Having gained and lost the same 25 pounds repeatedly over the last 30 years I’ve finally reached a point where I can keep it off. Here are my random thoughts:

Programs set you up for failure. Don’t eat this, don’t eat that, don’t do this. It is a constant stream of negative thought. What’s required is to reshape your relationship with food. The objective is nutrition not emotional satisfaction. Gas in the tank.

There is an immense pressure to eat in North America with terms like "comfort food" and the other BS emotional enticements to consume calories. We are bombarded with food and restaurant ads.

Think about what you eat, don’t be obsessed about it but keep in mind that everything that goes into your mouth counts.

Weigh yourself once a week at the same time every week and keep track of your gain/loss. Success is not gaining weight. Don’t be in a hurry. The weight will come off eventually. One or two pounds a week.

Do the math. One pound is approximately 3,500 calories. To achieve a one pound loss per week you need to reduce your intake by 500 calories at day or just under 170 calories per meal. It's not an insurmountable number.

Condition yourself to eat when you are hungry, eat more slowly and think about what you are eating when you are eating it. You may be surprised to discover what you eat isn’t all that appealing. It’s how I stopped eating potato chips.

There is a difference between being full and no longer hungry. When you are no longer hungry stop eating.

Eat everything and anything you want just not as much or as often. Programs that declare something like, "Thou shall not eat pizza!" don’t work for me. Tell me that and I will crave pizza constantly until I break down and gorge on it.

Make an appointment for cravings. When a craving hits I set a time several hours or even days ahead to satisfy it. Quite often when that time arrives I no longer want what I craved but otherwise I will eat it without feeling guilty.

There are certain unhealthy foods I like but will only eat them in the very specific places where they are the best. I only eat chicken wings in one place and nowhere else, same with pizza, onion rings and other indulgences. They are never eaten at home.

Restaurant eating is a challenge. What helped me was setting aside a two-month period where I deliberately ate half of every restaurant meal. This helped me discover that I could reduce my intake without feeling short-changed. The downside is there is an apparent expectation you will clean your plate as a half-eaten meal will prompt a solicitous server to ask if there is anything wrong with the meal or whether you want a “doggie bag.” The answer to both questions is a polite, “No.”

Eat well. I have stopped eating on airplanes unless ravenously hungry because the food is crap even in “J”. It’s a relief when I’m no longer hungry.

When you lose weight and drop down a clothing size get rid of your old clothes. What you are wearing now is your new size. Should you lose more do the same again. If you gain weight and go up a size keep your thin clothes. You will be in them again and is awesome when they fit again.

It took me a long time to discover that losing weight and keeping it off isn’t a paid-for “program” it’s a process and a mindset. If you stay with it you can lose weight and keep it off.