My most important piece of advice is craft a new lifestyle that you can live with forever rather than doing another "diet."
For me, getting religious and deciding to do "kosherish" (all but the really expensive meat piece and I don't ask a rabbi to bless every bit) provided the difference between this attack at the problem and my past attempts. Frankly kosher rules are close but not perfectly resembling a low cholesterol diet anyway, but the real assist was due to learning to say no. No to non-kosher foods despite the situation or social pressure or how awesomely lovely that bacon looks and smells. This has become an invaluable resource to draw on to say no to bread and cake and all sorts of temptation that each day brings.
But, the most important thing in crafting a lifestyle is to remember variation. Keep changing, adding new things. Make room for Sugar Free Ice Cream, Cheese Cake, and Sugar Free Candies as well as changing the veggies and other things you eat. Eating the same thing because it is "safe" becomes a rut and then a reason to fail.
Unless you are an accountant, pick easy to follow rules that have broad error boundaries. I have a rule of 100 carbs per day. I rarely get to that number because of the nature of what I eat but I never really count it that close or worry about it. I know my general goal for any meal is to be at 25 carbs or below and I know whats in things when I buy them and what the "safe" serving size is. That gives me a budget of 25 additional carbs to pick up incidentally with sugar free jello, pudding, or other treats and I just don't spend much time worrying about it. For me at this number, I can use beans and I love vegetarian beans (like pork and beans but no pork) and half of a can is quite filling, a little high in carbs so the next meal needs to be more leafy. Its that easy.
Thanks for the advice. I think the “avoid the rut” advice was one of your best points.
I was considering doing 40 carbs instead of the 20 to start, but I think I will up it and see what happens. I’ve had that bread and i will pick it up again and use it in my salmon patties. probably better than the rye i was using.
well, best of luck to you. i will be countin’ along with you.
Taffini