I am always on the lookout for any good tips to lose weight and keep it off. With that in mind, today I came across Chris Pirillo's 50 Weight Loss tips.

Chris lost 30 pounds in three months and has devised a list of do's and don'ts for dieting success. My favorites: Set realistic goals, remember the fork is not a shovel and ignore Ronald McDonald.

I found that the tips were well written and included ideas I hadn't tried before, like getting a desktop tool to keep track of calories and weight loss, trying Laughing Cow cheese for small, tasty snacks and joining an online support group.

Check out the complete list.

I've got a couple from all my years of climbing the weight-loss mountain.

If you miss pasta, substitute spaghetti squash in its place. You can top it with a nice, light marinara sauce and you'll have the pasta taste without the calories and the after-meal sleepiness.

Chart your weight at least once a week. I do it nearly every day because I am slightly obsessed. You don't have to do it that often, but you should have a mechanism for making sure you're on track. And sometimes, you need a reminder of where you are to see your way to where you're going.

Let folks know you're on the food wagon. It gives friends and loved ones an opportunity to support your efforts or at least keep the cookies on the other side of the table during staff meetings.

So what works for ya'll? Feel free to send in any tips you might have to this blog. Every little bit helps.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com