One factor which has been shown in studies to help keep you fat is sleep deprivation. If you’re not getting enough sleep it will mess up your matabolism and lead to weight gain. So – figure out how to get your 8 hours of zzzz’s every night regardless of what your friends do.
Stress is another biggie. If you’ve got a lot of stress see a life coach or somebody similar to help deal with it. Don’t do counseling unless you really need it for emotional issues. Be practical about the problem rather than getting over-involved. Remember, your neshamah doesn’t have a weight – it doesn’t need it.