The one thing I've learned, that's universally true no matter WHAT kind of a dieter you are....your way works for YOU
It's never one size fits all, but here's my 2 cents!
* I started a diet every monday of my adult life -- by "start a diet" i mean I would half-assed go gung ho for about 2 1/2 days and give up
* my job is to counsel people, yet I was blind to my own issues. I 'saw someone" to talk about things. It wasn't scary, just "ohhhh RIGHT!!! I'm a spoiled indulged BRAT and she's running the show" LOL i change my MIND about things 1st
* then i gave up dieting...ack, i know!!! I counted out calories for a few weeks to be sure I knew what range I was in, to re-learn what food was meant for, how much was required etc., and got to a place where I knew I could live like that
* i say 'gave up dieting' because I knew I wasn't going to STOP. This was the way I was eating now. I could eat cheesecake, sure! I had to count it, calorie-wise, and adjust accordingly, but i could eat it. Nothing was forbidden, I just ended up choosing the garbage less and less because i'm greedy by nature and wanted more for my calorie buck
* after a while I started walking, felt a bit better, more energy, so I'd do more and more. Did extreme house cleaning and yard work, kept myself busy during commercial breaks, learned to love the HULA HOOP lol, and didn't weigh myself every 6 seconds...once a week max
* and I knew it was just a matter of time....a year or so later, and boom!
Believe me, if I can do it anyone can LOL I'm a goon who STILL isn't as food savvy as 90% of the gals on here, I don't know how many grams of protein or carb I eat, I just eat a bit of everything, be sure to get lots of veg & fruit and keep away from deep fried crap etc.
Best of luck, find what works for YOU and listen to yourself! and remember to LAUGH!!! find JOY in the process, it helps believe me