What's the biggest thing you've done to improve your diet?

NikoM5
NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I started doing this years ago and never really gave it much thought or credit as it seemed somewhat obvious to me. Basically I don't buy any junk food from the grocery store. This way I don't have it around when I'm feeling snacky. "Junk" is up for debate of course but basically I don't buy anything that can be easily consumed on it's own that has a poor protein/fat/carb ratio. There's a least one point every evening that I get a snack craving and if I had junk around I'd probably eat it! Thankfully I'm far too lazy to go to the store to satisfy my craving so I end up making something simple and healthy instead.

What's your best tip?
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Replies

  • liittlesparrow
    liittlesparrow Posts: 209 Member
    Like you, I've pretty much stopped buying junk from the store, and I keep fruit and nuts around for snacks instead.

    Also, I've all but stopped my habit of boredom eating... I would say that has really improved my diet :D...
  • Nyssa4280
    Nyssa4280 Posts: 1
    Clean fresh fruit as soon as I buy it so I can easily pick up a quick, healthy snack.
  • rabblerabble
    rabblerabble Posts: 471 Member
    I eat a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables. I also cut out coffee creamer. (The flavored Coffeemate I used to add has 30-35 calories per serving which doesn't sound like much until one notices that a serving size is tablespoon. I was putting at least 1/4 cup into each serving of coffee and I figure I was likely consuming 200-300 calories a day of the stuff) Just drinking my coffee black now a days.
  • Jxnsmma
    Jxnsmma Posts: 919 Member
    Anyone notice when you stop eating alot of processed sugary stuff, fruit tastes SO MUCH BETTER!? Now if I want something sweet, i eat a banana and Im sassified :)
  • missjones93
    missjones93 Posts: 74 Member
    Started buying good stuff! Threw away my unhealthy stuff, if it ain't there - I'm not tempted!
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  • graceylou222
    graceylou222 Posts: 198 Member
    Cut out chips, junk food, cokes! I occasionaly have a bowl of cereal or some easy processed junk for snack or breakfast! But for the most part, trying to eat as clean as possible is best!
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    More protein, less cookies, way less complex carbs
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
    Tracking it in detail.

    I still eat and drink everything I used to, just not as much of it.
  • JScar1964
    JScar1964 Posts: 28 Member
    Quit sodas, fast food joints and basically following Paleo diet. If your a Paleo hater, I don't care. It works for me.
  • turkeyhunter60
    turkeyhunter60 Posts: 319 Member
    reduce quantity
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    never grocery shop when hungry is my best tip, no joke when im hungry i always buy crap and when im not im focused and can think clearly about the best choices :D
  • expoduck
    expoduck Posts: 59
    Stop drinking Coke.

    I used to drink that stuff like water. SO MANY CALORIES.
  • Oh_My_Lizzy
    Oh_My_Lizzy Posts: 1 Member
    Writing it down. It keeps me in tune to what I'm actually eating.
  • Rob777com
    Rob777com Posts: 11 Member
    Jan 1st I stopped adding salt to food and no mayonnaise. The salt was hard but the mayo is really hard, but when I look again at how many calories it adds, I put on mustard.
  • ryoungfamily
    ryoungfamily Posts: 11 Member
    I have become a reluctant vegetarian. Don't get me wrong, I still like meat. However, I figured out that going vegetarian forces me to think hard about what I am eating. I have to make sure I am getting enough calcium and protein. It also keeps me away from a lot of gut bombs such as fast food.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Oddly, the best thing I've done for my diet is buy most, if not all, of my food from farmer's markets.
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
    Pre-planning, and prepping for the week – nothing in the house that is not on my meal plans, no chance of mindless snacking. Eating whole, organic, natural foods and skipping the processed foods. Most of the processed foods I used to like I can make from scratch anyway and forgo the lab-creative funkiness.
  • allisonlane61
    allisonlane61 Posts: 187 Member
    Cut out processed carbs. Sure, I could've reduced them but I didn't want to eat less and be hungry. I can get tons of volume by eating fruits and veggies instead of eating lesser amounts of junk food or processed carbs. I also don't crave them.
  • Blondie251975
    Blondie251975 Posts: 58 Member
    I think the best thing that I have done is to identify times that I was eating when I wasn't hungry...(i.e. bored, listless, nervous, sad, etc.) and subbed something else in for the eating. I have subbed exercise, or getting on MFP or reading for eating. Then all the calories that I don't need, that were extra and pointless, I don't eat....and maybe I am burning a few extra :)
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    Stopped eating mindlessly at work from boredom. Still working on evening but it is getting better. When I was on Weight Watchers I would take containers of fruit and vegetables and just eat constantly.
  • livelaughlovecrazy
    livelaughlovecrazy Posts: 101 Member
    Cutting back the carbs, buying/eating more veggies and protein. :flowerforyou:

    Checking the labels on what I buy at the grocery store, can't eat the bad stuff if I don't have it. :wink:

    Oh! Also learning the healthiest options to order if I'm dining out in a hurry and can't bring something from home. This way even if I end up going to the fast food restaurant I choose the healthiest options and keep my portions small. :smile:
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Stopped eating mindlessly at work from boredom. Still working on evening but it is getting better. When I was on Weight Watchers I would take containers of fruit and vegetables and just eat constantly.

    This! I think this helped me a lot too, recognizing when I was bored and NOT eat because of it.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Planning my meals in advance (1-2 weeks)
    Limiting junk to once a week, during grocery shopping. (bag of crisps/chips and/or chocolate)
    It helps that my new workplace has no vending machines, and shops are not walking distance. It's too much effort to drive 10 minutes just to buy snacks.
  • Runningnorth
    Runningnorth Posts: 38 Member
    Shop the outside wall of the grocery store. Rarely go in the middle isle, only the odd time for pasta and rice. There are many isles that I never go down. The fresh healthy stuff is on the outside walls. Stick to them and you will stick to good healthy eating :) Produce, Dairy, Meats, all the fresh stuff is generally not in the middle isle.
  • livelaughlovecrazy
    livelaughlovecrazy Posts: 101 Member
    Stopped eating mindlessly at work from boredom. Still working on evening but it is getting better. When I was on Weight Watchers I would take containers of fruit and vegetables and just eat constantly.

    I still have trouble battling the mindless eating at work...especially with a sedentary job it's waaay to easy to snack when we have slow days. :grumble:

    Keeping busy really helps prevent the munchie urges.
  • mumtoonegirl
    mumtoonegirl Posts: 586 Member
    it is not a simple one answer for me but the biggest was cutting gluten, replacing it only with lean protiens, no processed, essentially clean eating. I rarely eat junk, other than my morning coffee and my post workout smoothie I do not drink my calories.

    The most essential for me after removing gluten was portion control!
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
    I gave up soda, chocolate and chips pretty much my "menu" pre-MFP lol :laugh:
  • Kamnikar64
    Kamnikar64 Posts: 345 Member
    I've stopped baking. I love baking, it's a stress reliever. But I'm the one who can't stop at one cookie or one piece of cake. So I haven't baked anything. :(
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    I started cooking. Not 'throw something into the microwave' kind but the actual 'I need pans and more than 5 ingredients' kind.

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