What's the best SMALL change you've made?

LC458

cutting out sugar!

made a huge difference

This^^^ the weight literally fell off me when I did. Better attitude too I eat some sugars but a whole lot smaller amount and usually from fruits so I'm getting vitamins and fiber.

LC458

I stopped celebrating with food. I mean this more as a family/friends thing, not as a self-reward for losing weight (I use new running shoes for that!).

My current boyfriend is a cyclist and instead of celebrating by say, going out to dinner or for icecream or whatever, we map a bike tour or hike and take a mini adventure. There is still food brought along, it's a part of the experience, but it's so great to not have food be the central focus of time spent with others.

Wow what an amazing idea. I think I might try the same. I'm no cyclist but maybe going for a hike or something

Tigermum9

whole milk to skimmed milk and rice instead of chips.

PennyVonDread

We went to the beach to play badminton and volleyball. It doesn't have to be a bike ride. The memories and pictures you get from these kinds of experiences I find to be very fulfilling. I come from a very food centric upbringing, with a very traditional house-wifey Grandma who made huge meals, and associated family everything with meals, food, dessert, punchbowls...

My brother and boyfriend are always down for going out and doing something active. It's a (literal) nice change of pace. Some people really appreciate quality time and it's a lot less boring than poking around the dive bars...

Velum_cado

I dunno, I guess I feel the whole experience has been a series of small changes. I don't think there's one that stands out as the best. Only eating "junk food" on the weekends, I suppose?

The best changes have been the big ones, for me.

momxs2

1. Gave up cream and sugar in my coffee and I don't bother wasting calories on drinks - water only for me!!

2. Oil n vinegar for salad dressing or almost "NO" dressing because if you fill your salad with great veggies and a hard boiled egg toss it all around...you almost don't need dressing!!

3. Pack your lunch for work!!!!!!!

4. Less cardio and more weights!! This very much so works for me!! Never believed the hype til now!!!

Never noticed before how easy this all was and so mad it took me so long to realize!

Love reading everyone's small changes! Great post!!

Karissa_Clohan

The best small change I've made is drinking enough water.
I've never been a huge soda fan, but I do tend to drink my calories via milk/coffee drinks/processed juices. Since I've decided to ditch all that, my water intake has increased from about 3 cups a day to easily over 8. I am now well hydrated, have clear skin, and easier weight loss!

sparklelioness

Yes, cutting out soda or any drinks with calories really. I drink water all the time now, it's just normal to me, whereas before I would only drink it as a last resort, lol. I have a glass or two of iced tea a week now, that's it, it's a "splurge" for me now. Made a huge difference, I probably took in at least 600 cals a day just on beverages before I switched to water.

jen_zz

I stopped celebrating with food. I mean this more as a family/friends thing, not as a self-reward for losing weight (I use new running shoes for that!).

My current boyfriend is a cyclist and instead of celebrating by say, going out to dinner or for icecream or whatever, we map a bike tour or hike and take a mini adventure. There is still food brought along, it's a part of the experience, but it's so great to not have food be the central focus of time spent with others.

awesome!

seltzermint555

When I first started out losing weight pre-MFP, cutting way down on Starbucks lattes and mochas was my biggest "little" change too.

My best small change more recently, though, is eating a little more at lunchtime and usually including something sweet. Before I was eating around 300 cal for lunch and "saving" like 700+ cal for dinner and I found myself craving sweets in the afternoon and feeling dizzy and hungry by 5 when leaving work and 'hangry' if I couldn't eat by 6 for sure. Now I usually eat a lunch that's around 400-500 and often ends with a square of dark chocolate and I feel great until 6 pm and can wait even longer for dinner when necessary without feeling foggy and irritated.

MBrothers22

Not having fast food all the time. I've had it twice in the 2 months I've started MFP and I always make sure it fits in my calories. Also no soda. Just empty unnecessary calories. Cutting those out I sometimes feel like I HAVE to eat so I don't have such a huge deficit

knutsk

Eating the same breakfast and lunch everyday.
Both meals are nutrient-heavy, comparatively low-cal, and delicious. It makes my life so much easier not to have to worry about 40% of my daily calories, and also limits the willpower I have to use choosing what to eat in a day.
I still get to choose my snacks and make a great dinner, which wouldn't be as pleasant if I had to focus on breakfast and lunch as well.

DeterminedFee201426

My mind

seltzermint555

Eating the same breakfast and lunch everyday.
Both meals are nutrient-heavy, comparatively low-cal, and delicious. It makes my life so much easier not to have to worry about 40% of my daily calories, and also limits the willpower I have to use choosing what to eat in a day.
I still get to choose my snacks and make a great dinner, which wouldn't be as pleasant if I had to focus on breakfast and lunch as well.

Although I do not eat the SAME thing every day, I can totally relate to this. Especially during the week days but even on the weekends to some extent, I have developed a mini menu of go-to meals for breakfast (around 200 cal) and lunch (around 400-500 cal) that I switch between and they help me to meet my calorie and macro goals and then have more freedom in what I can eat at dinnertime. That helps so much!

