1) Trade sugar, grains, and starch, for rich meals of meat, fish and chicken. Indulge in fat, protein, spice, salt, and umami, rather than sweetness. Treat this with a 'food addiction' model, don't have cheat days. Recognize that it can be incredibly difficult to get back on the wagon if you fall off. (But also see "treats" in #6 below.)
2) Eat lots of above-ground-growing plants, if only as a way to keep "regular".
3) Don't avoid the natural fat that comes with your food, even saturated fat. However adding extra fat can get out of control.
4) Watch out for triggering foods that otherwise might conform to the above rules. For me these are raw almonds, and that popular NJ shore summer dish, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
5) Eat more protein.
6) Avoid artificial sweeteners, let your palette adjust. It's 100% helpful to have some kind of treat in your arsenal, but you are better off with a few berries than something artificially sweetened.
7) If you find willpower, executive function, or the capacity to change bad habits in limited supply -- and most people do -- focus on changing your diet rather than working out. If you are massively overweight, there might be a biomechanics argument to make here as well.
8) Being able to do mindful eating effectively is predicated on the diet not being full of addictive foods. If you have made that change, consider a mindfulness practice, and learning to tune into your bodies own satiety signals.
