ANYTHING will help if your "Square 1" place is a place of unhealthy eating habits.
A simple calorie reduction like 1600 means less junky habits, even if you KEEP the junky habits. You know what I mean?
Do what you can do as this first baby step. Take notes in a food log.
When you are ready for the next baby step, you could see about adjusting to the dietitian guideline. Like 200 carb max. That would be an improvement if your "square 1" place was 300 carb, right? If your "natural" turns out to be like 180, don't increase it. But spend the time getting to know where you are even coming from as your "Square 1" place. Otherwise you are making changes without understanding what eating habits got you to the overweight place to begin with. You want to be moving AWAY from that place. Right?
If you want to make "more produce" a goal, go there FIRST before choosing starches. Get the carbs from produce THEN on to the starchy veggies and grains. Keep in your carb "budget" -- whatever you determine your personal feel good place is.
When you master one thing, then move on to the next tweak you want to make. You don't have to take it all on board at once. Pace yourself, so that you can succeed long haul.
In my own life, I know 500 calories spread 4 hours apart keeps my blood sugar going fine. A 40-30-30 split across carbs, protein, and fats works for me for blood sugar and my A1C labs tend to come back happy.
BUT... 2000 calories is too much. I need to reduce the calories and up the exercise. So I struggle there. Now that blood sugar control isn't the main thing and weight loss is more on my front burner, I have to make my tweaks to meet my current goal.
There's always tweaking to meet goal. You can do it and meet YOUR goals!
Hang in there!
HTH!
A.
