There is a simple way to lose weight....burn more calories than you eat. At 5'3" about 10 years ago, I was 200 pounds. In college, I started walking and cutting back on junk food like candy, cakes, and fried foods. I lost about 40 pounds. Soon after that college graduation in 96, I got into cycling and was quickly bitten by the racing bug. Within a year and a half, I'd dropped another 30 pounds and was down to about 130. (final weight of 125 but impossible to hold that weight). After a few months of going up and down, my body settled down to 135 for a few years. Last year, I let my "diet" lapse and started eating too much junk again. I gained about 8 pounds, which I've lost again since Sept. Once again, just no junk food. Plenty of food, not all of it good...just no candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sweets. I do allow myself one "free" weekend a month to eat whatever crap I want, so that I don't feel deprived. Special occasions like Christmas and Valentine's Day are also "free" days. I also have chosen to eat a lower fat diet that is high in carbs. As a former vegetarian, I don't eat much meat to begin with. I also have a family history of heart disease and heart attacks, so I really watch my trans fat and hydrogenated fat intake. The latter is easy to do; buy organic snack foods instead of traditional snack foods like Lays or Doritos.
It's really all about the math--burn more calories than you eat.