You hit on a lot of things there that reminds me of something I've been fond of saying lately: If everyone ate like they had Type 1 diabetes, we'd nearly eradicate Type 2 diabetes.
Often overlooked in the diet/fitness world is the glycemic index, inflammation, and insulin response. There is a MASSIVE correlation between the body's glycemic response and obesity, and the simple fact is that a LOT of America's favorite foods spike the body's insulin response. Switching your diet to foods that are low on the glycemic index, or even 'moderate', and outright ditching anything that has a high glycemic index will have you shedding weight fast as your body normalizes.
Additionally, there are a lot of foods that cause inflammation. Inflammation can lead to insulin resistance, which leads to more weight gain, which leads to increased inflammation. There's more, too, involving lepin resistance which increases signals to the brain telling you to eat, etc... it's an insane cycle.
Those zero calorie sodas & treats that are sweetened with artificial sweeteners? Yeah, well, those artificial sweeteners still trigger the body's insulin response, and that means that calories from that food get converted to fat before the body processes it. You are, very literally, better off consuming a beverage sweetened with real maple syrup because of the type of sugar it is. Maple syrup won't spike your insulin. Ditto with jelly/jams... throw them out and switch to marmalade.
| 
