Trying to lose weight? Here’s some advice on some foods to eat — and some to skip — from the book “How to Lose 9,000 lbs. (or less)” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www.hundredsofheads.com, $13.95), straight from people who’ve done it:

“Find a couple of snack foods that are good for you (or at least not bad for you) and make sure you always have them on hand at home and at work. For me, raw carrots are something I’ve always enjoyed, so I’ve made those my primary snack food. Another thing I enjoy are those jars of mixed pickled vegetables (they often have some combination of carrots, cocktail onions, pickles, cauliflower, baby carrots, and peppers in them).”

“Before, I’d serve a roast with potatoes, rolls, and canned vegetables for supper. Now, I limit beef to three times a week and eat more chicken, turkey, and lean pork. I buy fresh vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, and steam them in about a half inch of water in a saucepan, for about 20 minutes, until they’re crisp-tender.”

— Diane Szymanski, South Bend, Ind., lost 72 pounds

“I live in the South, and you know how we eat everything: fried. So probably the hardest change for me was giving up fried foods. I started grilling, baking, broiling, boiling, steaming — everything but frying! And I learned after a while that I really began to taste my food, not the grease and the breading. I discovered that food was actually good! I also gave up southern-style sweet tea — I am a tea-aholic. It would be nothing for me to sit down and drink pretty close to a gallon of tea a night.”

— Kandi Kizziah, Rocky Mount, N.C., lost 158 pounds

“I eat healthy protein (chicken and fish, not cheese and bacon) and limit unhealthy, processed carbs, junk food, and sugar.”

“Whenever possible, I eat lean meats that are not injected with hormones or antibiotics. Fish and poultry have been widely overlooked by low-carb consumers. Also, introduce good fats, such as olive oil or macadamia nut oil into your diet and be mindful of the amount of fiber and vegetables you consume. As long as it’s working for you, you should eat more whole, unprocessed foods and grains and focus on making practical decisions in the foods you eat.”

— Linda Langdon, Vancouver, British Columbia, lost more than 100 pounds

“I no longer eat ‘white’ foods, such as white bread, white pasta, white potatoes, and white rice. I also eat foods that are as minimally processed as possible. So I especially avoid things like baked goods; they’re made with white flour, and they’re highly processed.”

Hundreds of Heads Books’ survival guides offer the wisdom of the masses by assembling the experiences and advice of hundreds of people who have gone through life’s biggest challenges and have insight to share.