1. Cook something – You can re-make old favorites or try ethnic or regional dishes – all made light.  The internet, magazines, and cookbooks all have really good “lite” recipes with nutritional information all figured out for you.
    Experiment until you find the perfect lower calorie comfort dish that you can fall back on and be truly satisfied. If you divide the dish into the number of servings  & freeze any uneaten portions, you will be ahead of the curve. Eating out is possible, but often the calorie and fat content of dishes are hard to estimate. 
2. Build some muscles – If you lift weights, even small ones, if you walk, play sports, or exercise in any way you will be a step ahead. Movement burns calories and muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. 
3. Find support – Find friends, colleagues, and family members who have the “can do” attitude – you’ll find it will rub off on you too. 
4. Realize cravings subside – Yes, if you wait 15 – 20 minutes most cravings just disappear. So distract yourself and you may find that the craving is gone. 
5. Make friends with wait-staff – Ask questions about the offerings in restaurants and ask your server to modify your dinning out experience to fit your needs. Ask them not to put bread on the table, or ask them to bring bread without butter or oil. Ask things to be cooked the way you want. Then tip accordingly.
6. Visualize – Imagine how you will look and feel as you go down the scale. For each pound you lose add a paper clip to a growing paper clip chain – and keep it on your refrigerator. It is such fun to see the chain grow. 
7.  Don’t be a perfectionist – If you are trying to build new habits and modify your eating you will have slips.  If you give up every time you have a lapse, you will not succeed.
8. Enjoy snacks – Save those snacks for the time of day you know you will be hungry. Is it mid-morning, late afternoon, or after supper?  Plan your meals so you can have snacks and still be within your weight management plan boundaries. 
9. Sleep – Make certain you get enough sleep. We unconsciously turn to food for energy when we don’t get enough sleep. 
10. Persist.  No matter what – just keep on trying.  Successful dieters, who have kept their weight off often tried over and over before they finally were successful. So if you have lapsed or relapsed, just accept that and start over.
    There is no reason this might not be the time. If you would like some help with your weight management, just check out my web site or give me a call.   I specialize in people who have a lot to lose or have lost and gained repeatedly.