looking divine all the way through New Year's Eve and beyond.

The power of suggestion is indeed powerful. And, in my opinion, it's rarely to our benefit. Think about it -- when you have a craving, is it for something healthy like apples or spinach, chicken or salmon? Not for me.

Clearly, celebrity interviews provide no shortage of encouraging words. But if you're in the market for reliable information, there are surely better sources -- so I chose a scientist over a celebrity to debunk some of the body-image myths that Hollywood helps perpetuate.

Remember that the holidays are primarily there to reconnect with family and friends and to celebrate good times. Enjoying delicious food is certainly part of that, but it shouldn't be the main focus.

I know that as women, our relationships to food are complicated and that all of us have stories that play a unique role in those relationships, but I believe that we truly can appreciate food, eat it, and love our bodies all at the same time.

Paying attention to -- and cutting back on -- unplanned eating is really an extension of the principles of mindful eating: paying attention to our level of hunger, our surroundings, our enjoyment of food (or lack thereof), and how we feel after we eat.

Permanent weight loss is a holistic event. Permanent weight loss is a mind-changing, life-changing event. You can lose weight, but you will find it again and again until you are ready for permanent change.