First Thing You Changed

Yay, a question I know the answer to. I started eating oatmeal for breakfast. That was around mid October. What happened after that was I noticed I was a lot less hungry. The calories for my breakfast were about the same, it's a big bowl of oatmeal. But, it allowed me to cut out a mid morning snack which right there was a 300-500 calorie reduction. Then I found myself sort of craving healthier foods, so I ended up eating more fruits and veggies. I wasn't trying to lose weight at this point, I just wanted something healthier, easier to prepare, and cheaper for breakfast, but I noticed that it was easier to move around and that my clothes started fitting better. Now I am here and the first thing I changed upon joining here is that I try to log everything.

Started running.
Cut out pop.
Started tracking what I ate.

Then I actually changed my diet and exercised consistently.

~ no more soda
~ eating more greens
~ walking
~measure and keep track of all food that passes my lips
~ eat every 3 hours so im never hungry - makes me not binge

Sheesh.

I went from ordering big macs to ordering regular hamburgers.

No eating after dinner.
Tracking every item that I eat. Thank you MFP!
Walking each day
Light snack if hungry.

No sweet tea, coffee with breakfast and water the rest of the day...

Broke off my relationship with McDonald's as in my car doesn't drive me there anymore and stopped with Little Debbies.

1. Joined MFP and started counting calories (and I'm not limiting myself to 1200 cals, so easy to fall off the wagon when you are starving!)
2. Drink more water
3. Move, Move, Move!!!!

I've only been using MFP full time for the last week and it's the best thing I've ever done. I'm accountable for what I put into my body. I can see how many cals I'm eating and how many I'm burning (or need to burn). I'm more aware of cals and am surprised as to where I find them! I don't cut things out completely! If I crave a choc I have one, then suck it up and move on, I know to make my next food choice a healthy one. I have a free day a week where I eat 'what I want' but within reason, I'm still really aware of what I am eating on those days. I can see this way of thinking is something I can do for life.

I've dropped 1.6kg in the first week of being on MFP and for the first time in my life I don't want to do it in a hurry, I want to do it slowly and healthily.

Tam x :happy:

What are the first few things you changed in your diet that had an effect on your weight loss?

Eating less. Literally smaller portions followed by not drinking my calories. In the beginning I drank ONLY water, black coffee, unsweetened tea and milk. Now I drink a little bit of pop, juice and stuff but it's not like it was before it's a sometimes thing. Not an all the time, I don't drink water kind of thing. As for the eating less thing I would only eat one plate of something. Or half the amount of ice cream I would normally eat. Or one cheeseburger, not a double.

That and moving more. I KNOW it's not diet but it's important. It doesn't have to be exercise. It can be taking the stairs, parking further away or getting the mail every day instead of once a week. (Or walking to the box from the house instead of getting it from the car).

1. Weighing and measuring everything that passed my lips

2. Tracking everything that passed my lips

3. Limit eating out, and when I do, I make smart choices. Usually requires pre-planning.

4. Never leave the house for extended errands without healthy, low calorie, protein snacks. Tuna packs are great.

5. Exercise, duh!

6. Minimal alcohol, sad but true..

7. Number one most important change. Eat at a caloric deficit.