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

sabrina19782014

Eating smaller portions and when I'm full, I actually stop eating and stop trying to force myself to eat it all.

this is me also drinking a heap more water

sabes_178

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.

Shell_7609

Seriously cutting down on pop, I'll drink it once a week, if that. Also I've quit going to buffet restaurants because every time I go, I feel I have to "get my moneys worth" so I eat way too much

doctorsookie

I started drinking my coffee black.

NaomiJFoster

Wiser menu choices when dining out. And not forcing myself to finish a restaurant portion when dining out. And less frequent dining out.


Restaurants were my Achilles Heel.

mickey9694

cutting out soda and other sugary drinks. the only things i drink now are whole milk, coffee, and water.

PennyVonDread

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.

15Nov2013

Working out twice a week ... best thing i have ever done

TheWorstHorse

hands down winner: measuring ingredients.

second place: logging calories in and out.

third place: simplifying the meals that I eat for fuel... i eat the same breakfast and lunch four to seven days a week. tasty. fast. nutritious. i don't have to think about calories or macros and its easy to log.

My third choice was a surprise. I *love* food: cooking it, eating it, sharing it with others. I figured that eating the same thing almost every day for breakfast and lunch would be a drag. It isn't... the truth is most of my breakfasts and lunches are pit stops: I refuel and go.

I still have regular foodgasms by cooking outrageous meals, eating out and sharing food with others and I worry less about the effects of doing so because two-thirds of my meals are really predictable. But simplifying wouldn't work nearly as well without the first two changes.

linka411

Dropping chips. I think I tend to go a little nuts on them, so I pretty much just don't buy them anymore.

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.