I've been dieting throughout lockdown. I've lost 10lbs so far without too much misery. I was over 13 stone and bursting out of my size 16 clothes - never been so heavy before. Now I'm on the brink between size 14 and 16 and feel much more like 'me' again. I'm determined to get there.
Anyway, this was/is my approach:
I didn't weigh myself for the first few weeks as I knew I'd just get too depressed and reach for the chocolate. Instead I started with a 'detox'. I reduced my smoothie intake from 2 or 3 glasses a day to one. I cut back from half a packet of biscuits to 2 or 3 at a time. I stopped cooking vats of pasta but stuck to the microwave packets so I wouldn't 'accidentally on purpose' cook way more than one portion and eat it all at a sitting. I stuck to 2 slices of bread at a time instead of 3 or 4. I limited the grated cheese I added to hot meals to a handful or 2 instead of half a packet. In a nutshell, I allowed myself to eat plenty, including foods normally frowned on when on a 'diet', but I stopped myself from being unnecessarily greedy. I also took part in the Joe Wicks workouts every day which I think helped keep me motivated, because if you've exercised you don't want to undo your hard work with keeping on eating after you're full etc.
After about 3 weeks I felt ready to step it up a notch. I weighed myself, and started logging calories, but allowed myself up to 1500 a day so again, not really 'diet' territory, just ensuring I was sticking to reasonable amounts. I wrote everything I ate on a thread here in the weightloss forum so I was held accountable. I had a couple of weeks on 1500, then cut back a little to 1450, then to 1400 etc. My approach was 'slow and steady wins the race' because if I'd gone from being a total pig to 1200 I would have failed by day 2. By gradually easing back I allowed my stomach to shrink along with my calorie allowance so I wouldn't feel hungry. And I haven't felt properly hungry at all, not all these weeks.
Aside from reducing calories I've upped my protein and lowered my carbs (though not drastically, I'm still eating them every day) and am trying to make swaps like half a glass of smoothie diluted with water, instead of a full glass 'neat', air popped corn instead of crisps, reduced fat mayo/yoghurt/houmous instead of full fat, sweet potato instead of ordinary potato, having a little bit of dip to help limitless salad down, instead of using a little salad as a means of shoveling dip down, that sort of thing.
I've increased how much water I drink. If I'm feeling hungry I have half a bottle of water and distract myself with youtube or something for 10 minutes. If I'm still hungry then I get a snack, but more often than not I find I'm ok to wait. I also suck of small/only semi filled ice cubes between dinner and dessert to allow my food to go down so I'm fully satisfied with just one cake bar or whatever.
I freeze chocolate biscuits and cake bars, and nibble on them instead of gobbling in 2 bites as they last longer and feel more satisfying.
I've been going for a walk, swimming or skipping every day as well as the workout. Sometimes only for 20 minutes, but better than lying down with my laptop!
I've been trying to appreciate 'non scale victories' - I definitely have less of a muffin top, my skin is clearer, I'm hugely fitter doing the workouts, my arms are noticeably slimmer and I can squeeze into my jeans again.
My advice, don't set yourself impossible targets. Personally I'd like to be 9.5 stone again, but if I admitted that to myself I would think it impossible and just give up. As it is I'm aiming to reach 11.something by the end of June, which I KNOW I can do. When I've achieved that I'll get a boost to my motivation which will see me through to my next small goal, fitting into my size 14 clothes again maybe, and so on.
Honestly OP, if I can get my arse in gear to tackle this then you can too! Best of luck.