Uncommon tips

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Replies

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Know when you're weakest and plan for it. I can be great all day, but I turn into a human vacuum cleaner at dinner ... I just don't want to stop eating. I've finally started putting white strips on my teeth right after I'm done with my meal.

    There ya' go! There's a good "uncommon" tip that works for a lot of people. Or, instead of the strips you can just brush your teeth. I also keep a small bottle of mouthwash in my desk and find that sometimes during the day if I get bored I'll start thinking about a snack. That thought disappears once I swish a little mouthwash around. Kills the taste buds while the urge subsides.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    Do not use the MFP method ... it is not that great. Although it may be fine for beginners. TDEE -x % is a better idea once you know your true numbers.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    -Meal prepping and planning out meals
    -Pre-logging everything
    -Not calling foods good or bad
    -Eating what I want in moderation (there is no reason to give up chocolate or pizza, I'm just smarter and don't eat a whole pizza by myself anymore)
    -If you want to exercise, find something you enjoy so you're more apt to do it.
    -Using smaller salad plates as my dinner plate
    -Weighing or measuring everything I eat (even now, I'm awful about being able to eyeball servings)
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
    Why do you need uncommon when common works better? The reason uncommon tips are "uncommon" is because they don't usually work. Stick with the basics like eat less, move more.
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
    I weigh myself daily. I log it on here daily. And then I check the reports so that I can SEE my progress. Whether it's up, down, or staying at the same number, the totality of the downward progression helps me stay on track. I also pre-log, especially if I know the day is going to be busy, or difficult, or I don't feel my best, or if I know there will be temptations that are hard for me to resist. One last thing, I'm American and yet I use metrics for weighing my food, **grams** not ounces. It's a much more accurate form and much simpler once you get the hang of it.
  • cort330
    cort330 Posts: 27 Member
    Meal prep for the week and pre-logging to hold myself accountable.

    Me too! Me too!
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
    One of the things that works the best for me is waiting 15 minutes to eat. I snack a lot, and I'm ok with that, I just make it work, but when I finish a huge salad for lunch and still feel hungry I make myself find something else to do. If I'm still thinking about food 15-30 minutes later than I have a piece of cheese or something. Most of the time i forget all about it.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    An uncommon tip? Eat yellow snow... it is very low calories and will make you too sick to eat anything else.
  • odddrums
    odddrums Posts: 342 Member
    Virkati wrote: »
    I weigh myself daily. I log it on here daily. And then I check the reports so that I can SEE my progress. Whether it's up, down, or staying at the same number, the totality of the downward progression helps me stay on track. I also pre-log, especially if I know the day is going to be busy, or difficult, or I don't feel my best, or if I know there will be temptations that are hard for me to resist. One last thing, I'm American and yet I use metrics for weighing my food, **grams** not ounces. It's a much more accurate form and much simpler once you get the hang of it.

    I do this too! It's really helpful in seeing the progress over 3 or 6 months, because there's a lot of up and down over the weeks, but you can really see the drops after 4-6 weeks. Weighing food is huge too! I never knew how much was in each serving until I started doing this.

    I don't really pre-log though, because every time I pre-log, I change what I eat later :P
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    pre-logging

    meal prepping

    eating the healthy stuff before you have the unhealthy stuff

    add more fruits and vegetables to your diet
    and i hate hate hate "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." seriously, it makes me rage.

    Danny is spot on, as usual! :smiley:

    The only thing I would add is to give yourself a goal to work towards. Motivation to workout will NOT last forever, but if you have a set goal (ie run/walk a 5K) with a deadline (sign up for that 5K) you'll be more likely to stick with it. There are sure as heck days when I don't WANT to go swim, or ride on the trainer, or run outside in frigid temps and snow...but I do it anyway, because I am doing the local Ironman 70.3 in June, and I know if I don't do it, I will fail miserably in the 70.3.


  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Hmm.

    Pre-log your days.
    Continue eating foods you enjoy, just be mindful of your portion sizes and keep to daily calorie/macro goals.

    Those two things above are what I credit most of my success to (69 pounds so far).
  • Driagnor
    Driagnor Posts: 323 Member
    Set yourself goals. Specific, measurable goals with a deadline, and read them every day. They'll help to keep you on track when you have something specific to aim at.
  • Miffylou
    Miffylou Posts: 307 Member
    It will sound wasteful to some, but I will throw food away.

    I was given a whole bag of honeycomb chocolate the other day. I opened it, ate two pieces and threw the rest away. I know if it's in the house and no one else is going to eat it, I will. So if it's not there then there's no temptation.

    And food prep.
  • 61otter
    61otter Posts: 2 Member
    For me it's mixing up the exercise. Some days I kayak, some I go for walks, long or short with the dog, and some days it's tai chi. Those are all things I love, and knowing I can do a video indoors if the weather's not great keeps me doing something.

    The other thing that helps me is thinking small. Small changes, one at a time. Small bites. Walking for 10 min if that's all I have rather than doing nothing. Small changes all help over time.

