any little tips?

I've cut out soda without even trying! I've been drinking so much water I can't even think about having anything else to drink.

What I do is set 5 water bottles up on my dresser in the morning, and by evening have them be all gone. It's really helped a lot.

"Just the Tip" is not effective nor desirable.

i like to eat. but often my portions are too big.

i learned to trick myself, i guess. i used to eat 2-3 big servings of pasta out of big bowls. i substituted smaller bowls, that hold about half of what i used to eat. i still go for seconds, or even thirds... but now it's still half of what i used to eat.

Clean out your cupboards and throw away all the junk food so it doesn't tempt you any more. And then don't buy more!

if you like onions, dice and sautee them in cooking spray (pam, etc) and use sauteed onions instead of butter or margarine on veggies. Saves a ton of calories!

I don't keep ready-made 'snacks' on hand. If there is preparation involved, I am less likely to mindlessly eat.

I cook all my meals from scratch as much as possible. No take-out, no store bought frozen dinners, no boxed/bagged sides. I generally shop the perimeter of the store (produce and meat).

I make/bring my own lunches to work. No fast food.

I don't over-restrict myself, I eat healthy home-cooked meals 80% of the time and when social events/holidays/celebrations/cravings come up, I enjoy them. Otherwise, I'm more likely to binge. I make-up for overages later in the week my reducing calories a little more one day or exercising more.

You are correct in doing in steps. You are working toward a healthy lifestyle, not a temporary diet. Consistent Exercise, Proper Nutrition and Adequate Rest are key. Congrats on taking the first steps and good luck to you.

Good threads for future info:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Robin_Bin
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

When exercising, start with something you can actually enjoy. Make working out FUN. Try things like Zumba/dance, elliptical, walking, swimming aerobics, etc.

Swap heavy dressings for vinaigrettes. Saves on calories and still very tasty. Salsa is also really awesome on salads! 10-20 calories per tablespoon.

Swap white bread for whole wheat! Nothing is inherently wrong with white, but the whole wheat is broken down a little easier.

Water, water, water. If you can't stand plain water, take slow steps. Do seltzer water with flavoring, plain water with flavoring, plain water with just lemon/lime juice or "infused" waters, then just go straight water.

Swap fast food for quick dishes/make ahead foods at home. Keep easy, portable stuff at hand so you can grab and go.

TREAT YOURSELF! Never, ever beat yourself for going a little "over" on occasion. Focus on your weekly calorie goals, not mostly on daily. Plan/save calories for one or two fun meals on a day of your choosing and ENJOY yourself.

Try In Place Of A Roadmap! It's an awesome approach to weight loss: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 This way, you don't hyper-focus on calories earned/burned and eat at the proper level for your activity level.

Incorporate strength training! You will not bulk up. You will look lean and toned. Look into Chalean Extreme, Stronglifts 5x5, or New Rules Of Lifting For Women.

Don't focus entirely on what your scale says! Measure yourself after each weigh in to figure out inches lost. Realize that your weight will fluctuate, thus weighing once every 1-2 weeks is a better option. Realize that weight loss is slow, gaining muscle will 'cancel' the weight loss at times, and STICK WITH IT!

Don't eliminate the foods you love! Moderation is key.

Don't go all or nothing! Focus on a lifestyle change, not a complete overhaul. Don't get upset if you have an 'off' day or so. Don't focus on being "motivated." Make your routine a FORCE OF HABIT!

You can do this. Good luck.

Excellent idea!!!

Be patient.

I cut carrots and celery into perfect little snack size strips and keep them in a little bowl of water on the fridge shelf and I find while I am standing there staring into the fridge trying to figure out what I want, I will tend to grab one of those without even thinking.

"Just the Tip" is not effective nor desirable.

ever.

I dunno guys. What if you're in the mood to lick something and you're all out of popsicles?

It all depends on your situation, really. If you've got your own house, car, job and stuff, your challenges are going to be different to that of a uni student who doesn't have a car and does part time work at a chocolate bar (namely, me). But there are some things I've worked out that I could help...

- Buy LOTS of fruit to snack on throughout the week. Strawberries, apricots, and rock melon are all low calorie.
- Buy LOTS of vegetables to have with your lasagnas, pizzas, sausages, etc. That way, you can have a small portion of an ordinary meal along with steamed veg and feel full as well as satisfied, without breaking calorie budgets.
- The more veg you buy and experiment with, the more enjoyable vegetables become. There are tons of threads on MFP about that.
When
- When you've at the supermarket checkout, chuck out the junk you've accumulated through impulse.
- When you eat out and not sure about calories, only eat half of the serving. If you're worried about wasting money, well, tbh, $5 for a 700 calorie burger is less value than $5 for a 350 calorie meal.
- Walk, walk, walk!
- Get involved, join clubs and stuff. Have fun.
- Get a pedometer to track your walking, preferably one that also tracks calories.
- Schedule times when you're going to eat, make a big deal out of every meal so it's not just about "grabbing something."
- Love good food, don't tolerate poor quality food.
- If you need quick fix meals look into low calorie soups and salads available at supermarkets.
- Frozen meals are a minefield... Most of them aren't actually very low calorie and they're not very filling. So if you're tempted to get them, always get the lowest calorie ones.
- If you have something like noodles or pasta, have spinach, silverbeet or kale with it to bulk it up and make it more filling so you eat less pasta/noodles.
- Make the focus of your shopping to buy foods that will aid your progress.
- Distract yourself with journal writing or a good book.... Or WTG! A game! Have a little fun...
- Distract yourself with MFP forums... haha.
- Investigate all forms of exercise/sports/activity and find what suits you. Perhaps you've been slaving at the gym and hating it when your real passion is roller skating??
- Avoid binge triggers, such as certain foods or events that cause you to overeat.
- If you're at a party or some food event, or buffet, sample the food but never take more than a small amount. You're there to enjoy the food, not to abstain OR gorge yourself.
- Portion out foods after shopping.
- Try to meet nutrition goals. Even if you lower sugar intake and try to incorporate other foods, I find calorie deficits are automatically easier (it's just the incidental sweets that are a problem with me haha).
- Take it one day at a time.

Good luck