How "This time IS different!"

I've had a weight problem since 4th grade. In high school, I gained 17 pounds that has never left my body for very long. So, throughout my college and young adult years, I was about 10 pounds overweight. If I lost it, I had serious cravings and gained it back. Then came marriage and baby. Over the past 20 years, I've gained, lost, gained, lost, etc., then gained, gained, and gained!

I've been working on weight loss since March. I lost 5 pounds in March, 1 or two in April (not a serious effort that month), and 5 in May. June was vacation month, but I got right back on plan upon returning. Some days I do better than others.

So what's my plan? I eat according to the guidelines set by Sparkpeople, and journal my food. Most days I have at least 2 fruits. I'm working on making sure I eat 3 veggies. I try to walk at least 20 minutes a day, but sometimes that does not happen. And I drink 8 cups of water each day.

But what is different this time?
1 - I minimize flour and sugar. Large amounts make me crave things, small amounts don't.
2 - I minimize processed foods when possible. Processed foods have been a huge part of my diet since I was born. Eating large amounts of them makes me crave sweets and/or starches.
3 - I am reading 100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle and interacting with the Sparkteam with the same name. The book delves into the psychology behind eating and gives strategies for handling challenging situations. Lots of wisdom in this book.
4 - I keep at Dot Calendar - recording my morning weight, my total calories, and my exercise. This shows me at a glance how I'm doing on my plan.
5 - I pray about my efforts.
6 - I have made some Sparkfriends that have some success in their weight loss efforts who encourage me and answer my questions. People are really important for success.
7 - I plan my meals for the day.
8 - I track food daily on Sparkpeople, even if I get off track.
9 - I don't have a specific goal for myself at this time. I'm roughly hoping to lose 3 or 4 pounds a month.
10. I'm viewing this as a long term journey. I'm not hurrying!
11. And I'm persistent, not perfect. I don't think I've had a perfect week yet.
12. I'm content with losing slowly. I've lost 25 pounds since March. No where near record-breaking.

Most of the time, I don't have cravings. I think healthy choices and keeping trigger foods out of the house are key.

I know a lot of ways I could improve, and hopefully, I will work on those changes.