The best dieting strategy to lose excess 'baggage' is to just eliminate the crap from your diet. Eat wholesome foods.
Get rid of:
1. Refined foods
2. Products with preservatives (some exceptions)
3. Diet $#!+
4. Soda, fruit juices, etc.
5. Breads, short grain rice, pasta, processed cereals
6. Dairy, unless it's organic and keep that to a minimum. To be honest, dairy is full of allergens, hormones (unwanted ones), and preservatives and undergoes a lot of refinement.
7. Don't count protein shakes or MRPs as meals. They're pretty much refined, scientific crap. Take a postworkout shake with a good quality protein powder and lay off the convenient shakes.
Eat more of:
1. Fresh vegetables and fruits
2. Unprocessed grains
3. Lean, quality protein sources (poultry, fish, beef, shellfish)
4. Healthy fats (from unprocessed nuts, fatty fish, flax, seeds)
5. Organic foods whenever the budget permits
Drink more water. Drink lots of fresh water. Stay away from coffee and try yerba mate` tea for an energy boost. Drink green tea or oolong tea for a mild pick-me-upper or an appetite suppressant.
Fuel your body and mind with carbs, protein, and some fats during the early day and then phase out carbs in the mid afternoon and taper off to protein/healthy fat/fiber based meals.
Don't eat 2-3 hours before bed (GH optimization).