How I started to lose weight

After months of trying everything and not losing weight, I decided to take a different approach and start focusing on the types of foods I was eating to balance out my hormones and metabolism. Within the first week, I lost 3lbs and on average I've lost 1.5-2lbs a week. No crazy fad diet, no cutting out carbs, no more starving myself, just good old common sense. Exercise of some sort daily for at least 30 minutes and
*cut out sugar, products containing high-fructose corn syrup and anything made with white flour. Avoid artificial sweetners. Use stevia or agave instead. Look for breads high in fiber, no sugar added.
* cut out low-fat and fat-free baked products , tend to have some form of sugar or chemicals that mess with your hormones
* steer clear of soy protein isolates, processed meats with nitrates and anything with monosodium glutamate
*avoid process foods, so just about anything canned or boxed that has long chemical names in it
*eat only meats from organic sources free of antibiotics and hormones, preferably fish, seafood and poultry. Others in moderation.
*get rid of the refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils, as well as the margarine and anything containing trans fats. Use extra virgin olive oil, real butter, coconut, palm or ghee oil. Add other good fats like nuts and avocados!
*choose full-fat organic milk, butter, eggs, cheese and yogurt products in moderation rather than the low-fat versions because saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods are needed to satisfy appetite
*eat fiber-rich vegetables, fruits and fats from natural sources
*eating good fat with good carbs prevent the insulin from spiking
*learn to read labels for ingredients, not just calories or advertisements that it's organic, healthy, high in fiber (many whole wheat breads and fortified cereals still have sugar added in!)

Whole Foods became my new grocery store

So basically, going natural. Not once did I feel hungry or deprived. The thing I noticed most, the energy level increased, my thought process seemed to be clearer and focused, slept better at night and overall felt healthier. 4 more lbs to go! Woot!