share your "staying on track" tips

NoSharpei

One of my "staying on track" tips is to prepackage healthy little snacks so, if I have guests or if I go out, I have my snack ready and can more readily avoid other, higher calorie options. One of my favorite snacks is a mix of cranberries, pumpkin seeds and almonds (I weigh them and bag them up myself.. 45 grams total for less than a 100 cals.. And yummy too!). What are the little things you do to stay on track? :drinker:

SkyMusic

Mmm, your seed mix sounds awesome!

I have to remember to make a LOT of food when I make healthy stuff. When I haven't eaten healthy, I get lazy and unhappy and then I just want chocolate. So when I do make broccoli or quinoa or yams, I make a LOT of it so it's easy to just grab. I can allow myself to be lazy sometimes and still eat healthy, lol.

tmarie2715

I just blogged about this!

If I am mindlessly snacking / craving something sweet, I eat a piece of hard candy. It takes a long time to dissolve and usually curbs my desire for something higher in cals and heavy in fat.

I also have been drinking a glass of water or tea before I eat, especially when I walk in the door to my house. I have been cramming my face as soon as I get home lately, half because it takes 10-15 to prepare food and half because I am starving after work! The water helps take the edge off the hunger and allows me the time I need to toss that veggie burger in the oven or pan fry that soy bacon for my sandwich / wrap.

Flab2fitfi

I have a packet of wine gums and have five every evening. Plus i took photos at the beginning and every time I feel like giving up I just take a look.

Nikstergirl

My best tips are: Schedule your workouts like a meeting. Don't make them optional, they are MANDATORY!!!! Whatever it is you're working toward, make a plan and stick to it!

Pre-log your food for the day. If you get in this habit it is much easier to turn down treats and such temptations when they come up. You can just say "this isn't in my plan today!" and eat what you've planned instead! I have a lot of tempations and treats at my office, so if I plan my day in advance I find it much easier to stick to my plan. Doing this has helped me IMMENSELY!!!!!

Serah87

I have it in my mind that I am going to do this and so far I'm doing good!!!

EAlexandraB

I track my food for the day in the morning - this eliminates that last-minute I'm-starving bad-choice-making scenario. I don't consider any foods off-limits because this is not a diet, but a conscious choice to regard food as fuel for my body. If I really want something, I will eat it if I can make it fit into my daily calorie needs. Any other choice would not be sustainable for me.

I have a bag of high-quality dark chocolate chips, and eat a few if I'm craving sweets. It takes the edge off without being a huge calorie "waste".

I have "helpers" to keep me accountable - I have two workouts per week with a personal trainer, and I never even consider skipping those (but if I did, the gym is IN MY APARTMENT BUILDING, and my trainer has my phone number, email, and twitter account, so I wouldn't get away with it ). For the workouts I do on my own, I schedule them in advance, then send the schedule to my mom. Nothing like the possibility of a maternal guilt-trip to motivate you to get your butt to the gym!

Perhaps most importantly, I remember my LONG-TERM GOALS. In the end, I have to want to be fit and healthy more than I want to skip one workout/eat 1000 empty calories/whatever. If you're making excuses, you don't want it bad enough.

Topsking2010

All are excellent tips but it comes down to how bad do you want to keep the weight off!!!

ScientistStudy

I've been pre-logging my meals so that I can see what my intake will be and it helps me stick to it. I think I will do the same for exercise too, then if I have to remove it I will guilt myself haha.

I've taken a picture of myself front view and side view and if I feel like giving up or having something I shouldn't I'm going to look at it. Also looking at people's before and after pictures help me, I look at them and think if someone else can do it so can I!

jlshaw77

Plan plan plan ... And include chocolate.

The biggest thing like others have said is planning ahead.

Flixie00

1. Set small achievable goals, and when you hit a goal, set another and press on i.e. fitting in an old piece of clothing
2. Keep a group of MFP pals for mutual support (remember that you get back what you put in)
3. Accept that on a few days you are going to go off track and don't beat yourself up about it
4. After a while, mix things up i.e. change your exercise routine
5. Don't rely on the scales for your sole measurement of success and don't weigh yourself too often

I am sure there are plenty of others, but these work for me.

bitesizeMelly

1. Drink lots of water, Water is the best way to get the full feeling with No Calories, if youre not a fan of water try lemonade with water,lemon and splenda, or even diet soda, black coffee, or other no calorie beverages

2. When i crave something sweet i eat a hard cand, have a couple m&m's, or have a tea with honey, that usually does the trick. I also am finding that since i've been eating really healthy i dont crave the junk i use to eat.

