[Mr Tonka]

My route was different than above.

I just cut back my total calorie intake by 3500/week and lost one pound a week for 58 weeks. In general, my macros were 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. Still ate pasta, rice, cake, sweets, chocolate, etc... no cheat days necessary.

But then the OP wasn't asking how to lose 60 pounds.... When you are of a healthy weight and are looking to lean out, cutting some of the things listed in the above post are likely necessary. If i wanted to transform my body composition i'd likely have to change my macros around a bit. Something like 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs. While adding heavy lifting to stimulate muscle growth.

What's also important is getting your body to a state in which it doesn't want to transfer energy to fat stores. Studies have shown that just walking 2 min every hour will cause your body to burn what you intake rather than put some of it to fat stores. Even if you're a gym rat or training for marathons, introducing a very short but brisk walk every hour of the day is supposed to help keep the excess fat from building up.

Our bodies are like paranoid hoarders when you're not pushing them to the limit. A person with a typical office job who exercises 2 or 3 times a week will have a body that wants to put everything into fat stores, for ya know, just in case.