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Old 02-26-2009, 10:09 PM   #1  
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Thumbs up Small Changes?

I read a blog once where the woman was making small changes, and had a friend who had lost an extreme amount of weight (over 100 pounds) only making 'small changes.'
These include things like switching from coke to diet coke, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, trying to get in your 5 servings of fruits and veggies. Now, I have definitely made my small changes, and my big ones. I used to be a constant binger. I'd get started on a bender and tear the kitchen apart. It was normal to have chinese or tacos or something for lunch, then a cheeseburger with fries or pizza for dinner, and all the snacks of potato chips and colas and candy between. On a regular day, not a binge day.
Earlier this year I switched to diet coke as my drink of choice, what I kept cold in my fridge. I'd order water at restaurants. I took the stairs every time. I lost a lot of weight, due to these changes and other outside influences.
Then, over the seasons (thanksgiving--christmas i guess) I got back into having at least a reg. soda or two a day, I took the elevator up TWO FLIGHTS at school mostly every day, I was binging all the time, and I got up to my highest weight.
Now I'm back to the small changes, and the big ones. More than anything I've become aware of what I eat. Every now and again rarely i'll indulge in a Dr. Pepper or some chips, maybe eat out and have what I want instead of what I should get, but the changes are there that indicate changed behavior and attitude towards food. I know what's healthy and I count calories. I'm not losing as fast as I want to, but I've lost a little.

Anyway, what are your small changes that you started with/that have become habits on top of a restricted diet and excersize regime? What are the seemingly minor things you do that have a big impact on your lifestyle?
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Old 02-26-2009, 10:28 PM   #2  
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Definitely soda. It almost counts as a big change because those calories can add up so fast! Also water at restaurants. I remember as a kid, I thought people who ordered water were cheap. It never occurred to me that some people may actually like water, or that water was healthier than ordering a coke, I guess. I've learned to like water though, esp. with a bit of lemon in it.

My other change is just paying attention, rather than blindly stuffing my face all the time. I just try to be more aware of exactly whatI am putting in my body.
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Old 02-26-2009, 10:50 PM   #3  
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Soda is my downfall. Its the only real thing that holds me back.
but I do it as slow as possible. to slowly stop drinking so much.

and I don't eat enough. and by the time i get hungry I stuff my face.
Im working on it.
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Old 02-26-2009, 11:52 PM   #4  
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I'm trying "mindfullness". Basically, I have to look at what I want to eat, and right it down, plus the calorie content of it. I don't have a hard and fast calorie consumption rule (try to stay below 2000) but if I just make myself think about it, I seem to do much better.
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Old 02-27-2009, 01:15 AM   #5  
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I used to drink about 4-5 cans of coke a day.. minimum. i went on this huge diet and just in the first three weeks i lost fifteen pounds from switching to diet coke. even after i came off the diet, its been about five years, i still only drink diet. Regular pop actually gives me a stomach ache now.
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Old 02-27-2009, 02:31 AM   #6  
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I use Gladware 1/2 cup containers for packing my lunch snacks instead of baggies to improve my portion control. I get Red Bull Sugar Free. I am also going to get some smaller plates for eating at home.
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Old 02-27-2009, 02:49 AM   #7  
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soda wasn't too hard for me to give up for some reason. It's crazy because I have been drinking this stuff since as early as I can remember, and I don't even look back on it or miss it. I haven't even had any diet soda for a month now. Even though quitting the soda didn't bother me, it had a big impact on the foods I ate. One thing I always noticed is that when I'm out to eat and have a soda with my meal . . . I EAT MORE with soda as a beverage! I'd end up getting at least 8 refills and totally pissing the waitress off lol.

The first change I made in my new lifestyle was exercise. It felt great so I continued . . .and then I started counting calories . . . I started at 1800 cals and I've decreased them over the course of 2 months to about 1400 cals. I lose weight fast and I can be happy eating that much on a daily basis.

I made small changes to get to where I am now and when you compare it to how I was living and eating 2 months ago it seems really DRASTIC, haha.
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Old 02-27-2009, 03:47 AM   #8  
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I no longer eat butter. This was huge for me. I now have only 5 calorie margarine. I cook with nonfat cooking spray and use it for everything.

I also switched to sugar-free syrup in my coffee.

I went from Diet soda, to Crystal Light, and then to water only. I now allow myself a diet soda on Friday night.

Last edited by Thighs Be Gone; 02-27-2009 at 03:48 AM.
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Old 02-27-2009, 04:16 AM   #9  
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breakfast! i used to never eat breakfast or lunch. i would come home from school starvinnggg and pig out. not only would i consume way too many calories but im sure that whole 'your body thinks its starving' thing was at play as well. i wouldnt eat until 4 in the afternoon and then i would eat thousands of calories in one go! it was awful. also i gave up totally on fast food. i used to eat fast food 3 or 4 times a week! with those two things gone ive dropped 15 or so pounds without even thinking about it. the fast food thing is probably responsible for most of the weight loss but i think breakfast is absolutely responsible for me having much more energy during the day and keeping me from bingeing.
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Old 02-27-2009, 06:59 AM   #10  
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I went through major beverage rehab. Not all at once, mind you, but gradually:

Soda: Went from drinking regular every day, to diet every day, to no soda at all (soda-free since April 2008!)

Coffee: Went from drinking coffee with half and half and sugar, to half and half and sweet and lo, to fat free half and half, and now I'm drinking it black.

Milk: Went from 2% to 1%

Alcohol: Went from Margaritas and sugary Martini's to mostly wine and beer.

Water: I used to not drink enough, and now it's my drink of choice even at restaurants.
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Old 02-27-2009, 08:23 AM   #11  
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- I committed to exercise, at some level, at least twice per week. Over time, that's increased, but at the start, I just needed a regular something to get into a routine. I NEED exercise to make any diet plan work, so I started at a level that I knew I could do.
- I limited the junk food, especially the "right before bedtime" eating. Switched to healthier snacks like 100 cal popcorn and FF/SF yogurt.
- Switched from cream in my coffee to soy milk.
- Cut down on carbs and fats in general --watching portions on breads, pasta, cheese, etc, and eating them less frequently too.
- Increased intake veggies, low carb fruits, and high quality protein.
- I ALWAYS TAKE MY LUNCH to work. Going to the cafeteria was a huge pitfall for me, now I just don't even go there.

Over time, a LOT more things have changed, but that's where it started. Now my lifestyle is completely different than a few years ago, but it was a gradual process over time.
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