How to be Successful

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  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    try having diet drinks/water instead of full fat soda... and as has been said. try and get out of the habit of eating out so much

    Where do I find the full fat sodas?
  • hendinerik
    hendinerik Posts: 287 Member
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    Trying filling your diet with foods you prepare.. Have healthy snacks at the ready. Focus on plenty of protein and fiber.

    These things really go a long way.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I log everything on MFP, but I'm also an "online Weight Watchers" member and convert the info on MFP to WW points. MFP is usually a little on the low side....but with doing the WW points, I feel like I have a range that I'm not going to beat myself up if I go over MFP number, but am still within WW points range. (hope that makes sense)

    You can still eat out - but it's definitely a case of "choose your doom..." If you want fries, don't get a bun on your sandwich, and/or ask the server not to bring the complimentary bread to the table. Rather ask yourself, "If I'm going to have a carb at this meal, what's it going to be?" so you don't go overboard on carbs. Try to get high protein items.

    Here's a link to my blog of things that have helped me along the way:
    http://baysweightloss.blogspot.com/2012/05/things-that-have-helped-along-way.html

    For what it's worth...
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
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    Great advice here. I never eat processed food or drink soda. You might try tracking your sodium. Looks like there might be way too much.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    1st advice: stop eating out so much. I only went back 4 days and I see TGI Fridays, Dominos (twice), Chick-fila, and another.

    2nd advice: no reason to estimate calories on anything. If it's not in the database, find out what's in it and add it yourself. You can eat in moderation but you must eat real healthy food.

    I am cutting down on how much I eat out. When you see something twice, like Dominos, it is the leftovers that I am eating. I don't estimate on things that I can find the nutritional information form. Hard to do for sushi and other things that are fixed at home. That is the difficulty I am having.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    If you find it hard to stay within your calories-- start with baby steps. Just for today and tomorrow, drink 8 cups of water and then the next 2 days, eat 1 less piece of bread or roll. This is called easing yourself into your goals! If it takes you 3 weeks to finally eat at your given calories-- then you have just done an awesome job! Who really cares how long it takes you? This is your personal journey and best of luck to you!

    Thank you!
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    try having diet drinks/water instead of full fat soda... and as has been said. try and get out of the habit of eating out so much

    regular soda does not have fat.

    it has sugar. a lot of sugar

    I have done really good at drinking mostly water. When I do have a soda, it is only one. I have honestly tried hard to switch to diet soda for that "fix" but it gives me headaches.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    First you have to get into a mind set that you WANT to lose the weight MORE than you want to eat what you want. Telling yourself you can do this with "moderation" or "without deprivation" typically means you aren't "there" yet.

    I'm sorry, I'm not being mean but just by what you typed and the way you asked your question I know that you aren't "there" yet. When you get there, here is what really helped me.

    The secret to my success - planning. Planning, Planning, Planning. Know what and where you will eat tomorrow today. Pre-log what you "can" eat (using a balance and your macros to guide you). That way you won't feel deprived and you will have less of a reason to "veer off course". I found when I was losing, the best way to lose was to limit eating out, make 90% of my own food (so I knew what was going into my body), and telling myself if I wanted to change what I pre-logged (say a friend asked me to go to dinner that evening short notice or to a Happy Hour) I had to work out to compensate for those extra calories. I picked the best thing on the menu for my body that still tasted good and instead of having 2 beers I had 1. I drank water like it was my job, I quit soda, I made sure I ate a veggie with at least 2 meals a day (sometimes a couple at each) and a lean protein (eggs, chicken breasts, lean turkey, etc). I didn't let myself go "full hog" on weekends, in the "losing weight/getting healthy" arena weekends are just like any other day, not a reason to lose all control.

    If you want it, it will happen and there will be MANY people in the same boat around here to help you out. Good luck!

    I guess I didn't post correctly. I am there and I am doing okay for losing weight. Since I began I have lost 4 pounds. It is coming off one pound a week, which what I read is pretty good. I do realize that I need to stop eating out. I am getting there with that. The hurdle I am trying now to overcome at home is that I live with a husband and son who can eat anything. I am trying to find the balance with grocery shopping because we can't afford to shop for two different eating habits....

    Thanks for the advice.
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
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    One thing that really helped me was setting my macros and then monitoring sodium and fiber. In order to meet my fiber goal and stay under my sodium goal I have to eat way more healthy and I really have to plan to have something like pizza (which I do on occasion.) Find out your TDEE and eat 15% less or eat at the TDEE for your goal weight. Log every day. Give it some time. Keep reading the information people post on these forums--most of it is valuable. That is how to be successful IMHO.
  • BlackKat75
    BlackKat75 Posts: 210 Member
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    Hard to do for sushi and other things that are fixed at home. That is the difficulty I am having.

