Name one weight loss tip that worked for you besides tracking
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1. Mindful eating. I remember to savour every (tiny) bite. It takes me longer to eat, and that gives me time to feel full when I've finished what I intended to eat for that meal. Also it's a lot more enjoyable than eating in a hurry.
2. Doing a weights routine regularly. I only have 5-pound hand weights, but doing weights about 3 times a week has given me faster metabolism and shapely arms for the first time in my life.
3. Eliminating aerobics. I used to do this 6 times a week, but it didn't help me lose weight. I'm sure it was good for my bones and heart, but it hurt my knees, so I stopped doing it. I listen to my body. Usually it wants weights, yoga, or Barre.
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Find an activity you really love to be your go to exercise. Mine is Zumba. I don't need to leave the house and it is fun.6
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For me success comes with a high-protein, high fiber diet; at my height, gender and age I was told I could have a max of 120 g protein per day, so I go with 100-120 grams and rarely miss it. For me, that means eating 4-5 meals per day and that works out because I LOVE to eat and would graze continually if I didn't have a meal every few hours. I'm also walking 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) or more per day (finally) and find the weight comes off more quickly when I get those miles in, especially when I focus on walking fast enough for cardio benefits (at least 65% of 220-age).3
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For me success comes with a high-protein, high fiber diet; at my height, gender and age I was told I could have a max of 120 g protein per day, so I go with 100-120 grams and rarely miss it. For me, that means eating 4-5 meals per day and that works out because I LOVE to eat and would graze continually if I didn't have a meal every few hours. I'm also walking 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) or more per day (finally) and find the weight comes off more quickly when I get those miles in, especially when I focus on walking fast enough for cardio benefits (at least 65% of 220-age).
I don't track protein really, but I'm like you in that I eat continuously throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, snack, snack, dinner! Sometimes I eat part of my lunch an hour before lunch! I also find that walking, strolling even, helps so much to see the weight come off. I am 5' 2.5" 52 year old female, 125 lbs now.3 -
Remembering how badly I felt (physically) when eating bad. For example, I was able to overcome temptation the other day with some Chick Fil A lemonade. Man, that's the BEST lemonade ever, but last time I drank it, it bloated me and the pain radiated to my back and I remember telling myself that I will NEVER drink it again. It made me feel HORRIBLE (physically)5
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Shape Reclaimed through my Chiropractor, along with Yoga by Adriene and MFP. Being mindful for 9 months lost 10 lb-15lbs but it took movement, dedication, Homeopathic therapy, clean eating, and checking in with my doctor to succeed to 33 lbs. on this journey.2
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When I open a bottle of water, throw away the cap.5
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Needlepoint! After dinner, we usually watch some anime and eat junk, found that to be a SUPER hard habit to break. Started doing needlepoint instead and it keeps my hands busy enough to not even realize I'm not snacking. When I take breaks from it I try to drink tea so my hands are holding onto something.6
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Meal planning is key to me. I plan meals for the entire week in advance before I shop for groceries.1
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Aside from pre-logging my food for the day in the morning, the strategies that worked for me were mostly related to tricking my self into thinking I was full by eating high volume, low calorie foods either for, or with my main meals. For example, for breakfast I make either a large protein shake (with frozen strawberries, protein, almond milk) or a large egg white omelette. For dinner having a large salad, no dressing (use salsa and Taijin for a low calorie alternative) before dinner. Also, I suck at drinking water, but I love Mio, so drinking 24 oz of water before a meal really helps stop me from grabbing a second plate.
Also, when I was losing, I always budgeted for a big night time snack to reward myself for staying under my calorie goal. I know they say not to eat after dinner, but I look forward to my giant bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda every day
. It was sort of like positive reinforcement for me, so if I was close to my calories for the day already I get sad that I can't have my night snack 😋 0 -
It's been mentioned but the biggest tip is to find what works best for you and STICK WITH IT! It's a journey, not a sprint. There are no quick fixes - sometimes you have good days and sometimes you eat your weight in chocolate (ha, ha).
Personally I only eat 3 meals per day and try not to eat/drink anything after 7 pm. I eat the EXACT same thing every day for breakfast and lunch, just varying the dinner meal. This really helps me stay consistent, though I realize it might get boring for some. Calories are still king so I manage to stay within 100-200 calories of my goal each day. I exercise 5 days per week which consists of 4 days of strength training (weights) and 1 day of cardio. My cardio each week is only 45 min cycling class. I found that DECREASING the amount of cardio I was doing was the ticket for me! I don't enjoy cardio and the shorter bursts of intensity that come with cycling class are all that I need.
