Lose extra pounds and keep them off by sticking to this six-step plan.

1. You snooze, you lose — weight, that is. Getting enough sleep (7-8 hours) every night quiets your “I’m hungry” hormone.

2. If you eat it, write it down. Most people underestimate how many calories they’re eating, so keep a journal of everything you consume. (And try to make it lots of produce, lean protein and none of the five food felons: grains that aren’t 100 percent whole, trans fats, saturated fats, added sugars and sugar syrups.)

3. Slow and steady wins. Aim to lose 1 pound a week.

Starve yourself, and your metabolism slows to a crawl and your hunger hormones scream, “Eat more, now!”

4. Eat less, but more often. To keep blood sugar levels steady, eat five times a day — three meals and two snacks.

5. Get (and keep) moving. We say, walk 10,000 steps a day. Then you’ll sustain improvements such as lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and lower lousy LDL cholesterol.

6. Team up with a buddy with similar goals, and enlist your family’s support — almost none of us can do this alone, and you can’t do it if a family member tries to reward your success with one of the five food felons.