You need to track your calories and macros. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
You can go overboard sometimes, but you still need to track the calories.
Someone else has recommended https://tdeecalculator.net/ which is a great starter point to set targets.
Eat whatever you want, but follow your macros targets: I'd recommend a macros target high in proteins.
I tried Mint on my old MacBook pro and it was really slow, impossible to scroll through a website slow. I then installed Ubuntu and had a wonderful experience
That's literally why Bazzite is a better choice for a beginner: because it's harder to really break it.
I'm sure CachyOS is great but not for someone coming straight from Windows, unless they're happy to reformat every other week.
Good work!