Need to lose 2 stone, I've eaten whatever I want my whole life and don't know where to start

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I'm mid 30s. I've eaten what I want my whole life and never had to concern myself with dieting as was always super skinny (size 6). However since turning 30 I think my metabolism has slowed down and I'm exercising less (due to a health condition) and eating worse, because I think I'm a bit depressed (and just greedy).

Up until recently I was always super active. I'm still pretty active (easily do my 10000 Fitbit steps each day) but am not running and doing intense exercise as much as before.

Meanwhile my diet has got worse, I'm constantly treating myself with whole packets of Jaffa Cakes, ice cream etc. I'm a total sugar addict. I do eat salad, fruit etc I just eat loads of crap as well. I'm constantly hungry.

I'm by no means overweight (probably about 10 stone) but the last few times I've weighed myself my weight has gone up a pound or two. I don't feel like myself anymore and want to take control of my diet before it gets out of control (more than it already is).

I'm also deluded about my size - I think because I've always been very slim I think I still am - I still take size 6 clothes into the changing room then get upset when I can't get into them.

Problem is I have no idea where to start because I'm ashamed to say I've always taken being slim for granted and eaten rubbish. I have no idea what a normal healthy lunch or dinner looks like. I don't want to do anything drastic,like crazy crash diets, but would like to lose 1-2 stone and keep it off. What's the best way?

Thanks

Unfortunately for me it did BIWI and that was the opinion of three consultants who advised me to stick to a reasonably low carb diet but to limit the fat.

You might be interested in this, Sally - you should be eating more fat!

Obviously easy for me to say, as I'm not a sufferer - I do realise that.

Check whether it has automatically added sugar to your tea. I didn't realise this until it started nagging me about how much sugar was in my diet.

Porridge with three chopped apricots is my breakfast every day, it's filling and not heavy on the calories.

I did lose a ton of weight on your boot camp years ago so I can definitely vouch for it and I do limit my carb intake but I just can't tolerate too much fat as the consequences are awful.

The pain of it (literally) is I know fat is good as it fills me up for ages. I just have to go easy on the full fat mayo!

Another one saying ditch the cereal and the bread.

Egg is good (but there is massive variations on the calorie count of different eggs so do check) but I can't face egg in the morning generally. Breakfast for me (weighed on the day but roughly) is 200g of courgette, 120g mushrooms, 120g baby tomatoes 60g spinach, 2-4 slices of chorizo (all dry fried in a very good non stick pan) with coffee and 100g 1% or skimmed milk. Comes in around 200 cals leaving you (if you are on 1200cals the best part of 1000 for the rest of the day. Meals for me generally are 100-150g protein,lots of veg (easily 200g+) and 75-100g carb (although often I don't bother). Produce huge plates of food. Staples are salmon and leek in a stock, mushrooms (with or without chicken) in stock, variation of breakfast with curry powder chicken, chicken wraps with salad. A lot of dry frying

Popcorn is fantastic but I guess not whatever brand you're eating currently! You're looking for individual bags of less than 20g which comes in at less than 100cals. Tyrells proper popcorn, metcalfes and tescos multipack are all good. Surprisingly if you are after a crisp fix tesco everyday ready salted come in at less than 100cals.

Abandon sandwiches for the contents of the sandwich on a big pile of lettuce with your pick of tomatoes cucumber celery beetroot etc. If you really must have a sandwich keep some sandwich thins in the freezer (they are good for toast too).

Oh and ditch fruit. The sugars in fruit stack up very quickly.....

Lots of veg and protein

Whatever you do, don't fall for the 'fat is bad' bollocks. Good, natural fats are actually really good for you and don't make you fat. Eg nuts, avacado fish and meat. It's the sugars and starchy carbs which I have found personally make me gain weight, if consumed in excess they are turned to fat in the body anyway, so 'fat free' starchy foods is a bit of a red herring!

If you can't live without bread, check out livlife soya flour bread, (can buy from waitrose or amazon), which is much better than regular bread on the carbs front.