Just eat healthy and exercise regularly ( and by that I mean vigorous excercise - 45 mins to an hour at least 5 times a week). Diets don't work in the long term and you'll gain weight easier once a diet is finished - remember that when you are relying on diet alone your brain will want to slow your metabolism down not to mention the fact that if you're not building lean muscle mass at the same time as losing weight you'll probably also lose muscle mass as well as fat if you're not providing your body with the correct amount of fuel - ultimately making your body less effective at burning fat. Remember that lean muscle that is exercised regularly uses loads more calories to repair itself - even when you're asleep! It may take a bit longer but slow and steady progress is best as you'll just be burning fat, so ditch the scales and get a tape measure ( much more reliable measure of fat lost ) and just eat sensibly and work hard at your exercise - after two weeks it will develop into a habit and you'll feel odd when you don't exercise. I'd recommend Caroline Pearce's book for anyone who is serious about getting fit as well as thin, packed full of useful info.
The times I've slipped back into weight gain are when I've been unable to exercise through prolonged illness which has then slipped into a habit of not doing it much other that the odd run etc I also find that when I exercise 5-6 days a week I don't feel like eating crap, I tend to gravitate towards healthier food without any willpower etc.
I run, do yoga and circuit training and have lost 5 and a half inches off my waist since the summer - and I plan on it staying off!
Hope that helps....
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