What's your best little tip that has helped you?

Cindy01Louisiana

pgray007 wrote: »

I love the French/Italian tradition of an afternoon coffee. I used to snack around 2-4pm and instead have a nice big cup 'o joe and it fills me up at a cost of 2 calories.

I've also started doing a lot of mental visualization, particularly during exercise. When I'm doing a hard workout and feel like quitting I visualize crossing the finish line with a new personal record and hearing the crowd cheering, or even just visualize getting up in the morning and stepping on the scale and hitting my goal weight... What will the scale look like, how will I feel, etc.

I do something like this when I am at 14 incline and 14 resistance on the elliptical. I'm dying, but I watch my thighs and visualize them being smaller -- in my two sizes down jeans.

worsthorse

sounds weird but... when i brush and floss my teeth after dinner, i don't fall prey to the late night snacking demon about ninety-five percent of the time. it serves as a reminder that i am done eating for the day. plus who wants to re-floss and brush at night?

worsthorse

Coupongrl79 wrote: »

When grocery shopping, I buy my produce last. It helps me refocus on making better food choices and reconsider some of the junk that found it's way into my cart. I usually end up unloading some unhealthy treat and then I make a bee line for the register.

*laugh* i buy my produce first so my cart is full of the good stuff. not as much room for the not-so-good stuff plus i have to put the bag of chips on top of carrots and so on, which gives me pause.

another shopping strategy: i always always shop from a list that i've made at home because i am much less likely to buy donuts if they aren't on the list.

billglitch

I would say be honest with yourself, be patient and have someone that you understands what you are doing and can talk to you about it.

sparklyglitterbomb

joobey wrote: »

michaela_g09 wrote: »

weighing all solids with food scale

I'm curious. Do you feel it's more accurate than measuring or counting out chips for example?

@joobey https://youtube.com/watch?v=XpHykP6e_Uk most definitely. (I don't know how to embed a video in here)

Especially with things like chips: it says 10 chips on the package, are those the big chips, the medium chips, a little pile of crumbs? There's no way to accurately judge. But you can know exactly what is a serving if you weigh them (using grams)

sparklyglitterbomb

I keep some pudding cups on hand for a nice little dessert. I also suck on a Werther's candy if I just want a little something sweet.

I'm also pulling out some older clothes that were tighter and using them as inspiration. I have a few things I've hung onto that I loved and I'm looking forward to wearing them again soon!

mattb714

I eat a lower calorie popcorn at night. It helps me feel like I'm getting a high volume of (snack) food, but also not costing many calories. I also snack on raw vegetables during the day and it has the same effect.

For exercise, I use my phone to watch Netflix while using an elliptical. It keeps me from focusing on how much time I have left until I'm done.

Francl27

Buy a food scale.

Officially_Rosey

mattb714 wrote: »

For exercise, I use my phone to watch Netflix while using an elliptical. It keeps me from focusing on how much time I have left until I'm done.

^Yep this is definitely a good tip For me, watching Youtube videos on my phone helps pass the time so that I don't focus on how tired and sore I'm getting.

RebeccaNaegle

lynette4 wrote: »

I LOVE ice cream. And if I keep it out of the house I will binge on it the next time I get some. Soooooo I always have some in the house and I have a weighed out serving every evening. I make sure to put it in a small cup so it actually looks like it is over flowing. lol. It helps me throughout the day to keep from eating other sweets because I know that ice cream is headed my way. I always just go ahead and put it in my calories in the morning so that way I can work around it

If you LOVE ice cream, you should try arctic zero. The stuff is amazing and you can eat a full pint of the vanilla for 150 calories. I always do vanilla and add some fun toppings. They have a website, instagram etc. Check them out!

JustaJoe00

for me it has been reminding myself that this needs to be forever, now. No back stepping...

jlemoore

coffee with real cream and stevia sweetener. Better than chocolate!

nowine4me

I need to remind myself daily to be patient. I see jiggly parts and get annoyed that this isn't going faster. Exhale.....and keep moving.

bethanybruner

I use a prescription toothpaste at night. I can't eat or drink anything for 20 minutes after using it. So my tip is to brush my teeth as soon as I complete my diary entry on MFP for the day. That helps ward off late-night snack cravings.

dani741

Is there a recommended ratio of Protein, fats & carbohydrates that makes the weight loss plan fight the fat . The balance is confusing. I drink protein shakes in place of meals for times sake & some are 25 grams of carbs ... I then have a meal & a fruit of 2 along the day. I don't eat at night & what a painfully , slow process. Any help would be appreciated.