3. Throw away all the junk foods in your house, keep em away. Out of sight and out of mind. It wont give you the option to over indulge.

4. Always try your best and if you slip up a little bit dont dwell, tomorrow is another day so dont give up. Make being healthy a lifetime commitment not a phase

5. I dont have any friends being healthy with me so i love MFP my friends here are so supportive, and i always peek in peoples exercise and food diaries for inspiratin. it really helps.

good luck!

bradXdale

1. Drink lots of water, Water is the best way to get the full feeling with No Calories, if youre not a fan of water try lemonade with water,lemon and splenda, or even diet soda, black coffee, or other no calorie beverages

2. When i crave something sweet i eat a hard cand, have a couple m&m's, or have a tea with honey, that usually does the trick. I also am finding that since i've been eating really healthy i dont crave the junk i use to eat.

3. Throw away all the junk foods in your house, keep em away. Out of sight and out of mind. It wont give you the option to over indulge.

4. Always try your best and if you slip up a little bit dont dwell, tomorrow is another day so dont give up. Make being healthy a lifetime commitment not a phase

5. I dont have any friends being healthy with me so i love MFP my friends here are so supportive, and i always peek in peoples exercise and food diaries for inspiratin. it really helps.

good luck!

This!

ChelseaM18

Having the right mindset and thinking logically rather than spoofing myself.

'Every piece of food I eat will determine how my body will look' is something I use before I go to eat something that I don't necessarily need, even it's healthy.

mewaybright

Log everything... if you have to account for it you will be more willing to avoid the bad stuff. It is pretty difficult to log a slab of chocolate cake in your food diary on MFP and then complain when you don't lose any weight for the week...

WhitneyAnnabelle

Diet soda isn't a substitute for water or naturally flavored water

Sevasti_Titi

1. Drink lots of water, Water is the best way to get the full feeling with No Calories, if youre not a fan of water try lemonade with water,lemon and splenda, or even diet soda, black coffee, or other no calorie beverages

2. When i crave something sweet i eat a hard cand, have a couple m&m's, or have a tea with honey, that usually does the trick. I also am finding that since i've been eating really healthy i dont crave the junk i use to eat.

3. Throw away all the junk foods in your house, keep em away. Out of sight and out of mind. It wont give you the option to over indulge.

4. Always try your best and if you slip up a little bit dont dwell, tomorrow is another day so dont give up. Make being healthy a lifetime commitment not a phase

5. I dont have any friends being healthy with me so i love MFP my friends here are so supportive, and i always peek in peoples exercise and food diaries for inspiratin. it really helps.

good luck!

Sevasti_Titi

1. Drink lots of water, Water is the best way to get the full feeling with No Calories, if youre not a fan of water try lemonade with water,lemon and splenda, or even diet soda, black coffee, or other no calorie beverages

2. When i crave something sweet i eat a hard cand, have a couple m&m's, or have a tea with honey, that usually does the trick. I also am finding that since i've been eating really healthy i dont crave the junk i use to eat.

3. Throw away all the junk foods in your house, keep em away. Out of sight and out of mind. It wont give you the option to over indulge.

4. Always try your best and if you slip up a little bit dont dwell, tomorrow is another day so dont give up. Make being healthy a lifetime commitment not a phase

5. I dont have any friends being healthy with me so i love MFP my friends here are so supportive, and i always peek in peoples exercise and food diaries for inspiratin. it really helps.

good luck!



Good advice !!!
Thanks !!!!

Sabine_Stroehm

I have a packet of wine gums and have five every evening. Plus i took photos at the beginning and every time I feel like giving up I just take a look.

Wine gums?

mariiyah

i do the same as most people wrote above too...

drink plenty of water.
log everything into my food diary.
have pre-made healthy snacks ready to just grab from the fridge or wherever & eat it when i want food NOW :laugh:
when im craving something sweet i have fruit instead. mostly frozen berries, or make healthy smoothies with frozen fruit.
i look at the pictures of myself i took for my "before" (at starting weight) & get scared. that pretty much motivates me to keep on track.
when my family are sitting down to eat their takeaway meal or my favourite most unhealthy dinner i go out for a walk instead

but i now no longer crave for fast food/junk food. still i do all of the above because im used to it.

chocolate is my biggest weakness though.

GreenTeaForDays

log BEFORE you eat.