How do you not cheat?

It's hard to give things up completely so don't! If you like cookies or chocolate then cutting them out completely is only going to make you want them more. Instead, try to focus on portion control and some healthier snack swaps. For example, I love sugar but big bars of chocolate and packets of biscuit were a massive hit in calories just for a snack, so I replaced them with yoghurt covered fruit pieces. I still get a sugary hit but for a tiny fraction of the calories in chocolate and biscuits. I was surprised how quickly I stopped craving all the sugary food I thought I would really miss. I still eat chocolate and sugary foods but in moderation and now I appreciate them more.

Or you can just try to fit more exercise into your day to free up more calories for the treats you want. Either way there's no such thing as a bad food, just things you have in moderation. I know that's really boring adivce but it seems to work.

Also, try not to guilt trip yourself over a cookie here or there. As long as you have some good days they will balance out the bad days. It's all about the overall downward calorie trend.

A cookie isn't going to break you, fit what you want into your macros. As far as not blowing through your macros thats just willpower, you have to want it bad enough. Sometimes you still might stuff up anyway, but you gotta get back on it.

I don't think of food as good or bad. If it fits in my calorie goal, then I can eat it. If it doesn't fit but I really want it, then I'll go do some exercise so that it does fit in my goal. I haven't deprived myself of anything - because if I do, then when I eventually crack I'll eat large amounts of it and it's much better to eat whatever I want in small quantities. Two squares of dark chocolate a few times a week stops me from eating a whole block once a month. Cookies, chocolate, ice cream, cider, cheesecake - I haven't stopped eating any of them and I'm happily and successfully losing weight.

And I'd say six to nine months is a reasonable length of time to lose thirty pounds - a pound a week is achievable for most people who have that amount to lose.

The only probably you're having right now is your mental outlook. Why are you dubbing food as the enemy? You love cookies and sugar and food? SO DO I! I love it, and I eat it. But I also eat fruits, vegetables, protein, etc etc. Focus on how much you're eating of everything and balance it out. If you eat healthy throughout the entire day and then leave about 200/300 calories for whatever snack you want you can fit in an entire cup of ice cream or chocolate chip cookie or a chocolate bar. That's fine. That's not cheating, that's called not depriving yourself.

Also, finding healthy alternatives is surprisingly easy. Peanut butter, flavored almond milk, flavored rice cakes, yogurt covered raisins, dried cranberries - all super sweet and super delicious!

When I first started my weight lose journey I was exactly where you were and it took me about 4 months of cycling to get down to a steady 170 lbs.

I can't keep it around. Fill your room with healthy food. She. A craving hits, find the next best thing that you already have and have that, with some water. Sweets? Try whole fruit. Salt? I love salt and pepper on baby carrots. They're also pretty sweet. Dont eat out. Just dont allow it for yourself. Near schools they never have healthy options. Always have food to make at home. Dont go to the store hungry as it will be too hard to say no to junk. If you've tried all this, walk to a store or bakery and get ONE single sized treat. Once you break the sugar addiction, know your true cravings and food needs, and have enough self control you can slowly bring those treats in -but only when you know you won't over eat.

Its ok to have treats
Remember when the craving hits that you are worth the temporary struggle of avoiding those foods! The major thing I've found is the earlier I eat sugar, the more I want it all day and the harder it is to resist. Try to not eat junk until after dinner, or after you have a decent meal. Include it in your daily calories so it is not cheating!

Also try having treats that you know you can control yourself on. I can't handle chocolate cake. I can limit myself with those crispy chocolate filled tube cookies, and hot cocoa. There are also a lot of 'eat this not that' sort of things to help cravings, google it for some lower calorie snack ideas.

Good replacement ideas that I use:
Fruit
Apple and a little bit of peanut butter
Oatmeal with fruit (if you get an electric water heater you can make instant in your room- I was very reluctant to use the hall stove cuz I'm lazy honestly. Also good for tea)
Carrots/other veggies with salt and spices for crunchy snacks
A few nuts for fatty craving (I get shelled ones so I dont inhale them)
Hummus and veggies

I agree with the 'It's all about choice'. You make a choice every day, even every meal. I preplan my day and package foods I can take to work. I also don't think of it as cheating, it's choosing, I choose to eat healthier, and bonus is that usually healthier choices allow you to eat more (volume wise) which is more filling in the long run. Stop telling yourself you can't and start telling yourself you can! Because you can find a healthy, sustainable calorie deficit and fit the foods you love into that deficit. Take a look at my diary. I eat chocolate every day and I have managed to lose 30 pounds since April. It's about longevity and sustainability. Good luck!

If willpower was so readily available I doubt a lot of us would need MFP.