Adc7225

Cooking and taking my lunch to work, I was surprised at how much I enjoy eating my own cooked food!

zaellany

The best change I made (which may seem small to some, and large to others) was to stop thinking about food as either "allowed" or "not allowed," and realizing I really can eat anything I want as long as I plan for it and log it. I am losing weight and actually eating more chocolate and ice cream (in small portions) than I was before. This is the only eating plan I have ever been on where I haven't felt like I was missing out on something, and felt cranky about it.

One other good change was that my efforts to get out every day and walk or bicycle have rubbed off on my son and my husband, who now come with me almost every day. My son is not overweight, but being more active has been really good for him, and I feel like he is learning good habits.

rak173

1) Coffee only. Lattes and such will probably be more like a monthly treat
2) While I do not weigh all my ingredient yet, I am slowly working my way to that..makes a difference!
3) I eat small meals/snacks often!
4) I love going out to eat on the weekends, frequency and what I order/how much I eat are changing slowly.

anallydiaz

Eating less. I used to fill my plate and eat it all. I have learned a lot about portion control and it feels good to know when I am full and not feeling like a pig after a meal.

alisonmarytuck

Cutting my portions of everything I eat except salads, fruit and vegetables!! Those portions tend to be bigger

amirahdaboss

I cut out sodas and juices, drinking 95% water. I've also severely restricted my pasta and rice consumption. It's made a huge difference

xWendyJonesx

I've cut out my weekly take away, now I treat myself to a nice piece of fish or meat and make a nice healthy meal with it, it's much nicer than the takeaways I was having, I really feel like I'm having a treat.
My second change is simply to reduce my portion size, I eat what I like just less of it, I don't feel deprived of my favourite foods then.

sikanna

Measuring food.
It was such a small step, but it made a big difference for me.

looseseal

Making an effort to walk/exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, usually at least 60 minutes. Might seem small to most, but I have been VERY sedentary for a long time and just in the last week, I can feel the difference its making in my health.

I found an app (iphone/itouch) called 'Human'. It tracks how much you move each day with the goal being to 'reach your daily 30'. It's a very simple app, beautiful background pics. Each day you 'reach your daily 30' you move up a level and the pics change with the level. It also has a week's worth of circles at the bottom that turn orange for 30 min/day; blue for 60 min/day; yellow for 90 min/day and so on. It runs in the background, will send you a notification when you've met your 'daily' goals. No step tracking or cals or anything, just movement. It's very simple but I find very effective .... makes me want to get up and move more to ensure I get those circles filled. A very pretty app, and it's free.

jenabugg

Cut out all fake sugar and diet food.

looseseal

Cutting back on sugar has got to be the best thing anyone can do. I am GOBS less tired and cranky and just realized the other day that I no longer need that 3pm cup of coffee. Of course when I DO have mah coffee you bet I still put in 2tspn of sugar and 1/4 cup whole milk. :drinker:

RayBlueboy

Reducing the food I eat between meals.

x_Samtastic

The best small change for me was cutting out soda and swapping it for plenty of water. Granted, I still will allow myself to get a soda if I'm out to eat with family or friends, but I'm finding that I prefer water in these instances too! Really feel great about it

jr235

Cutting out most unnecessary sugars. I still bake with sugar, maybe once a month, and eat ice cream, maybe once or twice a week, but on a day to day basis I don't add sugar to anything. I used to drink coffee or tea LOADED with sugars, and now I don't add anything except a bit of honey to my tea.

Eating more fresh fruit. I find this really helps to control my sugar cravings. There is a huge difference on days I don't get in my fresh fruit and days I do.

Green smoothies. When I feel like I've eaten too much junk and have that yucky bloated feeling, or just when I'm feeling especially run down and/or stressed I'll skip a meal for a green smoothie or two and a big pitcher of fresh mint and fresh orange/lemon/lime/whatever slices. I'm not sure if its the all the nutrients or just the fact I'm getting a ton of extra water into my body, but I always feel better afterwards.

Not eating if I'm not hungry. Previously I would always eat at meal times even if I wasn't hungry. Now this is only true for breakfast because I know if I don't eat I'll be starving by 10am. I'm fine just sitting down for a meal with the family only sipping on some water or tea.

The last two and cutting back on sugar are more recent changes and have really helped me. I'm pregnant and for a few weeks was packing on the pounds, but especially using the last two my weight gain has slowed waaaay down to a much more appropriate amount.

Lilenatalem

No carbs after lunch. I cannot stress how EASY this was. Instead of rice/potatoes etc at dinner I eat 2 veggies at dinner. I lost 8 lbs just with this one change when I first started on this journey. I also limit my carbs. I would give them up but damnit I like a piece of wheat toast with my sunny side up eggs! =D

Also I drink ALOT of water. =p But I'm sure we all do.

wozkaa

Sounds strange, but eating more often.
I used to get into the habit of 2-3 meals a day plus hower many coffee/teas I can drink. Now I try to mke sure I have a mid morning snack like a piece of fruit or yoghurt, and an afternoon snack if I need it.
Basically I make sure I don't get ravenous and make bad, desperate choices.