    It's a little hidden, but there's actually a recipe tracker here on MFP. It's under the Food tab - click on recipes and then you can add a recipe, put in all of the ingredients and the number of servings and then it'll tell you the calories and nutritional breakdown. I cook the vast majority of all our food from scratch and the recipe builder has been a real lifesaver. It can be a little fiddly to use initially, but once you have a recipe in there, you can re-use it.

    As for keys on being successful - start slowly. I started here in February and just started tracking half-heartedly. I slowly got more and more into it. Stopped drinking diet soda, and started drinking crystal light. Then I stopped drinking crystal light and started only drinking water. Similarly, started to cook more at home and eating less processed food. Started walking nearly every day, then I started C25K, now I run every other day and walk the other days. Don't feel like you have to make *all of the changes* in one day. A lot of it is a process of finding what works for you.

    Oh and get yourself a good easy-to-use kitchen scale. This is the most important tool if you want to make your tracking as accurate as possible. And always measure by weight rather than volume because volume measurements are often incorrect and underestimate the calories per serving.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
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    try having diet drinks/water instead of full fat soda... and as has been said. try and get out of the habit of eating out so much

    regular soda does not have fat.

    it has sugar. a lot of sugar

    I have done really good at drinking mostly water. When I do have a soda, it is only one. I have honestly tried hard to switch to diet soda for that "fix" but it gives me headaches.

    Maybe you just need to give up soda. Even just 4 cans a week is 600 or 800 completely empty calories. There are better options that will actually help you meet your macros (protein, vitamins, fiber, etc) and keep you fuller for that same 600 to 800 calories.

    The other thing is, you really need to think twice before eating calorie dense foods like takeout pizza, deep fried chicken sandwiches, and french fries. Maybe allow yourself one of these indulgences a week, not every day or even 4 or 5 times a week.

    Finally, when it comes to eating fast food, you really need to pick very carefully. I can relate, as I love that sort of food, and eating too much of it contributed to my weight gain. Here are a few things I do.

    Get the lowest calorie option you can.
    Pizza places - Thin crust plain cheese, or with vegetable toppings. Avoid deep dish or pan pizza like the plague.
    Burger places - single burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, but not cheese, special sauce, bacon, or mayonaise.
    Chicken - Grilled chicken rather than fried, consider skipping the bun
    Burrito places - Go naked (no giant tortilla) , chicken, beans, and salsa, but skip cheese, sour cream, and even rice.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    I can totally understand how you would be frustrated. Everything I've read from the other posters is good advice. I never thought I would be able to feel satisfied not eating whatever I want but I have been totally wrong. I just changed my eating habits within the last 2 weeks. I was a soda drinker and I have nearly cut that out. I don't do diet because I don't eat artificial sweetners(horrible for us) so if I want a soda now its a treat, if I have extra calories left for the day. Try using Mio in your water. It add the sweetness without the empty calories.

    As most everyone has said, you can't eat out as often or if you do you have to make conscience efforts to pick out healthier selections. If you go for subs, get the light mayo and mustard and load it with extra veggies. Get just a sandwich not combo meals. I wanted pizza a couple weeks ago, but I'm single and I couldn't order a whole one because it takes me days to eat it so I went to the store. You'll find that you can get single serve ones that are at good calorie points then have a salad with it with low fat salad dressing. That was one of my hardest parts. I didn't think I would find any low-fat dressings that tasted good, but I was wrong. I love Marie's yogurt based ranch dressing. I don't see a difference.

    You also need to start adjusting your portions. If you have chicken or steak keep it to about 4-6 oz. I lean towards 6, but it all depends on what your calorie goal is. Less carbs more veggies and protein. I've noticed rice is better then pasta. I log everything including the oils or butter I use for sauteing.

    This should be a lifestyle change not a diet. It's not what you eat but how much you eat. You can have anything you want, but it needs to be in true portion sizes and healthier for you. And plan, plan, plan. I also try to plan a day ahead. That way I stick to what is written down and have less change for temptations. I then adjust as I add in my exercise and see what extra foods I can eat. I still have my chocolate, soda and other sweets but just much less often and in smaller amounts.

