-If I eat yogurt (low fat, low sugar 80 cals) for breakfast, for some reason that usually sets the tone for a great eating day (under maybe 1500 cals). If I eat similar cals in something else (maybe a waffle) then I tend to eat worse.
-Counting calories...checking out restaurant/fast food websites. If I can't get the healthiest meal, then I can at least get something lower in calories. (for example, I had a snacker and a small mashed potato/gravy at kfc for 390 cals and was stuffed)
-Walking 1/2 hour minimum daily- rain, shine, snow, storms, busy, school...only thing to keep me from it is being very very sick
-Drinking lots of water
-Weighing myself every day...but keeping in mind I can have a weird weight day or two, and not beating myself up over it. As long as I see the trend going DOWN and not UP it's a great thing
-Writing down what I eat...sometimes I HATE doing that, it's so so so annoying to me, but it really does help
-Also, reminding myself that yeah, I'd like to lose a lot of weight by the time I go to Mexico on 1/1 and I am working toward that short term goal (don't know if I'll get to 128, but maybe 140), but to also consider the long term goals. Preventing cancer is a huge one for me. Keeping myself healthy so I can avoid being most of the people I take care of (nursing student).
I want to pass away like my grandmother...Have a day of shopping, spend supper with my husband of 50 years, have a little ice cream, chat on the phone with my kids and pass unknowingly in my sleep.
If I can avoid cancer, knee problems, and the millions of other things (diet/lifestyle can help but not 100%)...and my lifestyle can help even the tiniest bit...then I am all for it.
Last edited by Pilatesgrl; 09-02-2006 at 10:55 AM.
Favorite diet tricks or "tell me something I don't know"
I'll start with a couple, you'll read them and add a couple of your own?
Let's play!
(first trick -- how to make a bullet -- hold the ALT key and press 149)
•Always eat dinner on a small salad plate–and start with salad first (on that plate so you can't put anything else on it till you've finished your salad)
•If you don't feel like exercising, tell yourself you'll just do 10 minutes --usually if you complete 10 minutes, you'll go another 5, then another 5....it's the getting off the couch that's the hardest part
•Mix canned pumpkin, Cool White Fat Free, Equal and a little pumpkin pie spice for a great 1 pt breakfast or snack
•Gum is yum! Many times I just eat to get a bad taste out of my mouth -- or to keep it moving. Gum does the same thing for 0 calories
ò cool bullet trick! (hmmmm... alt 149 got me a different shape!)
ò pre-portion your meals and snacks so you won't overeat
ò bring those portioned snacks with you during the day and on trips so the vending machines don't call to you!
ò don't focus on the scale as the only tool to measure success. Weight loss is not linear and scales fluctuate for all kinds of reasons! Think about clothing sizes, measurements, fitness and stamina as other ways to measure progress.
ò Remember this is not a sprint, it's not even a marathon, it's for life!
Sign up for a class/follow a structure on something you want to get better at; mine was yoga followed by swimming lessons then following then C25k running plan
Even if you have a work cafeteria try to bring in your own food with you. that way you are much less likely to snack and eat food high is salt, fat etc. At least if you make it you know whats in it!
Resist the temptation to buy multi-packs of biscuits/sweets etc in the shop, with me I can easily resist buying them but if I do buy then I will eat the entire thing.
Accept all compliments you get! Its soo motivating to know that people notice.
Its only this time that I realised that it MUST be a way of life not just a period of eating different stuff. I ate apple sandwiches and cornflakes on WW diets before, kept within my points and lost weight but it wasn't sustainable. I'm veggie and never really knew just how much I need to pay attention to what I eat!
Finally come onto 3FC's daily - it definitely keeps me focused
I am not even going to try the bullets!! (I'll do asterisks!)
* Dump fast food and soda like a bad habit (cause they are!)
* Look for exercise in fun places and ways you might not have thought of (who knew Tae Kwon Do could be such a workout??)
* Lose the all or nothing mentality. Small changes make a difference! If you mess up, it is not the end of the world!
* Discipline is more reliable than motivation. Don't "feel" like it? TOUGH BEANS!!! Do it anyway.
Last edited by midwife; 09-07-2006 at 08:18 AM.
Reason: typo
- Explore the reasons WHY you overeat and address those. There's not enough emphasis on this piece.
- Listen to your body. It is possible to achieve your natural weight through mindful or intuitive eating.
- Make sure you surround yourself with things you really enjoy eating. Don't eat anything you don't like.
- Remember it's OK to take your time with this process. Consider avoiding the pressure of time-related goals.
Build good habits for exercise and healthy eating, they'll carry you through when the motivation lags
Move your body whenever the opportunity arises, all exercise is good
Focus on all the healthy choices of food you have, not on the few that you "can't have" (which of course, you can have, you're just choosing not to )
Don't let the scale rule your day (or your life) - it's just a mechanical object that gives you a snapshot of one measurement at that exact point in time - not the being in charge of who you are or how you feel.
Enjoy yourself - no matter what you weigh - life is not meant to be drudgery
My cat does the very same thing. He won't drink from anything but a certain bathroom sink. He sits and cries until someone turns the water on for him. Too funny!
For me:
-Write down everything I eat
-Count calories on as much as I can
-Write down everything I do for exercise
-Before I go out to eat, even if it's fast food...and find some low calorie options to have to stay in my calorie range
-I weigh myself every day...when I don't...I gain
-Lift weights...more muscle= more calories burned...even at the same weight
-Telling myself I can do it!
)