NAbramovich

bump

lizzy_satellite

Take progress pictures regularly. I took photos in the same pair of shorts every couple of weeks, and I could see the difference way better looking objectively at photos than I ever could in the mirror.

titotito48

I put inspirational quotes on sticky notes on my bathroom mirror. Quote right now says, "sweat like a pig to look like a fox." I put a sticker on my calendar after each workout and guess what my stickers are "foxes". Haha! I also have a supply of fireballs. 20 calories each and keeps me from eating sweets. I also graph my miles run. So I highlight each mile and tell myself I'm up to whichever town/city from home. I never kept track of my total miles before so this has been kind of fun and gives me goals other than the scale.

colleenclark336

Awesome post! I have learned a lot of new skills!

anneliseah

For getting back on the wagon after slipping up: If you lose a $100 bill, you don't throw away the rest of your wallet do you? :-)

Kassi81

Anytime I eat anything in sandwich form, I put it on a toasted English muffin instead of bread. It's fewer calories than using two slices of bread, but it makes me feel like I'm having a whole sand which rather than eating a half a sandwich! Plus it's tasty. It's silly, but it helps me!

Losewtforlife4him

Kassi81 wrote: »

Anytime I eat anything in sandwich form, I put it on a toasted English muffin instead of bread. It's fewer calories than using two slices of bread, but it makes me feel like I'm having a whole sand which rather than eating a half a sandwich! Plus it's tasty. It's silly, but it helps me!

I've done that as well and it's good! Great minds... but I just bought fiber one multigrain bread and it is 100 calories for 2 slices. It's very yummy!

sarahpedrys

I try to make room for ice cream by the end of the night. If I have enough left over calories, then it's game on!

Officially_Rosey

dani741 wrote: »

Is there a recommended ratio of Protein, fats & carbohydrates that makes the weight loss plan fight the fat . The balance is confusing. I drink protein shakes in place of meals for times sake & some are 25 grams of carbs ... I then have a meal & a fruit of 2 along the day. I don't eat at night & what a painfully , slow process. Any help would be appreciated.

Try using tdeecalculator.net , it gives recommended percentages for macros (for weight loss, maintenance, bulking). It's quite a useful site.

vicky1947mfp

Lots of helpful hints here. Thanks.

samchez0

Water water water and...more water. Also allow room in your diet for foods you enjoy because life is too short to not enjoy the occasional treat.

angerlo

RebeccaParmenter wrote: »

lynette4 wrote: »

I LOVE ice cream. And if I keep it out of the house I will binge on it the next time I get some. Soooooo I always have some in the house and I have a weighed out serving every evening. I make sure to put it in a small cup so it actually looks like it is over flowing. lol. It helps me throughout the day to keep from eating other sweets because I know that ice cream is headed my way. I always just go ahead and put it in my calories in the morning so that way I can work around it

If you LOVE ice cream, you should try arctic zero. The stuff is amazing and you can eat a full pint of the vanilla for 150 calories. I always do vanilla and add some fun toppings. They have a website, instagram etc. Check them out!

Love this ice cream but find I like the chunky like brownie batter the best at 75 calories a serving u can't beat it

Etsar73

If I go over my calorie intake like a did BIG TIME two weeks ago, I carry it over to the next day/s or the next week/weeks! I overate by a lot so I took some of those calories and spread them out over two weeks. It's not 'out of mind and out of sight'. I used to just leave them and move on but it adds up. My body doesn't stop counting calories day to day, it's over time and evens out. I started working out for a while but it was the only time I stopped losing weight in my journey (almost 4 weeks of no weightloss). I am putting working out/gym on hold until I lose the weight (not much to go and it was my original plan). I do want to be healthy and not just thin and I was really enjoying gym. I have a very busy job so that is enough for now.

cory17

good ideas

Robo_mooh

I've made it more difficult to be lazy.

First I got a job where the only way to get to work was to walk (30 mins, there and back).
After about 8 month of this my office moved to a different city. I followed and found somewhere to live alongside a cycle path. I now do a 6 mile cycle to work everyday (and then back again!). I could get the bus, but it actually takes the same amount of time (or longer) on the bus because of rush hour traffic. The cycle ride wakes me up & now summer is approaching I'm really enjoying it.

I hate walking to the shops around the corner now (10 min walk), instead I jump on my bike and go to the bigger shop a bit further away (10 min cycle!)! Walking is much less fun when you can cycle there... wheeeee!

Find ways to add activity into your life, so that it's:
a) easier than the lazier option
b) something you enjoy!