Can you really ANYTHING and lose weight (as long as it fits your daily allowance)?

Yes you can eat anything, but the more calorie dense (higher protein, healthy fats/oils and fibre content) the food has, the better, because it keeps you feeling fuller for longer...

If you're going to fill your daily calorie allowance with chocolate, pizza, fizzy pop (soda), white bread, pasta and rice then you'll be full of sugar, which burns off quickly and creates a massive sugar high, followed very shortly by an equally massive sugar crash - leaving you craving more sugar and starch to get you through the rest of your day; if you fill your calorie allowance with whole grains, vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh meat and fish, plus a small helping of the above items you will feel fuller for longer, your body will burn off the calories slowly and you will get a much more balanced energy supply throughout the day - plus you won't wake up starving the next morning, or with what I call a sugar hangover (I had one of those on Saturday, after a 70th birthday bash and I'm still suffering slightly today - lesson learned)...

Replacing white rice, white pasta, white bread with wholegrain versions is so much better for you as they contain Insoluble fibre, which can't be digested. It passes through your gut without being broken down and helps other foods move through your digestive system more easily, it also takes longer for you body to process, therefore keeping you fuller for longer.

I haven't stopped eating the foods I love (I was 321lb - 145.6kg and I'm now 164.5lb - 74.6kg) but I have changed my portion sizes and the way in which I eat them; I make better choices and moderation is the key in my experience - I'm rarely inside my calorie allowance, but I choose calorie dense foods and therefore eat less frequently.