I found using a calorie-tracking app to be very effective. The one I like the best is called Cronometer, and it’s free unless you want some more advanced features. For me, tedious tracking is the ONLY way if just doing straight calorie-reduction, because my internal “satiety meter” is not a good indicator for how many calories I’ve consumed.
With straight calorie-reduction (versus more extreme eliminations like keto), you really should only cut at a pace of 1 to 2 lbs per week, otherwise the hunger can get bad. It can be useful to do intermittent fasting (IF), which mostly means eating fewer times a day, like only after a certain time of the day (no eating until 3 PM). That way, you get to eat a lot and feel stuffed, but your daily intake remains low. It also helps reduce your hunger pangs, since your body tends to acclimate to an eating schedule.
Finally, going higher on fats and protein, ultimately almost to the exclusion of carbs (ketogenic) can be effective—for some people—at reducing hunger/cravings and improving energy while dieting. However, it can require more discipline and can feel anti-social, sometimes, because you’re completely excluding huge categories of food.
Best of luck on this journey! You’re doing a great thing for yourself.
