This is my 739th attempt to lose weight, lol! I've tried everything, believe me. Anyway, this time I have had success with eating 6 days at a calorie deficit and having one "eat up" day where I eat up to my maintenance level. For example, to maintain my current weight I require 1782 calories (there are all sorts of calculators for this on the web). Six days I eat 1000 or less and one day I eat 1800. I don't call it a cheat day, because I don't eat whatever I want, but I do eat more. Some weeks I eat more fat that day or carbs or protein. I don't limit myself in ANY way this time except for calories. I don't care where the calories come from--a calorie is a calorie. The benefit to this is that I don't feel deprived and I really haven't had any cravings, so to speak. Nothing is off limits so nothing beckons temptingly... I have seen a steady decrease in my weight. I think the "eat up" days tell my body, "Oh, we're not really starving because we just got enough. Keep that metabolism going!" Thus far I have not had a plateau, either. I exercise as I always have but DO NOT eat the calories MFP gives me. I am trying to teach my body to get by on less food and stop when I'm full instead of cleaning my plate. Portion sizes are out of control and I know I need much less than what I've eaten, even on diets, before. The closer I get to my goal weight, the more calories I will eat on my calorie deficient days so that by the time I reach goal I am already eating exactly what I need to maintain that weight indefinitely.

I do not claim to be any kind of expert, but this feels right for me...maybe it will help someone else too.

There was a diet method a few years ago, can't find it now..that took advantage of our body's need to be 'safe'..you ate at 1200 or 1500 whatever, then ate MORE some days then a few days later ate LESS..always changing it up…and confusing the body so it went along and lost weight.

I listened to the dietitian and ate the 1400 cal. healthy plate, and was stalled out for over a year..no loss. frustrating. So it feels like I TRAINED my body to survive at 1400..when my daily maintenance at Overweight is 2400.! you'd think hauling 90 extra ounds, and eating at 1400 would force he weight off..nope.

Until I changed to Low Carb, cut out all sugars, and processed anything, then I lost..but still it's slow. I'm in it for the long haul, so it's ok.

There are now several IF, "intermittent fasting" diets..for women some are eat for 8- fast 12..zero calories, some are FAST 5- A dr found a 5 hour window was perfect..but it was PERFECT for MEN..many won=men on this fail, and blame themselves. so age, meds, stress, illness, etc ALL play a BIG part, as does 40 years of wondky advice..for us older women we have it tough…what you can do to lose eight in 20-30s flat out does not work 50-60s.