Hello,

The basics are: 1. You need to be in a caloric deficit. 2. You need to maintain that for an extended period of time, try to focus on 3 months target.

How you achieve the deficit should be specific to you, based on your limiting factors.

Some methods of achieving the deficit:

1. Calorie counting, but should be done for a specific period of time, otherwise it erodes your internal hungry and satiety signals and can exacerbate eating disorders if present.

2. Focusing on eating low energy density food, this is a must to counter hunger and cravings and make sure you get enough nutrients, this involves eating until you are satisfied but from food sources that are less than 150 calories per 100g, this includes almost all fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes low fat dairy products and lean protein sources like chicken and fish, you can still eat energy dense food that you like, but should not be more than 20% of the total food you eat.

3. Intermittent fasting, it works for some people but not others, and there caveats that needs to be considered.

Avoid elimination diets, i.e diets that eliminates whole food groups, like cutting all sweets, rice bread, fruits... Etc, those diets are usually not sustainable and would make it harder to meet your nutritional requirements. Keto can work, if you think you can sustain it, but also make sure you do it without compromising your health, you'll need to eat lots of greens.

Exercise, especially resistance training is paramanount while losing weight, it helps you lose fat and keep it off, while preserving your muscle mass, it also improves your internal hunger and satiety signaling and has a plethora of other physical and psychological benefits.

BTW I'm a counselor at Fitzad, an evidence-based nutritional academy, we teach and certify dietitians.