Hi! Don't let the beauty industry get you down-- you're beautiful at any weight!

Even if a few extra pounds are affecting your health or happiness, please don't starve yourself-- not only does it feel bad, but it won't work! The number one way to feel and eat healthy is to avoid the cycle of brief insulin spikes and crashes.

The most efficient way to do that is probably to eliminate all processed/junk foods and eat "clean," but of course that's not always possible (or desirable). So if you're going to have a high insulin index food (most starches and sugars), try to *precede* it with a significant amount of protein (to release glucagon before insulin can block it), combine it with a salad (cellulose from leafy greans, and vinegar in your dressing will both reduce reduce overall glycemic index of a meal), or at the least have it with a good portion of healthy fats (to slow gastric emptying, and prevent a blood sugar crash and further hunger). If you're at all prone to reactive hypoglycemia, the salad part might be tricky though-- I've found I have to be careful with that one myself. (In my case it's okay if there's a significant amount of protein in there though.)

Ideally if you can, combine at least a small amount of healthy fat and protein with each meal or snack and you'll probably stay full for longer too. Personally, I've done the above and *increased* my overall fatty acid intake and I seem to have achieved a lower set-point weight without even exercising at all.