I've been:
*Reduced calories, tracking on My Fitness Pal (2040)
*Protein 1st, Cruciferous Veggies 2nd, Fresh fruit 3rd, carbs sparingly. I'm good during the day, generally.
*Avoid straw, was 100% but new job (different kitchen) says if you wanna drink, it has to be covered w/a straw :/ so now I'm about 80-90%. Post-op, I'll get a drs note & the union involved if I have to.
*Protein shake for breakfast & pm snack (i use EAS lean 15)
*No eating after 9, & have breakfast shake within 1 hr of waking--this was actually really the hardest as I used to be a sleep-eater (NES)
*No carbonation...still working on this. After 13 months, I'm 99.5% off the coke zero, but I just transferred my fizzy addiction to seltzer. I fear this may end up being one of those things I'll have to "learn the hard way", post-op. :/
*Sticking to a schedule-for eating, sleeping, exercising, writing