"Really, we do not want to lose weight. We want to shrink fat cells. We can make fat cell bigger or add to the number of fat cell or shrink fat cell but we cannot shrink the number of fat cells because the human body has developed a "Cellular Intelligence" called, "fat" in order to survive famine. So, it is never a matter of eat-less-and-exercise-more.
We must harmonize with the amazing complexities of the human body.
FIrst, muscle is the ONLY fat-burning tissue in the body. In order to get lean and stay lean, especially as time-goes-by,
we must be sure that we do weight-lifting or resistance-training exercises on a regular basis, twice a week ( Mon/Thurs or Wed/Sat or Tues/Fri)
Second, keeping the heart and lungs strong is, not only, good for reducing water-retention, raising energy levels and promoting restful sleep, when the heart is strong, it pumps more blood to and through the brain and that is good for everything. Once we create good set of exercise habits, it is time to assess the diet. (tackle one step at a time) No matter how much we eat, the food is burned, stored or secreted after four hours. (breakfast/lunch/dinner is an idea that is out-of-date. Eat meals at eight,noon, four and eight.)
Food takes about 1.5 hours to reach the bloodstream (although the brain-chemistry-reactions-to-eating start sooner).
So, if you eat too little, 1.5 hours later, you will only have enough energy to breathe a deep sign and complain.
Really Really, it is far better to eat a whole meal, rest for 1.5 hours or do non-physical tasks and then, exercise or do high-energy activities.

You may not want to measure your food but your body ALWAYS uses EXACTLY what you give it - no more - no less.

So, in order to create a "whole meal" we need to work with the body because the body does not care what we think or want or say.

A "whole meal" consists of: about 25 grams of protein ( for average adults ), about 400 calories of carbohydrates, about 100-200 calories of fat and some fiber. You're welcome to get this combo however you prefer but the body does best if you stick to this ratio.

If you want to have more energy, eat more carbs. If you eat fewer carbs, your brain will not have enough energy to function. Messing around with extra fat just clogs the blood vessels and messing around with protein will, either, leave you not-healing or will mess up your kidneys.

Stick to this program and you will start by getting rid of water weight, then, add muscle and then, your body will struggle to keep the muscle and thereby get leaner."