I've lost 50+ lbs using these tips and have managed to keep it off for almost 7 yrs now.3 -
JustRamona wrote: »looking for reduced the calorie of everything I eat. Yes, have the bread-but the 40 calorie/slice. Yes have the mayo-but light mayo. yes have the salad dressing--choose fat free. yes have the xxxxxxxxx saves hundreds of calories per day
This!
I found this has helped immensely! Coffee creamers, cheese, meats, choose the lower fat content for each of these and you will have a lot less calories over all!
And not drinking my calories.
I also found that I need at least 20g of protein at each meal in order for me not to over eat.2 -
Just like taking a bath, brushing your teeth, etc etc… exercise and controlling your intake should be items to add to those daily routines.
Do it as a sustainable lifestyle for your life..
Fad dieting may help you get to a #, but if its for that reason you subscribe to it well most folks go back to old habit as soon as # is achieved. I’ve seen many folks drop weight on liquid, keto etc etc. and within a year they’re back to old habits, not tracking, skipping WOs. I truly believe that exercise and nourishment go hand in hand. Do what works for you.4 -
Not eating breakfast on weekdays, just coffee.2
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1) planning snacks to keep in my desk at work, rather than relying on the vending machine
2) building activity into my life (getting off the subway a stop earlier in the morning, walking to a further stop in the evening, taking the stairs instead of elevators, walking up escalators, parking further away from the entrance when running errands) so that I didn't have to carve out blocks of time to increase my activity level
3) finding activities I enjoyed doing so that I would carve out blocks of time for them -- starting out, it was as simple as turning up the music and dancing around my living room.
ETA
4) focused more on the good things (protein, fiber, more veggies) that I wanted more of in my diet, rather than worrying about "bad" things that I wanted to reduce in my diet.
On the intake side, I thing logging was the major thing that made the difference for me, so I had a hard time coming up non-logging food tips.3 -
Over the years, BESIDES tracking, these are the things that have helped the most, and led to the most success I've had at various times in order of most to least effective:
1. Eating low(er) carb (below 100g net carbs/day) and higher protein/fats - this was effective more than anything else below due to the simple fact that I was pretty well satiated on it. Not being hungry all the time was huge! In fact, many days I was having to "force" myself to eat my full calorie allotment, NOT something any other diet set up has resulted in. ISSUES were it made eating out more complicated, and many quick foods tend to be pretty high carb, so that was also an issue. It was also a fairly expensive way to eat.
2. Cutting back on liquid calories, especially in the form of soda which I effectively eliminated after figuring out my "trigger" (which was bubbles - so any fizzy water, no sweetener has killed that urge).
3. Exercise - regular exercise helps with my diet - motivates me to stay more on my diet than I want to when I'm not working out.
4. Planning ahead (I'm bad about this one though).2 -
1. Drinking water first before grabbing food.
2. Greatly limit snacking while watching TV. And not snacking at all if I'm not hungry. Even if the snack is a healthy one.2 -
Distinguishing actual hunger from a craving. If you are eating your calories and macros for the day, the feeling you get at night is NOT hunger. It is a craving. Get past it.4
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1) IF as a lifestyle 2) Cut out the snacking, it spikes my insulin creating weight loss resistance. I eat two meals a day 3) Daily refection on food & macro/micro intake as well as recording weight daily, Inspires and makes me aware of what creates success 4) Eating nutrient dense food that fuels my brain as well as my body - fresh produce is critical for health and energy level 5) Increase deep sleep 6) HIIT daily...we all know that it takes 3500 deficit to lose a pound. You can walk 5 miles a day for 7 days to lose one pound or do a quick HIIT session to raise your metabolism.... 7) Only eat food that I enjoy within my parameters 8) Incorporate stress relieving strategies 9) Patience...transformation is a lifetime goal.
Each of us is different. Your journey will reveal what is right for you. I love my lifestyle and it works for me.1 -
pcrozier99 wrote: »Distinguishing actual hunger from a craving. If you are eating your calories and macros for the day, the feeling you get at night is NOT hunger. It is a craving. Get past it.
