What was the first thing you changed?

faithful0609

Stopped having 2 glasses of wine each night, logging everything in to see how many calories I'm eating, and also got a food scale. using measuring spoon and scale to eat "real" portions instead of eye balling the food.

redtreediary

Cut out soda. Ten easy pounds. And, I was only drinking 1 can a day, when I quit. It's crazy how something like that adds up.

cdalrym

Cut out grains, drastically reduced alcohol consumption.

Grumpellina

Fast food was mostly out of the window, specially McDonald's, Burger King, etc.
Then came attempting to cook for myself, although that journey has been a rather bumpy one.

LainieMagoo

I cut out soda, fast food and... Unfortunately pizza!

seltzermint555

Before MFP:

walking a lot (miles per night most nights)

taking my lunch to work and choosing healthier foods for lunch at least, even if my breakfast and dinner still kinda sucked (like eating what my ex ate for dinner) I would get in a cucumber, baby carrots, some hummus, and fruit plus a lot of water.

only going out to eat for lunch with coworkers on payday Fridays (twice per month) instead of 3-4 days per week

Since joining MFP:

drastically cut down amount of cheese and butter in recipes

add veggies to everything if possible

drink way more water

caddy365

Changed the portions I eat. I leave 30 to 50% of the food on the plate at a restaurant....especially the starches and other carbs
If I do the serving, I cut it back substantially.

tmaryam

I changed my career path. As a hospital nurse, I used to work nights 7pm-7am, which often turned into 14-16 hr shifts with no breaks and sometimes no food (just coffee), so I didn't have the time nor energy to exercise or eat well or even care about my own health. Sometimes I'd get through a whole shift and realize I didn't even have time to use the restroom. Critical care nursing is BRUTAL. I was lucky if I could shove some food in my mouth before I had to move on to the next task. I was often limited to whatever sweets people brought in, or vending machine snacks, or nasty hospital cafeteria food because again, I was too exhausted to spend time cooking when I needed to be sleeping in order to take care of other people. I was pretty much a sloth on my days off. My life was a nightmare. The job was killing me slowly. After 10+ years, I burned out.

So I took charge of my life and decided to find a job that allowed me more personal freedom. I start my new job this month, working from home in Case Management for a health insurance company, and I can structure my day around my times of prayer (I am Muslim), which definitely gives me strict discipline. That discipline carries over into all aspects of my life, and now I find the time to take care of myself, to exercise, to cook healthy meals, and to rest properly. Best decision I ever made. :bigsmile:

cwrig

1. Cold Turkey on Sodas, sweet tea, and juice
2. Lowered Crabs to < 180 a day (little to no white carbs - bread, potato, rice...)
3. Tracking food on MFP

I've been loosing 1-2 lbs a week for last 3 months just doing that. Hope to add some consistent exercise next.

rosehips60

Logged every bite that went in my mouth (wow was that eye opening!) & upped my water

Left4Good

eating healthier

rosehips60

oh yeah, started to measure and weigh all food for portion control (also eye opening!)

Bookwitch

I changed my thinking and lost 100 pounds in 2 years.
The first thing I changed was my way of thinking. I threw the word "diet" right out the door! Why? Because I wasnt on a diet. A diet to me is something you do for awhile, you lose a few pounds and youre done with the diet. When a person has a bucket of weight we want to lose, you have to change the way you think. You cant think short term, you have to wrap your mind around the fact that you need to change not only the way you eat but your life also. Ex: If your an alcoholic that just got on the wagon you dont go sit in a bar where everyone is drinking but you. That is sure fire way to start drinking again. For us that need to lose pounds , the people we need to stay away from are those that eat out all the time, go to fast food places and so on. The more youre around that stuff at least until you get stronger in your mindset the faster I feel you will just be on a diet and not in it for the long haul.
I myself have 100+ pounds to lose, so I had to figure out what was most important in order to achieve this goal. Staying out of fast food resturants and buffets(that one bit me in the butt) was where I needed to start. Now Im not saying that you cant eat at those places but you really need to think about the menu before going and decide if its going to be a big juicey burger or a grilled chicken sandwich or a salad. And if you decide to go with the burger great go ahead ,just know that on that day you may gain a pound back that you lost last week. I know I love a juicey burger.
Back to what I was saying about the change of the way you think. I feel "diet " has a negative feel to it. Like its going to be torcher to lose any weight. But if you think Im going to change the way I eat. I feel it makes it feel as if it your decision to do this and youyr happy about that decision.
The second thing I changed was my lack of knowledge about label reading, calories vs. carbs, fiber and so on. I am diabetic, so I decided to educate myself and I did. I learned so much. AND I have lost weight. 100 pounds in 2 years.

bennettinfinity

I went cold turkey with the sodas.

Same here and switched almost exclusively to water or unsweetened tea.

suecatjkl

One of the first things: Got a heart rate monitor and realized that I needed to do more jumping jacks and added moves to get my heart rate up during exercise routines because I was not getting in the zone even though I was doing the moves. I hope it's working. I think it is.

Pattie74

Stopped eating fast food...I seriously was so addicted.

inspiredjen34

Stopped eating crap in bags, bowls, cans and freezer and fast food and started adding more fresh veggies, fruits, and making my own dinners. that is is the first step.

Eastmont87

To be honest, nothing. I prertty much eat like I used to. Maybe a bit less oil in the pan when I fry stuff, you just realize that one tablespoon of oil is about 120 calories. Daayum.

absinthexiii

Started using Stevia in my coffee instead of sugar. Portion control (was never crazy over large, but over enough), Carb cut. - Almost never eat pastas or potatoes. Eat very little bread, and eat smaller portions of healthier non pre-packaged rice.

JenJBS

Cutting down DRASTICALLY on sodas.

boombalatty123

Portion sizes! Started weighing and measuring, but eating all the same things. Went from serving whole pound of pasta for family of 3, to half a pound, often with leftovers.

Still eating pretty much all the same things, because always had a pretty good diet, but now also following calorie restrictions. Finally losing weight!

prattiger65

My mind.

SCSTWG

Replaced Diet Pepsi with water which did not directly gain me any calories but improved my health dramatically.

Veronikkka

Cut down my food portions, and bread. I didn't realised how big my portions were