I'm not entirely sure how this all started (didn't read back), but I've been overweight for a good part of my life (probably since about high school). When you just ate whatever, got out of sports (went to arts), and didn't really live an active lifestyle or exercise much...well, you tend to pick up the pounds.
Anyway, it was never morbidly so (like people making comments and pointing), but I long knew I needed to lose weight (even if just for my own good). Well, a little over a year ago I had an extensive health screening. They do it every year at our conference (Methodist) for pastor's and their families. It's about 3 dozen tests, so a little heavier than your average check up.
Well, the report that came back wasn't so good. Most of my numbers were either bad or out of the range altogether, and there were serious possibilities and concerns (given my family history) of heart disease/attack, stroke, diabetes, gout, and good possibility for stomach (or some other form) of cancer within the next 5-10 years following that projected track.
That was a bit of a wake up call/reality check for me, so from that day, I drastically changed my eating habits. I certainly am not starving myself (which makes you gain more weight, actually), and don't count calories or anything. What I did was simply cut out all the things which made my numbers bad:
Sugar, Salt, Complex Carbohydrates, Gluten, Red-Meat, & Certain Fats
Now, I didn't cut those out completely, but severely limited them. If something was over 10g of sugar, than it's a no no. If you don't want gout, then increase things like cherry juice (which lowers uric acid levels), and decrease things like beef (which raises them).
Bread is out, unless made in some measure without gluten (several kinds of tortillas, some flatbread & crackers, etc). Complex carbs need to go, so no potatoes, deep fried things, etc etc.
The list goes on, but basically it doesn't lower the amount of food you eat...just strictly limits what KIND of food you eat.
Well, I've never been much for submitting to the scale, but I did notice a considerable increase in my energy. I didn't feel as bad (sick or in pain). My clothes began loosening (some pants so much that I can't wear them without a belt, lol), and people commented on my looking better and thinner.
I had gotten sick a few weeks ago, and went to the doctor. They weighed me, of course, and I've come to find that over the past year+ of simply being mindful of what I eat (still not much increase in physical activity), I had lost over 30+lbs. I was once over 300lbs, and now weigh just above 270lbs.
So, for all those doctors and scientists over the years who have been harping on what you eat...they have a point...at least in my case.