I normally don't weigh very often. But I weighed again today and I've lost enough to qualify as another pound. (My scale does tenths of a pound but I don't count the loss until there is a full pound down.)
Warning: rehash ahead...no new information here. I'm putting this down for myself--in case I look back and wonder how I did this.
I'm eating about 1350 calories of food, moderate amounts of protein, high fiber, low fat albeit good fats, consisting of 3 small meals and as needed, snacks, up to 3 equivalent to about 150 calories each.
The run down:
Breakfast 200 calories
Lunch 300 calories
Supper 400 calories
Up to 3 snacks as needed 150 calories each x 3= 450 calories
Grand total of 1350 calories a day. Plenty for a woman my height and activity level. These 6 mini meals keep me fueled and work better for me than 3 bigger meals with no snacks.
The trick here, though, is this: all my calories must be 'quality' for good health and good nutrition. There's little room, if any, for error.
Hence the 'eat often' and 'eat once in awhile' food lists. Using that as my parameters eliminates the feeling of restriction.
Finally--and this may be key as well--avoid eating a lot of sugar, i.e. high glycemic foods. Any excess calories, no matter what macro-nutrient they be will be converted and stored in my body as fat. As well, eating less fat forces my body to burn stored fat, imo.
Daily supplements of nutritional yeast and sea vegetables for B vitamins and iodine, which is good for the thyroid. Plus plenty of fresh raw veg--spinach, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery and a serving or two of fresh fruit is filling and contains the natural enzymes we all need. Tomato juice or V8 .
To satisfy any craving for processed sweets: Fiber One bars, high fiber cold cereal plus skim milk plus fruit like blueberries, bananas and strawberries. 100 calorie Hostess cupcakes or WW snack cakes--limited to one per day. For the chocolate craving: one or two small pieces of dark chocolate.
In my coffee and hot tea: 1% or 2% milk instead of half and half. Skim milk on my cereal.
Whole wheat pasta and rice instead of the white stuff. Lots of beans, like garbanzo, pinto, black.
And probably most important of all: KEEP IT SIMPLE. Simple foods, simply prepared. Read Margie's blog --"My Healthy Living..."..link on the sidebar--to see how she does it.