    Take is slowly and make the adjustments at the pace that is comfortable for you. Changing everything too fast will probably be too overwhelming and cause you to quit. Friend me if you'd like.
  • dalildevil
    dalildevil Posts: 55 Member
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    I have done really good at drinking mostly water. When I do have a soda, it is only one. I have honestly tried hard to switch to diet soda for that "fix" but it gives me headaches.

    You probably have an intolerance to Aspertame. damn stuff is in everything. I am allergic to it. it gives me hives. The only two diet sodas that I've found that do not have Aspertame is Schwepps diet ginger ale, and Diet Orange Crush. They are both made with Sucralose. I know that it cuts down in your selection but maybe if you get that craving for Soda and don't want to end up with a head ache you can try one of those and see if it helps.

    V.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    I'm not one for making things off limits - I mean, I eat out all the time and still fit it in my calories. You just have to figure out what you want most and make room for that. For instance, when you went to chick-fil-a, did you have to have both the fries and the lemonade? If you had swapped either of those for a better option, you would have barely been over for the day.

    And I've started realizing that having a (non-diet) soda is basically the same as having a dessert. If I crave the soda, sure, I'll have it, but it basically counts as dessert -- i.e., something that adds calories but zero nutritional value to your day. Maybe you could consider figuring out how many calories per day you want to spend on treats (200-300ish?), and dole them out that way. If you have the lemonade, maybe you get fruit instead of fries. Whatever, you can make it work. Eventually see if you can have less calories dedicated to junk and still be happy

    Mainly, don't make yourself miserable, or the changes will fail. Good luck!
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
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    Burrito places - Go naked (no giant tortilla) , chicken, beans, and salsa, but skip cheese, sour cream, and even rice.

    I've tried this, but they usually call the police. Although... can't do anything about the giant tortilla...
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    I have done really good at drinking mostly water. When I do have a soda, it is only one. I have honestly tried hard to switch to diet soda for that "fix" but it gives me headaches.

    You probably have an intolerance to Aspertame. damn stuff is in everything. I am allergic to it. it gives me hives. The only two diet sodas that I've found that do not have Aspertame is Schwepps diet ginger ale, and Diet Orange Crush. They are both made with Sucralose. I know that it cuts down in your selection but maybe if you get that craving for Soda and don't want to end up with a head ache you can try one of those and see if it helps.

    V.

    My goal is to not have sodas at all. I am doing excellent in regards to quitting them. I drink so much water I slosh! LOL Every now and again I want one, but I am not craving them as I once was.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    I'm not one for making things off limits - I mean, I eat out all the time and still fit it in my calories. You just have to figure out what you want most and make room for that. For instance, when you went to chick-fil-a, did you have to have both the fries and the lemonade? If you had swapped either of those for a better option, you would have barely been over for the day.

    And I've started realizing that having a (non-diet) soda is basically the same as having a dessert. If I crave the soda, sure, I'll have it, but it basically counts as dessert -- i.e., something that adds calories but zero nutritional value to your day. Maybe you could consider figuring out how many calories per day you want to spend on treats (200-300ish?), and dole them out that way. If you have the lemonade, maybe you get fruit instead of fries. Whatever, you can make it work. Eventually see if you can have less calories dedicated to junk and still be happy

    Mainly, don't make yourself miserable, or the changes will fail. Good luck!

    Thank you! I have failed miserably before if I make certain foods off limits to my diet. I find figuring out how to eat better is probably how I am going to be successful. Thanks!
  • missferoux
    missferoux Posts: 118 Member
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    I honestly believe you shouldn't go without - just set yourself limits. For example, once a week I will eat breakfast out, one day I with have an unhealthy tea, and one day I will allow something sweet, like a cake or chocolate.

    The one thing I do is earn myself the treats, and now, I just cannot have the treat if I haven't burned the calories. 10 mins on a jump rope whilst watching tv if you don't want to go to the gym etc. There are ways around it and if you feel you've earned it, you'll enjoy it sooooo much more!!!
  • pwnderosa
    pwnderosa Posts: 280 Member
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    My goal is to not have sodas at all. I am doing excellent in regards to quitting them. I drink so much water I slosh! LOL Every now and again I want one, but I am not craving them as I once was.

    Don't forget about those new mini soda cans that are 100 calories each, I have quite a few friends who have those as a treat now and then and it doesn't hurt as much calorie-wise. Also you could try Hansen diet sodas, they don't have Aspartame and might agree with you better? I personally am totally hooked on sparkling lime flavored water. I LOVE something fizzy. :)
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
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    try having diet drinks/water instead of full fat soda... and as has been said. try and get out of the habit of eating out so much

    Where do I find the full fat sodas?

    Smartass lol that made me chuckle

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