Strangest aids to your weight loss

vegaslounge

Most of us share the same ways to achieve our goals. CICO, food scales, etc. I'm curious about the out-of-left field reasons we've discovered that help our "journey".

Mine is cross-stitch. I took it up the same day I recommitted to myself, and for a sedentary activity, it's helped me lose more steadily in the past couple of months than I have in ages. I'm a distracted snacker, I'll watch YouTube and drink a glass of wine and before I know it I'll scarfed down a sack of chips because I wasn't otherwise occupied. I keep my hands busy with cross-stitch and so, I don't mindlessly snack. Hell, I physically can't!

Anyone else have an activity or habit that sounds like it would have nothing to do with your weight/fitness goals, but has actually made a difference?

~Z

ItsyBitsy246

I'm a big fan of the cat nap. Can't eat while you're sleepin'! Works for me.

kommodevaran

CICO is what brings weight loss and is what everybody has to obey. How to not overeat is where the individual tips and tricks come in. (I just have to say.)

For me, dental care would be that strange weight loss (management) aid. I have to stop eating to floss, brush and rinse. This encourages me to stick to meals, and to have balanced, good meals; and real, good meals also eliminates the "need" to snack/graze. My teeth have suffered from both never stopping eating, and from what I ate. Don't want to be there anymore.

jolive7

Adequate fiber intake accounted for in your calorie intake

Machka9

University.

I started slowly working my way toward a Master's degree about a week after I started with MFP. I work full time plus I am taking one university course at a time.

It keeps me very busy!

StealthHealth

• Walking. A 30 mins walk at lunchtime increases my deficit very slightly but lifts my mood so much more.
• Coffee. Lots or it and strong too.
• Pre-logging my food.

StealthHealth

Actually similar to your cross stitch hobby, I find that I forget about everything else when I play my guitar - a quick 15 mins turns into 2 hours.

trigden1991

StealthHealth wrote: »

• Walking. A 30 mins walk at lunchtime increases my deficit very slightly but lifts my mood so much more.
• Coffee. Lots or it and strong too.
• Pre-logging my food.

I don't think the above are "strange" however I fully agree that these 3 are cornerstones to my success,

GothamVeggie

Brushing & flossing oddly helps me when I have a craving. Also, crushed ice--I guess for the oral fix, cooling sensation & no calories. The rule I learned from quitting smoking also helps...a craving doesn't actually last long unless you fixate on it--if you're hungry, eat a small snack, but make sure to do something to distract yourself.

Gallowmere1984

Walking around in a weighted vest while reading. Keeps the whole body busy, and if you do it in public, people act like you're pulling off a magic trick.

Beverly2Hansen

For me, constant fidgeting of all things actually holding a water bottle while listening to music and flipping it upside down/ right side up cut my snacks so much. Also I learned about eating something other than your craving to ward off high calorie late night snacking for example I want ice cream but I will eat either cottage cheese with pineapple or fresh chopped strawberries with 4oz vanilla yogurt mixed into it. Also starting to properlly hydrate as in actually looking up how much water you need and drinking it. Turns out it takes forever to drink all that water but often hunger is actually thirst so viola you're cutting calories

JenniferNoll

Pickled cherry peppers or pickled cauliflower. For some strange reason, the strong flavor of these foods will kill any craving I have, even for ice cream, chips, or brownies. I can't tell you why, but it works. The vinegary taste gives me the shivers, but all I have to do is eat one piece.

Need2Exerc1se

Biggest aid for me - Patience
Close second - high fiber diet

amusedmonkey

Video games during times I'm most likely to snack on random stuff. When both hands are busy and the story/gameplay is engaging, time passes quickly and it doesn't even occur to me to snack. Before I know it it's time for my next meal.

Gallowmere1984

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Video games during times I'm most likely to snack on random stuff. When both hands are busy and the story/gameplay is engaging, time passes quickly and it doesn't even occur to me to snack. Before I know it it's time for my next meal.

I lost 15 pounds playing The Witcher series. No lie.

lightenup2016

I have a desk job, but I work from home. A few years ago I bought a treadmill desk on Craigslist, so now I put in 2-3 hrs each day of walking at about 2.0 pace. It's not fast, but it keeps me moving such that I'm not on my rear all day, and I do get some calorie burn from it. Best investment I've made in a while!

RoxieDawn

Since I am a computer analyst that works from home, set my activity watch to go off every hour. I can take laps around the house or take the garbage out even if there is no garbage.

Post it notes at eye level on the kitchen cabinet door! When really busy and concentrating on a work problem, been notorious for unconscionably grabbing something..

Decaf coffee in the p.m.

Hobby in the evenings, I make custom jewelry.

jemhh

Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

Walking around in a weighted vest while reading. Keeps the whole body busy, and if you do it in public, people act like you're pulling off a magic trick.

I walk on the treadmill while reading. Do you walk around outside while reading?

dragon_girl26

Drawing and listening to podcasts.

If I do both of these activities at the same time, I get so into what I'm doing that I actually get annoyed when I get so hungry that I have to get up and fix myself dinner.

acmorris77

Coldeez, or any zinc tablet. It totally takes away your appetite because it makes your taste buds numb. I learned this when I had a cold. It's not pleasant, it helps if a 3 o'clock craving for office donuts happens!