    And the last one is accepting that it's hard, it sucks, and it's not fair that some of us have to struggle while others can eat anything they want and stay thin. Well... it's not fair, but if I didn't luck out and get the model figure, all I have to work with is the body I got. So I can jump in, do my best, and persist, or give up and mope. Not every day will be perfect or easy, but all I have is the choice to do my best with it every day, and get back on track when I muff up.
  • AllTheNoms
    AllTheNoms Posts: 135 Member
    There's a thread around here somewhere about Mindfulness - there are some good ideas in there that have really helped me. Like so many people on here, I have yo-yo'ed for years and am really making an effort to get it off and keep it off this time. So much of what we go through is mental, so it is helpful to take time and reflect on what has caused relapses, binges, past failures, etc. It's also helpful to try and hone in on identifying those moments of potential weakness so help minimize the damage of a binge rather than totally abandoning the overall effort.
  • samthepanda
    samthepanda Posts: 569 Member
    Miffylou wrote: »
    It will sound wasteful to some, but I will throw food away.

    I was given a whole bag of honeycomb chocolate the other day. I opened it, ate two pieces and threw the rest away. I know if it's in the house and no one else is going to eat it, I will. So if it's not there then there's no temptation.

    And food prep.

    I've done this too! I have to make sure I throw the kids leftovers away if it's chip night! I stick stuff in the freezer too - especially bread.


  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    Just becoming more aware is a good thing. I try not to let myself become overly hungry, because then my body just wants junk. I also don't deprive myself of a treat if I want it. I find a way to fit it in.
  • priyaFitnessFreak
    priyaFitnessFreak Posts: 105 Member
    salembambi wrote: »
    pre logging is number one best advice imo

    +1

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited January 2015
    Do not use the MFP method ... it is not that great. Although it may be fine for beginners. TDEE -x % is a better idea once you know your true numbers.

    Don't use the TDEE method because it's hopeless for long distance cyclists (or those who have varied exercise routines). :smile:

    My main tips would be:
    To take more notice of your results and less notice of calculators.
    Think long term not short term.
    Make your diet fit your lifestyle and not the other way round.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    and i hate hate hate "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." seriously, it makes me rage.
    This. QFT.

    OP, make one good decision. Then make another. Nothing feels better than super strong. I love to eat and by logging everything, I found out that snacking is where I pack on the calories. Find out what doesn't work for you and fix that.

    And really, keep the big picture in mind. You can't lose the weight eating a salad for dinner, so you won't gain it all back by enjoying a treat.
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
    Go read that sexypants thread. It's sticky on the main page of the "Getting Started" forum. Up at the top.
  • StacyMMo
    StacyMMo Posts: 17 Member
    Why do you need uncommon when common works better? The reason uncommon tips are "uncommon" is because they don't usually work. Stick with the basics like eat less, move more.

    I asked for uncommon tips because I have heard those hundreds of times before. I am already doing them. On days where it gets tough sometimes the uncommon tips help get me through. I have learned a lot of great ideas on here already. It doesn't matter where you are in your journey, you can and should learn from others. That is the whole point of the Community section.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    When I reached 90 days, I wrote a tips post full of some of the stuff that's been working for me so far: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10051544/my-first-90-days-right-on-track

    Everyone's different and YMMV. But maybe there's something in there that's helpful.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    When you're losing, make sure you have room for the stuff you love. If it's pizza, schedule that into your week, if it's a sundae do the same.

    Change the thinking about good vs bad food, legal vs illegal food, "cheating" vs being "good", being on/off the wagon, etc.

    Use smaller plates than dinner plates. I have a set of handmade porcelain plates - a 6" one that's for dessert and an 8" one that's for my meal, as opposed to a full 10" or 12" dinner plate.

    In maintenance, learn that the scale is not the boss of me. If my size 4 clothes are loose and I can still see the muscles in my back and shoulders, the fact that I cannot lose the last 2 lb from when I was laid up from a broken leg is irrelevant.

  • joshnewton1976
    joshnewton1976 Posts: 14 Member
    Make yourself do the things you don't want to do and/or are afraid of. Some days I don't feel like going to the gym, and it is quite amusing at the excuses I can come up with not to go (or to eat fast food rather than going home and cooking). But I MAKE myself go. Just go do it. You may not want to, and you may not like it at first, but you'll be proud of yourself, and you'll be better off for it in the long run
  • renaore
    renaore Posts: 11 Member
    I have a few things;

    - When you eat, rest your fork/spoon/whatever eating utensil you're using at least 5 times during the meal. Chew your food more slowly while your eating utensil is taking a break. I noticed a lot of my co-workers do this at lunch and eat more slowly (I live in Korea).
    - Take 1/2 of what you think you can eat if you are eating at a buffet.
    - Prepackage servings of snacks (so you can easily grab them and go).

    Good luck :)
  • janiceclark08
    janiceclark08 Posts: 1,341 Member
    This is helpful for some new people on mfp, I had it bookmarked and I am reposting for new ideas for losing.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    1. Find a higher motivator than "I want to lose weight" - replace with "I want to lead by example" or "I want to run a 10k"
    2. There are no bad foods. Don't eliminate foods you love.
    3. Savor your food.
    4. Pre-plan, pre-log, and budget.
    5. Think long term.
    6. Build up a support network.
    7. Remove negative people from your life.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    I'm going to echo pre-logging.
    • It keeps me accountable.
    • It helps me know exactly where I stand during the day so I don't go overboard with something that results in me having to cut something out.
    • If I decide to go over my goal, it gives me a sense of control so that I don't go crazy. (This also means that I have to make the conscience decision to go over.)
    • Planning a day helps me keep to my macros.

    Really, I can't say it enough. There's lots of other tips I could provide, but this is the one that's helped me the most.
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