Sadly, the lack of disagree button... means that I have to, respectfully, and hopefully without derailing a wonderfully interesting thread, insert a comment!
Is it worth trying to learn how to distinguish between cravings and hunger? Absolutely worthwhile for many of us.
But is eating one's calories and macros for the day a sufficient condition to distinguish between the two?
It depends on the actual proximate and cumulative size of your deficit. And your current degree of energy reserves. And on what else may be going on.
So no it isn't a sufficient condition.5 -
I don't track calories - I cut out added sugar and highly processed food, eat 30-40 grams of fibre a day, and don't eat after dinner. (I am a binge eater - moderation doesn't work for me.)2
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Focus on the 90%, not the 10%.3
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walking daily2
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pcrozier99 wrote: »Distinguishing actual hunger from a craving. If you are eating your calories and macros for the day, the feeling you get at night is NOT hunger. It is a craving. Get past it.
Sadly, the lack of disagree button... means that I have to, respectfully, and hopefully without derailing a wonderfully interesting thread, insert a comment!
Is it worth trying to learn how to distinguish between cravings and hunger? Absolutely worthwhile for many of us.
But is eating one's calories and macros for the day a sufficient condition to distinguish between the two?
It depends on the actual proximate and cumulative size of your deficit. And your current degree of energy reserves. And on what else may be going on.
So no it isn't a sufficient condition.
Split hairs all you like. Point remains the same. Unplanned snacking is mostly out of habit or boredom. It is not due to hunger.1 -
pcrozier99 wrote: »pcrozier99 wrote: »Distinguishing actual hunger from a craving. If you are eating your calories and macros for the day, the feeling you get at night is NOT hunger. It is a craving. Get past it.
Sadly, the lack of disagree button... means that I have to, respectfully, and hopefully without derailing a wonderfully interesting thread, insert a comment!
Is it worth trying to learn how to distinguish between cravings and hunger? Absolutely worthwhile for many of us.
But is eating one's calories and macros for the day a sufficient condition to distinguish between the two?
It depends on the actual proximate and cumulative size of your deficit. And your current degree of energy reserves. And on what else may be going on.
So no it isn't a sufficient condition.
Split hairs all you like. Point remains the same. Unplanned snacking is mostly out of habit or boredom. It is not due to hunger.
Actually, for me, the occasional well-chosen snack was a help in managing relative hunger that occurred when a meal wasn't soon on my schedule. It helped me avoid over-eating when mealtime did arrive, so helped me stick with my calorie goals. Since these events happened at random times, it wasn't about habit; and they were often when I was out and about running errands and such, so boredom wasn't typically a factor.
Eating pattern preferences and tactics are individual, and they aren't some kind of moral test. If not snacking works for you, that's great, sincerely.
And yes, if someone is snacking out of habit or boredom, it's best to address the root cause directly: Find a new habit, find some engaging non-eating activity to eliminate the boredom. If the root problem isn't hunger, fueling or nutrition, the solution isn't eating.8 -
I'm new on this journey, but a couple things that haven't been mentioned repeatedly so far.
1. education about why and how the body stores fat so I could make better dietary choices. I've found this very interesting and can't wait to hear more and more podcasts on the same subject. Weird, but motivating for me.
2. switched to a savory breakfast. I'm a morning eater, so continuing the fast won't be my method.
3. Understanding my body reduced its metabolic rate shortly after I consistently reduced my calories, so I needed a plan to counter that as well.
I wish everyone success. Thank you for sharing great tips and tricks and being a supportive community.4 -
Eat healthy homemade foods. Find things you love to eat that you know are good for you. Eat all of that when you are hungry2
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Trying to include at least one if not two walks per day, even though I’ve already worked out. Walking is so important, Especially after a meal.
When I’m hungry, I eat a small meal (200-400 calories) rather than some tiny snack that leaves you hungry. Especially avoiding your typical carby snack/junk food that never leaves me full. I Shoot for something higher protein/fat than carb for any extra snacks in the day.
Drinking more water than I thought humanly possible. I will drink at least one or two pint glasses of water when I THINK I’m hungry, then reassess. The whole “you’re probably thirsty rather than hungry” mantra is actually true!3 -
Figuring out your "non-negotiables" and finding ways to work them into your overall plan. For me, a sweet treat at the end of the day is non-negotiable. I find that it tells my brain we're done eating for the day, so I always leave calories on the table for that. Little things like that make the process so much easier!2
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