MY NAME'S Cathy Ranson and I'm a chocoholic - there I've said it. You see, I tend to have a bit of a problem with chocolate: it's just not safe in my house.

For example, if I want a Cadbury's Flake to adorn the top of a Banoffee Pie, I know it's a disaster to buy a three-pack of Flakes so I have spares for when I next need them.

They won't last a few weeks - they probably won't last a few hours before being demolished. Like most houses in Hillingdon with kids in them we have a sweetie tin. I have to buy things I don't really like, like jelly sweets and white chocolate to go into the sweetie tin, otherwise it's me that eats the contents and not my son, Alex.

Am I alone in raiding the kids' sweetie tin, or does anyone else share my shameful slummy mummy secret?

At last I've hit a turning point in my chocolate addiction, and it's all thanks to Hillingdon hypnotherapist Noel Bradford.

With his help, despite having a house (still) full of Easter eggs, I've managed not to touch a single one - an amazing feat for me. I found out about a special weight loss trial that Noel is currently running when another local mum posted a message about her success on www.netmums.com/hillingdon .

I decided to sign-up to be a guinea pig for the six week trial and chocolate hasn't passed my lips since.

I've never been hypnotised before, and was a bit skeptical, but on the same day I read reports in the press that Lily Allen has used this method to lose weight. If it's good enough for Lily, it's good enough for me!

I asked Noel to specifically work his magic on my night-time chocolate munching and he hypnotised me to think that chocolate will taste like offal (especially liver) when I look at it, which will stop me putting it in my mouth! It seems to have worked so far.

Noel still has a few spaces left on the trial.

If you visit www.NoelBradford. com and look in the trials area you'll find out more and can sign up.

Fees are reduced to £20 a session (usually £60) and you listen to a CD at home and keep a diary during the trial. I'm looking forward to getting my CD at this week's session and I'll let you know how I get on.

Best of all, my food shopping bill has gone down, as I'm not buying chocolate biscuits, bars, mousses etc - just a few treats for Alex.

Long may it continue!

Cathy recommends:

- Alex is always complaining about being uncomfortable in his car seat on long journeys.

We had a long car journey last week and we tried out this fab new neck support called the Yondi, for kids of all ages.

As well as being a cute pet to cuddle, it fits snuggly around the child's neck, stopping their head rolling forward if they are sleeping.

Alex really liked the secret pocket for hiding things or putting an MP3 player into.

Visit www.trunki.com for details, from £12.