I think it's good that everyone shares what they know, because there is not one method that works for everyone.
I have a friend that I used to weigh the same with, and we were the same height. Totally differently proportioned though. We lost the same amount of weight in the same amount of time, with totally different ways. Well, we both cut out certain things: she ate lot of junk food, so for her to give up cookies and chips and fast food resulted in 8-10 lbs weight loss. I was eating pretty healthy, the only thing I had to watch is my fat intake, so I cut out salad dressing and lunch meat high in fat. That resulted in 8-10 lbs of weight loss. Our own methods would not have sorked for the other person.
Another thing I realized: in my expeerience, if I want to be "bad" and eat icecream, cake, etc, it is better to eat as much as I want 1 night, rather than eating a small amount 3-4 times/week. The latter would result in a steady weight gain of maybe 3-4 lbs that could stay on, but if I have a one-night-affair with sweets, the next day I reduce the calories a little more and nothing bad happened.
Of course, no scienteific data to back this up, only my experience.
Marianna
www.marianna.cc