Tell me the best way to dump 2.5 stone sensibly

[PurpleToeNail]

I cannot believe I'm in this situation. I've been a size 8/10 all my life, now menopause hits & wham 2.5 stone extra, size 16 & an apple tummy. I do know I've become addicted to sugar through covid (anxiety about being alone). If I try and cut my sugar by even a small amount I get the shakes and I can't concentrate/ get headaches etc & anxiety rises. I could also do with sensible food suggestions for breakfast & lunch. I'm ok with making healthy dinners. It's so depressing to hear the weather is getting warmer and I can't easily dress this huge 41" apple waist.

Is that 7 stones? If so that’s amazing! Well done!

Ooh, @BeePot that’s inspiring. I’m doing the calorie counting, started in January and it’s going well, but that’s amazing!

Low carb has been easy for me, despite perimenopause. Not complicated, just :

No bread, rice, pasta, couscous etc. Doesn't matter if it's wholegrain, starch is still just the way a plant stores sugar. It's just like candyfloss and your body turns it into glucose rapidly.
Try it for a few days and see how you get on.
Eat lots of yoghurt, leafy greens, berries.
No fruit juices or smoothies; they just give easy access to sugar.
Chomp my way through a plate of salad with feta cheese and I'm full up. Putting the effort into making nice salads pays off. Dress with a bit of olive oil & vinegar.
Fill up on protein - eggs, chicken.
Poached eggs with mushrooms and spinach

Low carb and calorie deficit - since hitting peri I find I only lose weight on fewer than 1000 per day but I have a sedentary desk job. High protein is good for menopause too, plus take supplements - I’m on menopace

It's not that clear cut and they've changed their eating plans - you are supposed to only eat until you no longer feel hungry and to divide what's on your plate between the different categories of foods they use. When I did it years ago I did the green plan and ate lots of pasta, but still lost the weight I wanted to.

Following as I'm interested as well

I’m 50 and have lost just over 50lb following low carb, mainly following @biwi’s boot camp. It’s a relatively easy way of eating - meat, cheese and unprocessed food with lots of veggies, I don’t feel hungry and the weight has fallen off. After a while you don’t miss the processed food - if I really want something sweet I’ll do some baking instead of reaching for a biscuit or buying a cake, I’ll have a little piece of something I've made, that I know all the ingredients for and isn’t ultra processed.

I’ve done slimming world, and weight watchers and just about everything else - low carb is the only way that’s lead to significant, sustained weight loss.