^^ All of this. I found myself about 25lbs overweight once when I was younger and decided I better do something about it before I turned into a hambeast. I didn't do anything drastic, starve, deprive myself or suffer. I just started getting off the bus three or four stops early and walking home, cut out dessert, gave up soft drinks, broiled meat instead of frying it and ate more vegetables. I would stick to that all week and then on the weekends, I'd have a slice of pizza or whatever I wanted. I lost the weight painlessly and it stayed off. Fats try to make losing weight sound like the Impossible Dream, but it's pretty simple.