Agree with both of you - I realised very early on that I needed to weigh, measure and record everything, even the 4 calories in a cup of herbal tea! Otherwise I’m cheating the system I’ve decided to follow, and depriving myself of the information I need to make the right choices.
Fad diets bamboozle people’s thinking. They present as a ‘magic bullet’ that’s going to give amazing results - which most of them will appear to do - in the short term.
Long term, we need to go back to old school basics. No more than 15-20% caloric deficit ( feed the body you’re aiming to get, not the one you have).
Fresh, unprocessed foods high in nutrients and low caloric density. Complex carbohydrates, low glycemic index, and about the same amount of protein per day.
Fats from nuts and seeds, fish - but only about 20-25% of caloric intake.