0/ NO processed food. It's impossible. Choose one as a guilty pleasure every other day, and stick to one.

1/ Tracking calorie is a chore. Worst, as a former nicotine addict, it fire the same vicious behavior as when you try to limit your smoking: you begin to sanctify any calorie and food like it's a blessing (like I could not think of anything except the next cigaret in my planning). But hey, it seems to work for lots of people, so give it a try. But dont force it if it make you think about food and calories all the time.

2/ Exercising is a chore. Ok. That one I like, because it fire dopamine in your brain. So if it works for you, go for it. But if you dont get your dopamine intake out of it. Stop. Just keep climbing stairs. May be add some slow walking around campus once a day for your heart. But dopamine is pretty neat once you start exercising.

3/ Eat fiber. dark chocolate. Nuts, raspberry.. What not to like!! But try to switch all your usual aliment with their more fiber packed equivalent: Whole wheat instead of white low fiber wheat.

4/ Eat in small plate. Trick your brain into feeling full.

5/ Eat an egg first thing in the morning: cut your appetite for 16 hours.

6/ Drink water first when you feel hungry. Brain have a hard time distinguishing between hunger and thirst. Usually you're just thirsty.

7/ Never , ever diet. Plan on changing the way you eat forever . Not having a hard diet for 6 month loose the 40 pounds, and let the weigh creep on once you stopped dieting.