Stay away from anything fried.

Eat as many vegtables and fruits as you can.

Stay away from icky carbs.

Eat brown bread, brown rice.

Stay away from the sauces.

And don't forget portion control is key!  

:)

Enjoy - and congrats on turning 30!!

Here's my pyramid:

• Eat daily in abundance: fresh vegetables (cabbage, beets, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, sweetpotato, bell peppers, tomato, green leafy veggies, cucumber, squash, spinach, etc), fruits and berries
• Eat daily: whole grains, sources of protein (tofu, tempeh, beans, seitan)
• Use sparingly: salt, added fats, nuts, seeds
• Avoid: white flour, pasta, white bread, sugar, processed foods, fast food, anything fried, dairy, egg yolk, meat.

That works for a very strict vegetarian like me, but if you eat animal products, egg whites, lean meat (tuna, turkey?) and low-fat dairy products make for good sources of protein. I recommend gravitating towards whole foods.

Just to echo Niccimax, portion control is the key. Excess calories from healthy food are still excess calories nonetheless. You can also allow for all kinds of treats even when you're dieting, as long as you pay attention to the amount you're eating. A cookie won't ruin your caloric total, a box of them will.

Sometimes drinking MORE water will get rid of those 5 pounds, especially if you don't drink enough. Our bodies tend to hang on to those fluids unless we get plenty of them. Check this out... the average full bladder holds 2.2 pounds of weight so always pee before you weigh!  Check out Swiss Chard, a great food. My daughter started using it a lot when she was pregnant with twins because it is so high in iron. Now I have acquired a taste for it. I know it sounds weird but I have a cup (steamed)  for breakfast. It really seems to kick up my metabolism for the day and it is only 35 calories. I treat myself to an egg with it on the weekends. Sort of Spinach Florentine, but I like the SC better. Ditto on portion control, that is key, especially with so little to lose. This site is a great help for we Americans because it tells you per serving. In the US our idea of what a portion is has gone crazy! I like to stay away from the mindset that there are foods I should stay away from like the plague because that sets up a no-no in my head then it seems it is all I really want. I like to use the analysis to make sure I am under my daily goal AND most importantly get an "A". Then I know I am getting a good balance.

Good Luck and Happy 30th!!

http://www.womensheart.org/content/nutrition/mediterranean.a sp

Here's a link to the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.  A lot of research has suggested that this is one of the healthiest diets out there.

And any food can be eaten in moderation.  If you still enjoy foods that might not be as healthy, remember portion control.  Meat is 4 oz. the size fo a deck of cards, pasta is usualy 1 cup, and you can eat as much veggies as you want.  Hope this helps!

-steer clear of WHITE BREAD!
-when dealing with sauces go with RED, white is always heavy and cal dense!
-eat refined sugars sparingly (cookies, pastry's, candy)
-SODA POP IS EVIL
-cut back on meat portions and add more veggie portions
-NO FRIED FOOD! AT ALL! (ok maybe once in a while)
-on already high cal food avoid mayo, cheese, extra fat!
-Try not to eat at fast food joints
-drink WATER

Cool thanks!  I think my problem is convenience foods such as chips (crisps), chocolates, biscuits and cookies.  Much easier to eat those sitting at my desk when I'm busy!