Losing weight is a multi-layered experience

If there's one thing I've learned in my decades-long struggle with my weight, it's that there is no one thing you can do to drop the pounds. My experience has taught me you need five keys to unlock weight-loss success.

First key: Work with a support group.

I'd tried hard to lose weight on my own but never succeeded. Working with a group of like-minded people made a difficult journey easier.

Walking together down the road, we celebrated each others' successes and helped think of ways to work around rough spots, like holiday parties and sabotage (real or imagined). If you want to lose weight, don't go it alone -- get the help and support a group offers and use it to the max.

Second key: Don't think of mealtimes as deprivation dining.

Whenever I felt food-deprived I ended up eating more. Instead of doing without, make great-tasting, healthy, aromatic food that's low in calories and high in flavor and that looks good (remember we eat with our eyes and our mouths).

And, eat slowly and savor each bite. The longer it takes to eat, the more likely you'll feel satisfied. After finishing a meal, let at least 15 minutes go by before considering additional food. Most times you'll find a second helping unnecessary.

Third key: Visualize.

Most folks feel better and have more energy once they've lost some weight. See the new slim you feeling great, walking faster, getting up earlier and enjoying, really enjoying, your life. See yourself running, playing tennis, having fun with your kids or grandkids. As a wise person once said, "If you can see it, you can be it."

Fourth key: Get a comprehensive food counts book.

I learned about my meal's calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate and fiber by analyzing them. The first times it was a pain. After a while it went easier, and as time went by, easier still.

I used a small notebook to keep track of my meal's nutritional analysis. After a while, most of my frequently made recipes were analyzed and logged. If you make my recipes, I've already done that work for you.

I also kept a food diary, tracking everything I ate. Studies show that folks who do so have a higher, much higher, weight-loss success rate than those who don't. And, folks who continue using their food diary after they've lost weight have a higher success rate of keeping that weight off. Tedious? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

Fifth key: Get on a scale once a week.

Sure, you may have a week where a celebration or two kept you from exactly following your food plan. No matter, weigh yourself. For me, not-so-good weigh-day numbers motivated me more than great numbers. And, after you've lost all the weight, keep weighing yourself at the same interval. Weigh day can serve as an early-warning system. Have an action plan ready in case the scale's numbers start heading up.

These five keys won't work for everyone, but those who follow them as forthrightly as I have will probably lose weight and be able to keep it off.

Try this recipe: I shared the following recipe many years ago, but it still remains a favorite. Even though the whole egg, cocoa powder, chips and pecans are the only fat sources, these cupcakes taste sensational. In fact, it's hard to stop at just one.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Filling

1 large egg

1 large egg white

8 ounces no-fat cream cheese product, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ounce mini-morsel, semi-sweet chocolate chips

Batter

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water (if your tap water's not so great, use bottled)

½ cup plain non-fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons pecans, chopped fine

Place oven rack in center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard muffin tins with 20 foil cupcake liners; lightly coat with vegetable oil spray.

For the filling: In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites until foamy; add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract and blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the batter: Into a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer combine sugar, water, yogurt and vanilla extract; mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Add dry ingredients and mix at low speed until barely moistened.

Fill each cup about halfway with batter; top each with 1 tablespoon of the filling and ¼ teaspoon pecans. Bake 25-28 minutes or until top springs back when gently pressed. Remove from the oven and cool.

Makes 20 cupcakes.

Nutrition values per cupcake: 117 calories (10.5 percent from fat), 1.4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 22.6 g carbohydrates, 0.7 g fiber, 4.4 g protein, 13 mg cholesterol, 208 mg sodium.

SaltSense: Omitting the added salt reduces the sodium per cupcake to 150 mg.