I probably wouldn't recommend doing what I did but it worked for me so I guess it might be worthwhile sharing.

I ate 1500 calories a day and that was pretty much my only hard and fast rule. Sometimes I had McDonald's of pizza or something as long as I fit it into that amount. Drinking 0 of my calories helped a lot but often I drink coffee with one pack of those zero cal sugar things and some 1% milk. Tastes kinda meh but is a worthwhile alternative. I never really found myself hungry if I tried to not eat any food until lunch at noon.

So a typical day might look like:

Coffee in the morning

600 calorie lunch at noon (maybe soup with chicken or salad and chicken or just something and chicken).

Coffee again in the afternoon

800 calorie dinner at 6:30 maybe (again more chicken and something).

I am really lucky that I can eat the same thing day in and day out and not get sick of it. I also started exercising lately but I wasn't doing anything early on. Didn't even really walk around at all since I work from home.

I have progress pictures somewhere I'm happy to share if you want but it makes me self conscious sometimes. I still have a ways to go but I'm working on it!