"Working the Program" - What Does it REALLY Mean?

I have been thinking about the fact that sometimes the program works for us, and sometimes it doesn't - even though each time we say we are "working the program"!  I began to think of what I've done differently during each year I've "worked the program" - and why when it's worked, I've done fabulously - losing at times 25 pounds,  30 pounds and not too long ago, a whopping 45 pounds!   And then last year - when I also thought I was "working the program", I ended the year over ten pounds heavier than when I started the year!  What happened?   What did I do differently?  

I had actually maintained most of the year - but then in September when I went through a family crisis  (the loss of my mother), I took a three month hiatus from "my journey" - no tracking, no blogging, not much exercise...and then we went on vacation, followed by the holidays - and the weight came on!  I can also say that throughout last year, my tracking  (food journal)  was spotty - not at all consistent. I really do believe that this is the key to success!  On the other hand, for the past three weeks, I've been very consistent about DAILY tracking of every single morsel of food I've eaten!   The result is I've lost six pounds during those three weeks!  I had done the very same after Thanksgiving and was just as consistent - until we left town for the holidays. I had then lost five pounds, but then regained them - as I completely stopped tracking for two entire weeks.  How can this NOT be the key!?   Since I lost the five pounds within my 1st week back to tracking, most likely some of it was "water weight" - but I also know that I ate a bit recklessly (as in too many sweets!) so some of it was a lack of mindful eating coupled with not keeping track of what I ate.

I did a search on Tips for Losing Weight - and found the graphic below.   Note how #1 is Keep A Food Journal!   And Number One it should be - as clearly when one stops tracking,  the results can be very detrimental to one's journey - I am certainly "living proof" of this!