Andy M. said:
Once you get used to it, it becomes easy.
First, you have to choose the correct amount of calories for your daily limit.
Then, you have to accurately calculate the calories in what you eat.
Third, you can lose weight by limiting your intake and by burning more calories by increasing your activity levels (exercise).
Well said!
Once, quite some time ago, I put myself on a 1200 calorie a day diet(?) to knock off a few pounds. Picked up a little calorie-counter booklet at the market checkout stand, and circled my fave foods. Foods were listed in catagories i.e. veggies, fruit, chicken etc., and planned meals accordingly. (I didn't exercise, because my lifestyle was active enough, and hey, I was in my 20s.) I made substitutions like, lite mayo - bout a tsp in a tuna salad, 1/2 tsp sugar sub in coffee, etc. My meals went something like this:
lunch - tuna, packed in water (very little or no mayo), tomatoes, lettuce
or half a cantaloupe with a scoop of cottage cheese, maybe a cracker or two.
Dinnner - grilled chicken breast (w lemon-pepper seasoning), steamed broc, baked potato - no butter - butter buds
Or grilled fish - salmon, a veggie (steamed - no butter - butter buds), salad or a potato.
Snacks - fresh fruits
There were many foods to choose from in the booklet that I liked - as long as you stay at 1200 (my # of choice) calories a day. 1200, aint much - so you won't have to count carbs or fat. At the time, it was a choice to change my eating habits - not just go on a diet. Lost the 10 pounds in about 6 weeks, and kept it off for years.
Your body changes as you get older. If you lick a cookie after 30, you'll have to run a marathon to take it off
j/k. Good luck.
btw, recently I tried Nutrisystem - the food is bland & tasteless, and you have to add in veggie, fruit, dairy plus the cost of the food. The portions are very small. Some meals(?) I would try again, but over all a waste of money.
Added: Also took vitamins and drank lots of water.