What's your weird weight loss tip?
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Simply, the weirdest thing that I've learned is that you truly don't have to deprive yourself of anything. Before, I thought that you had to cut out carbs, eat "clean" (whatever that is), never eat junk food etc. But actually, there is a place for everything, as long as you have a balanced approach. If you have a massive burger one evening, that's all good - enjoy it. Just balance it out the next day(s), have a little less to try and make up a deficit. The key is to make it normal to eat all types of food so that when you have something "bad" it doesn't become a cycle of regret and then "ah well, I might as well give up and continue to eat bad". It's weird because the answer to weight loss is so deceptively easy, yet it is so difficult to get into the right mindset, given all the conflicting information we are bombarded with everyday.
The other thing I've learned is that you can make really fantastic and tasty meals from very simple, healthy ingredients. Cooking doesn't have to be fancy - it can be quick, affordable, and healthy. And you don't just have to eat plain grilled chicken and rice everyday to lose weight (unless you really like it
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J9LynnHelton wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »I love deserts, really really love deserts.
But.....
I can go to the fresh bakery counter at my local store desperate for a cake, spend 2-3 minutes looking at all the lovely creamy, chocolatey, gooey, cakes, imagining the taste of each and every one of them, then walk away with nothing.
I actually feel quite satisfied just looking at them and imagining the taste, I don't feel the need to eat one anymore.
Yes, I have sampled all the delights of that display case.
If I don't do that, I will hanker after a cake for the rest of the night- I have gone back looked, imagined, and walked away.
Cheers, h.
(Yes, my SO thinks I am strange)
Mine is similar, I watch cooking shows. There is something satisfying about watching them make these amazing meals, and listen to the judges describe them.
And yes my hubby thinks that is strange too!
I like to watch mukbangs/eating shows on YouTube. I live vicariously through them!0 -
baconbutt1996 wrote: »J9LynnHelton wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »I love deserts, really really love deserts.
But.....
I can go to the fresh bakery counter at my local store desperate for a cake, spend 2-3 minutes looking at all the lovely creamy, chocolatey, gooey, cakes, imagining the taste of each and every one of them, then walk away with nothing.
I actually feel quite satisfied just looking at them and imagining the taste, I don't feel the need to eat one anymore.
Yes, I have sampled all the delights of that display case.
If I don't do that, I will hanker after a cake for the rest of the night- I have gone back looked, imagined, and walked away.
Cheers, h.
(Yes, my SO thinks I am strange)
Mine is similar, I watch cooking shows. There is something satisfying about watching them make these amazing meals, and listen to the judges describe them.
And yes my hubby thinks that is strange too!
I like to watch mukbangs/eating shows on YouTube. I live vicariously through them!
Watching Drive Ins, Diners and Dives as I type this. My other favorites are Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.0 -
J9LynnHelton wrote: »baconbutt1996 wrote: »J9LynnHelton wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »I love deserts, really really love deserts.
But.....
I can go to the fresh bakery counter at my local store desperate for a cake, spend 2-3 minutes looking at all the lovely creamy, chocolatey, gooey, cakes, imagining the taste of each and every one of them, then walk away with nothing.
I actually feel quite satisfied just looking at them and imagining the taste, I don't feel the need to eat one anymore.
Yes, I have sampled all the delights of that display case.
If I don't do that, I will hanker after a cake for the rest of the night- I have gone back looked, imagined, and walked away.
Cheers, h.
(Yes, my SO thinks I am strange)
Mine is similar, I watch cooking shows. There is something satisfying about watching them make these amazing meals, and listen to the judges describe them.
And yes my hubby thinks that is strange too!
I like to watch mukbangs/eating shows on YouTube. I live vicariously through them!
Watching Drive Ins, Diners and Dives as I type this. My other favorites are Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.
Same here.. watching these shows makes me somehow satisfied, like I just ate these indulgent meals! I love "the best thing I ever ate".2 -
My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
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My biggest thing was really recognizing that hunger is not an emergency. If you ignore it, it goes away and you feel fine. I stopped snacking between meals and found it really easy to stick to my calorie goals. Dropped about 50lbs since January.
Ignoring hunger was helped hugely by stocking my work desk with teas (black, green, and herbal) and making a cup whenever I felt cravings. A cup of unsweetened fruit tea still tastes pretty sweet once your taste buds adapt to less sugar, and filling your stomach with something warm makes you feel satisfied. My one weird trick, I guess.4 -
My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
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Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »Stop eating things you don't like, it saves a lot of calories. It's a weird thing to say because who on earth would eat things they don't like, but you will understand what I mean when dig into some stale chips, wrinkle your nose in disgust, and for some reason beyond comprehension 2 minutes later you reach for more. Another example is when there is cake on the counter, you take a slice, take a bite and think to yourself "it's dry and not tasty at all" then proceed to eat the rest of it. It's mind boggling.
Bumping this because this is very sensible advice and often overlooked.
Things I don't like the taste of - alcohol, coffee, soda, etc. I stopped consuming. I realized drinking alcohol was a social thing for me and I only like fruity mixed drinks where I couldn't taste the liquor. I will still drink on special occasions, but it's not a frequent thing anymore. Same thing for coffee. I really only like coffee mixed with syrups and whipped cream. I've had it black or with just a little creamer and sugar and I just don't like the taste and I find with adequate sleep I don't need it.
