Yes, those are great points LS.... I didn't mean to be so annoying and preachy in what I wrote above. It's just that I've yoyoed myself a couple of times in the last year for short periods of time (at my heaviest a few years ago when I was 20 pounds more than I am now), kinda went "uh-oh", and exercised and counted calories to a degree to lose it. So I'm just speaking from my own experience as far as what has worked, for me. Even my little weight gain over December, when I didn't work out often and ate everything in sight, didn't put me up too much (3 1/2 lbs).
Food is an emotional thing. I order chinese take out when I'm feeling like crap. For me, it feels like the last "vice" that I have now that I don't drink or smoke cigarettes. So it is really really hard. But I try and make the eating healthy and going to the gym thing part of my week. If I've overeaten, I add a day at the gym that week. Training my brain to do something that I don't feel like doing is really tough.... but I can honestly say I feel really good on that walk back to my car after 45 minutes on the elliptical
At least I know I'm heading in a good direction.