Little tricks

My favorite trick is that some movement is better than none. It is really hard for me to convince myself to work out, but if I can get in a few ten minute spurts here or there, it might actually happen.

There are a lot of little things can tip the weight loss scales in a persons favor. It has been suggested that people who fidget can burn up to 500 extra calories a day without really trying. Perhaps you could get into the toe-tapping habit.

There's so much conflicting info out there, that I much prefer hearing what has or hasn't worked for people. I'm a big fan of green tea and any fruit teas (trying to reduce caffeine) and also adding chilli to my food when I can. What other tips do people have for losing weight? Small things that do eventually make a difference.

I look forward to seeing your tips!

Jess

There's nothing wrong with a moderate amount of caffeine; studies show it improves brain acuity. Of course, if you don't drink coffee and tea black than plain green tea will be fewer calories.

I like bottled water. The tap water in my city is no longer good. Sometimes I'll add freshly squeezed lemon, or a little key lime juice from a bottle.

Eat slower to get full faster.

And don't neglect fats. My morning oatmeal filled me up, but by mid-morning I was hungry again. I started adding a bit of coconut oil, and now it keeps me full till lunch.

And skip the artificial sweeteners. They sabotage you.

And stick with kids sizes, when you're eating something bad. A happy meal is better fast-food than a king-size. And a "fun-size" Snickers is better than a full size.

My trick is to eat at a deficit. It's ~magical~.

My trick is to eat at a deficit. It's ~magical~.

Psh weight loss can't be that simple! You have to follow strict diets that force you to eat ABC at times 1,2,3 and not eat any carbs, fats or proteins.

Enter food in your diary in advance. That way when you get hungry you already know what your meal will be and you won't get tempted by standing in front of the open refrigerator trying to decide what to eat.

I like orange ice lollies when I need something sweet. They are tasty but not many cals

Apart from just tracking everything accurately and watching my macros, fiber, and sodium, the biggest useful change has been to start drinking my coffee black. I used to put away a cup of whole milk with my coffee every morning, and untold amounts of half and half later in the day. Now my coffee habit doesn't add calories to my intake.

The problem I found with juice is the sugar content .... Even the no added sugar ones still have plenty in:(

Coffee with no sugar and no milk has 1-2 cals depending on how strong you have it

I'm still on my quest for coffee I can drink black. I tried Stumptown today. It's OK. I think my brewing method needs refinement.

I have a major Stumptown habit, and here's how I make it taste good at home: I use filtered cold water, I use a decent burr grinder, and I have a BonaVita drip coffee maker that is simply amazing. It's very well designed, easy to clean, and makes great coffee every time.


ETA: if you don't want to spring for a BonaVita, Chemex is a good low-tech alternative, and they use it at Stumptown so it is coffee-douche-approved. It's a bit time-consuming, though.

Fiber is filling. Eating high-fiber foods makes me less likely to get hungry and make poor choices. Vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruit, popcorn -- a full belly gives you strength to resist things that will wreck your plan.

One tip that works for me when shredding out is I never let my total fats + total carbs surpass my total Protein. Ex: if my goal is 250grams of protein my total fats +total carbs will not exceed that number. Another tip is, drink a glass of water with 1 serving of psyllium husk fiber(metamucil) for breakfast and 1 serving for dinner everyday.