I haven't really mentioned it here before, but I've been using Weight Watchers to help me lose weight. I've found that I actually really like it. I was not a fan of their old systems where it felt like they just had a proprietary "points" system to replace calories when tracking foods for no good reason, but the new system is very science-based and tackles weight control in a realistic and broader scope manner. After all, it's also largely a mental game to lose weight.

For me, other than accountability, the biggest part that has really helped to change my habits was tracking what I actually ate. Everything, every day. It sounds dumb and very basic (not to mention an annoying pain in the *kitten*), but sometimes you don't realize that the choices you make are not great. Or they add up. And even when you know it's bad for you, it might not have been sinking in just how bad it is as a whole.

Some people like just straight tracking calories, or "macros", and that's cool. I find the WW "Smart Points" to be a nice and easy combination of all of those tracked at once since they are calculated based on calories, saturated fat and simple carbs/sugar such that it just naturally pushes you to make much healthier choices. I can talk more if anybody cares, but I don't like to push any specific diet/system/workout/whatever on people. There is nothing that works for everyone.

The important thing would be to just write it all down (either in an app like MyFitnessPal or in a food diary or whatever) so you can have that bigger overview and accountability, which then helps change your choices and habits over time.

Once you look back at a whole day you can see that 50% of your points/macros/calories were spent on junk food, it becomes easier to say "rather than two donuts that only made me want to eat more, I could have had a pile of chicken jerky and grapes and been way more full and satisfied while also being healthier at the same time". Or even just realizing that "one little handful of candy won't hurt" that you didn't mentally log as "a meal" was actually a crapload of candy because you did it four times throughout the day. Those are silly, simple examples, but you get the idea.

In the past I was very much an all-or-nothing type of person and that often just led to failure, frustration, binging, giving up, etc. I've really been trying to embrace the fact that it's not about being perfect right away, or ever, really. It's about living your life, being happy and healthy and being mindful of what you're doing so you can make small changes that help over time. Enjoy the things you enjoy, just be aware of how much you're eating and plan around them.

Do you give yourself a cheat day? Or are you trying cold turkey to change your diet? I always have that one thing I give me to myself. It takes discipline to only treat yourself once in a while nor is it easy. I get cravings like a mad man especially if I smell it. I tend to drink up to a gallon of water a day but I work at the airport.