The true key to weight loss is compliance. Your body doesn't care if you're adhering to keto or intermittent fasting or paleo or whatever is en vogue right now. Even if you lose 50 lbs and get amazing results, if you can't stick with that diet forever (and you likely can't, because diets by definition are restrictive), the evidence overwhelmingly suggests you will gain it all back, and possibly more.
Your best bet is to focus on plants (fruits/veggies), nuts/seeds, legumes, whole grains, and animals (if you choose to eat them). If you love dairy, or chocolate, or cookies...have them. Better you have a little every day or every so often, knowing it, in moderation, will not lead to weight gain. What will lead to weight gain will be a masochistic devotion to avoiding those things, and then the eventual and complete eroding of your constitution which will bring a painful and guilt-ridden rebound that will take a psychological and physical toll on yourself.
I say this as someone who placed in a bodybuilding competition last year while eating pizza, cookies, cheesecake, and whatever "dirty" food you can imagine.
Your best bet is to focus on plants (fruits/veggies), nuts/seeds, legumes, whole grains, and animals (if you choose to eat them). If you love dairy, or chocolate, or cookies...have them. Better you have a little every day or every so often, knowing it, in moderation, will not lead to weight gain. What will lead to weight gain will be a masochistic devotion to avoiding those things, and then the eventual and complete eroding of your constitution which will bring a painful and guilt-ridden rebound that will take a psychological and physical toll on yourself.
I say this as someone who placed in a bodybuilding competition last year while eating pizza, cookies, cheesecake, and whatever "dirty" food you can imagine.