My answer is similar to the last. I just can't do moderation. If I eat a little junk food, I will overeat with a never ending hunger for the rest of the day. Have you noticed that almost every processed food on the planet contains corn? (even most wheat breads). Corn should be added to your avoid list. Pick 1-2 servings of whole grain carbs (shredded wheat squares are my favorite). Have one serving of protein per day. I prefer Alaska salmon (this is low in mercury) or chicken/turkey. Then have unlimited fruits and vegatables and preferably raw. The more raw your diet is, the more healthy it is. Cooking immediately destroys all enzymes and much of the vitamins. It "digs your grave with a spoon" and is suspected to cause 90% of illnesses including cancer. While raw carbs and protein is mostly gross (lol), it is easy to achieve with produce. Keep a wide variety of fruits and veggies on hand. The Mediterannean diet is the only one that consistently shows healthy results so be sure to include some healthy fat each day. Choose salad dressings that have olive oil (and NO CORN) and occassionaly have some almonds or other healthy nuts.
It can be really hard to break the processed/cooked food habit but the results are amazing! The pounds FLY off even though you don't have to limit how much you eat.
I think this diet just makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Our bodies are adapted to milions of years of eating habits yet cooking has not been around that long and should be a minimal part of your diet. It raises the glycemic index of the food, concentrates the calories, and removes the very enzymes that nature adds to help you digest the food. (yes, plants "want" their fruits and veggies to be eaten to spread seeds.)
Once you drop a few pounds, adding an exercise routine gets much easier.
Please don't skip brainwashing. You will be bombarded by advertisements, friends and relatives all pushing bad food choices. You need to fight back. Renew that library card and immerse yourself in diet books, natural cures, exercise books and anything else that will help you stay on your diet.
If you cheat, don't give up. Get back to healthy eating as fast as you can. I find that the later in the day you cheat the better.
I'm amazed at how healthy eating ends the never ending hunger nightmare. I always felt something was wrong with me. Even when my stomache was full, I would still want more. That problem has just disappeared.
I now resolve to excuse myself from what everyone else is eating. I just have the salad or what I can work into my diet. If I don't think there will be anything healthy, I bring my own or just don't go. When people invite you to dinner, tell them about your diet. If they don't want to accomodate you, don't go.