My experience is that excessive amounts of high glycemic index carbohydrates
will be causing most of your problem. (breads / potatoe / muffins / beers /
even most "sawdust bars" / the soup - and the caffeine in the coffee and
diet coke have much the same effect as the bad carbs in that they raise
insuline levels and promote fat storage.

There are a zillion diets out there - all of them different, and yet in many
ways, many of them are remarkably similar in both what they recommend you
eat and recommend you avoid.

Most recommend ...

Fruit - vegetables (pref not root vegetables) - lean meat (fish, chicken
etc)

Most discourage such things as bread / pasta / potatoe / anything with
caffiene.

For me the zone diet lowered my BP lowered my cholesterol lowered my weight
and a whole lot more - Atkins works well too once you understand that
although they say a high fat content is OK it doesn't mean that your protein
source HAS to be pork chops with saturated fats literally dripping from
them.

Just my 10c worth!