For me I started by not eating anything white--white bread, white rice, potatoes (sweet potatoes are ok), white pasta etc.  I do drink milk, and I eat bananas.  When I have pasta I have 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat because I like the white pasta too much.  But otherwise I rarely eat much white anymore.  That was how I started.

Melissa.

Great advice, Melissa.  I have issues with the white stuff, too!!   It clings to me like glue and causes my to bloat and fatten right up.  a week of no starchy carbs like white bread and pasta and my belly visibly shrinks!!  

If you can't do your own diet, nutrisystem is good!  I did it for several months and lost 23 lbs.  it was very easy and he food was good.   it ends up costing about $10 a day for the food.   You have to add some other stuff.  but, all in all, it didn't seem expensive IMO.   It was a great diet for me because I always have issues eating well on my own.  I KNOW what I need to eat and should eat, but can't stick with it.  ugh.

I've watched my mother lose 20 pounds, and I've attempted to do the same thing, but it's difficult. What she did is cut back on her calories. And that's it! She's been eating 1600 calories, which is a healthy way to lose 1-2 pounds a week.

The first thing to do is buy a journal to write what you've eat that day. It's easy to lose track of the number of calories if you don't write them down. Now, every meal is assigned a number of calories. Breakfast, 400, lunch, 400, snack, 200, dinner, 400 and dessert or late snack (not after 9:00 or an hour before bed), 200.

It's simple, but you need motivation (which I lack). Remember, it's okay to eat sweets every once in a while, but not too much. Don't cut it out from your diet completly.

I hope this helps.

I HAVE BEEN YO-YO DIETING FOR SO MANY YEARS;MY LAST DIET PLAN;WITH GREAT SUCCESS WAS :"FAT LOSS 4 IDIOTS".THIS PLAN ADVICES TO WITHOLD POTATOE'S;RICE ;AND PASTA.I HAD LOST 46 LBS ONE YEAR AGO;AND THEN;SINCE I AM AN EMOTIONAL EATER;AND INSTEAD OF COMPLEING MY GOAL;I GOT OFF TRACK AND GAINED SOME WEIGHT BACK.I BELIEVE YOU CAN OBTAIN A COPY OF THIS DIET PLAN @ FAT LOSS 4 IDIOTS.COM OR LOOK FOR IT ON THE E-DIETS WEBSITE.I HAVE ALSO DONE THE SLIMFAST PLAN;BUT I CANNOT DRINK THE CANS OF THE SUPPLEMENT;I USE THE POWDER IN THE AM;COMBINED WITH FRESH OR FROZEN FRUIT;ICE AND MILK.IT MAKES A GREAT SMOOTHIE.THIS PPLAN FOR LONG LENGHTS OF TIME ;MAY CAUSE BOREDOM AND SOME HUNGER.I DID HAVE ALOT OF SUCCESS ON THE FATLOSS DIET;WHICH IS THE PLAN I WILLL BE RE-STARTING.I HAVE ALSO READ ANY AND ALL MAGAZINE ARTICLES;ON DIETING AND LEARNED OF SOME GREAT VITAMINS TO USE DURING DIETING AND AFTER.(MULTIVITAMIN WITH MINERALS/3 1000 MG VITAMIN C ;WHICH WORKS AS A DIURETIC/VITAMIN E/CALCIUM WITH 1000MG OF VITAMIN D /ACIDOPHILUS/BIOTIN1000MCG;SUPPOSED TO AID IN FAT BURNING;BUT PRIOR TO ME USING BIOTIN; I HAD BEEN TAKING B COMPLEX.TRY THESE THINGS OUT;TRY TO GET A COPY OF MY DIET.I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY A NO-BRAINER DIET WEIGHT WATCHERS IS ALOT DIFFERENT RECIPES;AND THE OTHER'S THAT ARE ADVERTIZED ON T.V IS ALOT OF MONEY TO BECOME A MEMBER AND THEN BUY THEIR FOOD.I ALSO FORGOT TO TELL YOU :ON MY FAT BURNING DIET/THE KEY IS EAT 4-5 SMALL MEALS;SEPERATING THEM BY 2 1/2 HOURS APART.I HAVE REALLY GONE OFF TRACK AND AM NOW READY TO GET SERIOUS AND LOSE MY WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF!! LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU;AND ANY OTHER DIETERS BECAUSE I REALLY COULD USE THE SUPPORT.