Confusion over diet

[Charlene58]

There are a myriad of diets and guidelines to follow, and I am confused over which one is right for me?  I am a 58 yr old female who is reasonably active and do a vigorous circuit training 2-3 x weekly.  I attempt and most days exceed 8,000 steps (admittedly not a lot) and weather permitting, will go on 5-6mile walk weekly.  Goal is to up my steps and activity as I am not employed outside the home but do my housework and chauffer my granddaughter to ballet, cheer, etc  I am 61 inches tall (5 ft 1") and weigh 116 lbs with goal of 110.  I am insulin sensitive, and do best on a diet loaded with vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and limited dairy and fruit.  I have fatty liver disease and my grandmother and brother died with end stage cirrhosis and pancreatic cancer.My mom was a brittle type 2 diabetic!  I am lactose intolerant but do have Greek Plain yogurt, with cocoa powder and stevia for my treat. Am I doing the right thing?

[Dominique]

Looks to me like you’re already doing all the right things, as demonstrated by your current BMI of 21.9 (right in the middle of the normal weight range), in terms of eating, exercising and lifestyle. I’ll assume you have been maintaining a healthy weight for your entire adult life. If so, why would you need to follow a particular named diet? Just continue to do what you have been doing, making sensible choices that take into account your dietary restrictions and your medical condition.

You may want to have a look at an e-book titled "Understanding Healthy Eating" that I have mentioned here and here. You can get a good preview of the content by listening to the podcasts referenced in these posts. 

As to prevention of cancer, check this topic on  diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer. You’re already ticking many boxes by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, eating plenty of fruits and veggies etc.

It would appear you want to lose six pounds for aesthetics rather than health reasons. It should be easy enough for you without having to switch to any particular diet: it’s just a question of creating a suitable caloric deficit. In your case, I would do it by eating the same, but increasing your activity (since by your own admission your stepcount could be higher).