Hi! When you always eat a big meal including snacks, your stomach stretchs; then you always need to eat the same amount of food in order to feel “full/satisfied”. I know it will be hard but if you can reduce the amount of food and quality of foods that you eat for a few weeks, your stomach will reduce and then you will not have to eat a big amount of food in order to feel “full/satisfied”. Therefore, your calorie intake will reduce.
Another approach - if you crave pizza, have 1 piece and a salad; not 4-5 pieces of pizza. If you crave a chocolate bar, take one or two bites; don’t eat the whole chocolate bar. Etc, etc… This method lets you have your cravings but with some control. Remember, you have to change your eating HABITS so don’t think of it as DIETING. Just the word “diet” does something to people LOL. By changing your eating habit with self control, you are able to eat what you like and still manage a healthy weight; along with exercise to burn up those calories so they don’t accumulate.
Another way is to carefully watch what you eat, except for ONE day of the week where you are allowed to have any dessert that you want - ONE small piece of cake/pie; not two. You will find that you will be encouraged to “diet” all week for that one piece of dessert. However, if you “cheat” during the week, you are not allowed to have your special dessert. Example, every Tuesday is dessert day. If you had too much to eat on Thursday, then you don’t get your treat Tuesday. It’s like a punishment LOL
Here’s a tip from my naturopath: when your metabolism is high, you burn calories. Every MORNING, have a cup of “green tea” (available at health food stores and not expensive at all, and it has to say GREEN TEA). This green tea “empties” your body of toxins and also speeds up your metabolism. Sort of a boost!
I, too, am 5’2" and used to weigh 168 lbs. Now I’m back down to 117 lbs for past 2 years (and I’m 43!! LOL). By doing the first two things I mentioned above, I managed to reduce my weight and keep it. Like someone else mentioned, change your food items to include more veggies and such; but remember, too much fruit is fattening as they have natural sugars. Drink your 8 glasses of water a day, it does help. And be more active - will speed up your metabolism, burn calories and take your mind off of FOOD. By keeping your time occupied with activities, your mind also gets healthier. Good luck and hope my opinion helps!
Keep in mind a saying my father used to tell me while I was growing up:
“If you always take the easy way out in life; it always ends up being the hardest.” In this instance, you can take it like: if you always give up to your craving (easy way in life), it will end up being the hardest way (health problems, etc.). Take the hard way (changing your eating habits/foods, doing exercise) for a while until your body adjusts, then it ends up being the easy way (moderate weight, healthier, happier, not hard anymore as far as eating control is concerned because you have adapted well and accepted the fact that this is the way it has to be for the rest of your life in order to stay this way, etc).
Hi Ronnie,
. But recently, I have been in the last couple of months have lost 5 1/2 pounds. I have watched my portions, stayed away from most sweets, mostly use spendra in my tea (hate unsweetened tea), drink sugar free drinks such as orange/root beers etc that still have sorta a sweet taste without the sugar, and do a little bit of that nasty thing called exercise (even if it is a walk after dinner or something). But you see I don’t elimate everything, just watch your portions mostly. Don’t want to make your life merisable. Find a friend to walk with, talk with, and don’t listen to others that are put downers. Remember you are doing this for you, and to make you feel good. Because ifyou don’t feel good about yourself, then you can’t really with no one else around, ok? My email is 
WHEN I MADE THE DECISION TO LOSE WEIGHT…I DID MY OWN DIET