And after you get that kitchen scale, get rid of all the crap in your fridge and cupboards and restock it with good stuff...(that you can weigh on your new kitchen scale).
Come up with a plan!! That way, you know what you're weighing with that kitchen scale
It helps to have a specific limit or range with whatever it is your plan is. Mine is calorie counting and I couldn't have done it without a clear can and can't do list, as well as a limit.
Come to 3FC! Figure out what plan appeals to you and go to it. Seek your support HERE. Don't wait for motivation to eat right or exercise. It isn't coming. YOU have to go to IT!
1) forgive yourself QUICKLY if you make a mistake; then just pick right up on the next snack, meal, and day.
2) tracking or journalling what I eat each day really helps me keep to my plan better; once you try it, you will realize how much it helps.
3) budget in some 'fun' snacks once a week or month ie popcorn; this really helped me a lot with the binging thing. You can even have a fiber bar daily if you budget it in.
4) find lots of healthy low-cal snack alternatives, then you won't feel deprived. There are lots of lists on this site; do a search.
5) don't starve yourself; if you are hungry -- eat ... but eat something healthy! Increasing your veggies, salads, and soups can really help fill you up at lunch and dinner. I adore lots of low-cal roasted veggies now.
6) I love to have chunky homemade soup for lunch and/or dinner; sometimes for a snack too. It is sooo filling and healthy. That with a few whole grain crackers or a slice of whole grain bread is a meal in itself.
7) I like to have tea in the afternoon and every evening; soothing and filling. Sometimes, I have a low-cal hot chocolate or mocha coffee for the same reason.
I had to come back to tell you one more thing. The is the most important as far as I am concerned.
Let noONE and NOTHING come before your sleep, exercise or nutrition. For the time being you must put it at the VERY TOP of your list. You will deal with everything else and everyone else only AFTER you deal with yourself.
Make your home a safe haven - get rid of the junk - you can't eat it if it's not there. Stock your home with healthy, low calorie foods. You MUST have the right foods on hand.
PLAN, plan and then plan some more. Eating healthy won't happen on it's own. It requires your time, your thought and PRE-planning. Know where every meal and snack is coming from - always.
Be brutally honest. Accept no excuses.
Stick to your convictions. Remember what it is you want the very MOST. Just because you want something doesn't mean you HAVE to have it. It's okay to tell yourself no. You don't have to give into a craving. You must start making reasonable, mature decisions.
Get excited about these changes - don't dread them. Find the joy in this.
COMMIT to doing this - no matter what.
Work past the initial discomfort of changing ones habits. Push past it. Get through it any which way that you can - because you CAN and you should.
If you are going to indulge yourself, plan it well in advance--like weeks or months. That way, the indulgence is not a reward for letting your emotions get the better of you, and it's not a signal of failure.
Don't give up! Some days you will feel horrible and just go all out and binge, and feel bad but just remember to start again the next day and don't give up on yourself!
Cheerios... I love your quote. I LOVE Anne LaMott!!!!
Eat on a schedule, at planned meal or snack times. If possible, sit at the table, not a sofa, your couch, or at your desk.
If you feel the urge to eat at another time, because you are bored, irritable, lonely, or just looking for a little treat, try to teach yourself to ride it out, rather than reaching for a lo-cal substitute. Over time, you can retrain yourself not to always think first about food in those situations.
Be patient...the weight may not always come off at the speed you want but it WILL come off.
And have faith in your body. Sometimes your weight might do wierd things during your TOM or a plateau etc. Just remember: If you are eating on plan and exercising there is NO WAY you will not eventually start losing again.
What are your top tip?