There were also things I discovered I just don't miss. If I don't miss it there's no point in me wasting calories on it.6 -
My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.My one weird tip is that I still eat what I want for meals but I cut the portions in half of what I was normally eating. If I'm still hungry I have fresh/frozen vegetables on hand at all times and that's what I'll eat. When I go out to eat, depending on the potion size, I'll ask for a to go container right when my food comes out and put half of it or more away and out of sight so the temptation is gone to overeat. If my husband is with we'll just order one entree and split it. He'll normally get another side to fill him up. It worked for me and I'm 36 lbs. down since March 2017.
[/quot
Portions at restaurants are ridiculous anyways. 2-3 people can share one entree! If you look at the calories in one of these plates, it's like 1600-1800. A whole days worth.
You aren't kidding! Weirdly enough sharing a meal was a new concept to me. I grew up with a father that ate huge portions but managed to keep relatively thin so that's how I learned to eat. I've been lucky to inherit that fast metabolism; I had a friend once make the comment that if she ate as much as I did, she'd be 500lbs. So I'm fortunate that after a lifetime of eating bad, and I mean terrible I was only about 30lbs overweight. I started at 174 and I currently weigh 139. That's a healthy weight for my height of 5'9 (I'm female). My goal is 125. I know this sounds really thin for my height but I have a small frame. I was 125 ish throughout my college years and early 30's and that's when I looked my best. But if I don't lose anymore I'm fine with that too. I feel great with what I've already lost. I'm not going to kill my self getting to a number. Just going to resume my current eating pattern, which is still helping to drop the weight, just very slowly. If I get there, great, if not, that's cool too.0 -
sosta_vietata wrote: »My biggest thing was really recognizing that hunger is not an emergency. If you ignore it, it goes away and you feel fine. I stopped snacking between meals and found it really easy to stick to my calorie goals. Dropped about 50lbs since January.
Ignoring hunger was helped hugely by stocking my work desk with teas (black, green, and herbal) and making a cup whenever I felt cravings. A cup of unsweetened fruit tea still tastes pretty sweet once your taste buds adapt to less sugar, and filling your stomach with something warm makes you feel satisfied. My one weird trick, I guess.
I used to get more "hunger is an emergency" feelings before I started dieting. I attribute it to bouncing blood sugar levels. More protein and less sugar/carbs seemed to be the answer.
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Here's a weird tip: wearing clothes that make me feel light and thin affects the way I move and eat in subtle inexplicable ways. When I walk around the house in my 30 pounds too big baggy clothes I noticed I move a bit less and cut myself a bit more slack with food. Wearing "thin" clothes makes me more likely to naturally behave like a thin(er) person without deliberately trying.8
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When I think I'm hungry, but I shouldn't be. I drink a glass of water then paint my nails. Takes about 30 minutes for them to be done then if I am still hungry, I know I am truly hungry and eat something small. If not, then I know that I was just thirsty.2
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I chew sugar free gum any time I feel like needlessly eating or snacking and drink extra water it usually does the trick. I like the take a nap ideal but that won't work in my house1
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I use the small holes on the cheese grater - less cheese goes further. I love cheese.2
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »anechka1981 wrote: »My tip. If you decided to cut out sugar, don't even try to substitute it with sugar free items, like zero sugar lemonade with sucralose sweetener, or a diet coke. All these items will make you crave things several times more then usual. The same goes for all low calories savoury snacks with strong, fake (usually E additives) bbq or vinegar taste etc.
I don't know who "you" is, but it's not me. All of those things have been extremely helpful for me.
I have never liked sugary drinks and always used sugar free versions as mixers (the sugary versions made my teeth and tongue feel horrid). While I am now getting more into soda or tonic water, I can't say I have noticed any change in cravings.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »Here's a weird tip: wearing clothes that make me feel light and thin affects the way I move and eat in subtle inexplicable ways. When I walk around the house in my 30 pounds too big baggy clothes I noticed I move a bit less and cut myself a bit more slack with food. Wearing "thin" clothes makes me more likely to naturally behave like a thin(er) person without deliberately trying.
I do this, too. Nothing quite like wearing a crop top around the house to keep me from overeating.1 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »Here's a weird tip: wearing clothes that make me feel light and thin affects the way I move and eat in subtle inexplicable ways. When I walk around the house in my 30 pounds too big baggy clothes I noticed I move a bit less and cut myself a bit more slack with food. Wearing "thin" clothes makes me more likely to naturally behave like a thin(er) person without deliberately trying.
I do this, too. Nothing quite like wearing a crop top around the house to keep me from overeating.
Sounds great, I just need to get to the point I have clothes that are too big to replace lol0 -
I drink liquor instead of beer and eat salad instead of pasta- veggies instead of snacks and water instead of soda- well the crazy thing is I know I should do this but not always successful. So I guess it's crazy to think I can stick to this but will keep trying0
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I drink liquor instead of beer and eat salad instead of pasta- veggies instead of snacks and water instead of soda- well the crazy thing is I know I should do this but not always successful. So I guess it's crazy to think I can stick to this but will keep trying
I think it's crazy to think you can do that every day for the rest of your life, but it is not crazy to think you can do it most days to leave yourself room for a couple of pints at the weekend!
I am only just starting my healthier lifestyle (again) but when I dieted before (I am not looking at it as a diet this time!) I more than halved my old style pasta portions and found that bulking them up with salad/veg meant I still hit my carb craving without using all my "points".1
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