I’m stuck

Good advice above. I'd add this, as a secondary consideration:

If cravings are happening later in the day, consider whether your sleep quality/quantity can be improved, or your stress level decreased via non-food methods.

Sub-ideal sleep or high stress can both cause fatigue. Over the course of a day, as we get more distant from our last sleep, fatigue accumulates. When the body is fatigued, it will seek energy. Food is energy, with sugary things and refined high-carbohydrate foods being quick energy. Voilà, cravings.

If the root cause isn't fueling or nutrition, the best solution isn't food. If fatigue or stress are factors, address those more directly.

Agree with not keeping problematic foods in the house, if it's not in reach, easier to not get! Also, it can help teach you to go for more nutritious foods for cravings. Ex: have a sweet craving, reach for fruit instead of ice cream. If the apple is available, but you have to get in the car for the ice cream, you are more likely to go for the apple. (also, most cravings will subside if you give it some time)

It's quite feasible that you're not eating enough during the day and are then grabbing whatever you can when you get home. I prioritise protein (and fibre if I can) with every meal / snack, but I save some calories for a snack at the end of the day - that way I don't go hunting for whatever I can get my hands on at 9/10pm. I rarely have breakfast now, but today I had a large salad (with protein in it) plus a 2-bar, dark chocolate kitkat for lunch. I've just had my dinner but that was followed by a portion of soya yoghurt with berries and chia seeds mixed in and then three thin rye crackers with some thinly sliced mature cheddar on. I'm almost exactly on target with my allocation for calories, fat, saturated fat and fibre, have exceeded my protein goal and am under my carb figure (which, to my mind, is a max figure anyway as I'm diabetic).

Logging everything you eat and drink for a while (1-2 weeks) will show you how many calories you truly eat during the day, as well as giving you figures for protein, fibre, fat and carbs. Once you have a base record, you can then think about what tweaks you can make.

• What is calorie laden? Can you find a lower calorie option that's still tasty?
• Are your protein / carbs / fat reasonably balanced? Everyone is different, but many people find that eating sufficient protein ensures they feel fuller for longer whereas carbs fill them for half an hour and then they're hungry again.

I rarely cook pasta, rice or potatoes at home now, as I prefer to fill up on a plate of vegetables instead - less than half the calories of my old meals, but still foods I like eating. This is a long term strategy - if you lose weight and then go back to eating what you did before then the weight will just go straight back on. As such, the changes that you introduce need to be ones you can stick with.

Congratulations on starting your healthy lifestyle journey!

What everyone else said. Plus:

1 meal at a time
1 day at a time
1 pound at a time

My suggestions:

1. Track your food as accurately as possible, but don't let perfection be the enemy of done. In other words, do your best and get this to be a solid habit.
2. After two weeks of tracking, look at the data. Is there one small change you can make to reduce your calories IN? Common examples:
   1. you're eating out 5 days a week —> reduce that to 4 days a week
   2. you drink soda/pop/sugary drink —> swap this out for water
   3. you don't eat any fruits or vegetables —> start adding 1 or 2 servings per day
3. Make that one small change. Continue to track. After another two weeks or once your small change feels like it is no longer a change, then review your data and identify another small change.
4. Rinse and repeat.

One last thought: Focus on what you can control (calories IN and OUT).

Regarding cravings: I like the Coach Viva videos on this topic. I have not purchased any Coach Viva coaching, I just like their videos. How I deal with cravings:

1. Eat wholesome filling foods with lots of fiber and protein throughout the day. Keeps me feeling full and satisfied and reduces cravings from starting in the first place.
2. Don't keep the craving type foods in the house. Makes them more difficult to impulse eat.
3. Be mindful: Think "Am I hungry?" —> Only eat if I am actually hungry.
4. Drink water and wait 15 minutes. Usually a craving will pass in that amount of time.
5. Do something with my hands. For me, this is brush my dog. You can't eat and brush a dog at the same time. For others, it is play a game, do crafts.

We are here for you if you have questions along the way. You got this!