Share your top 3 dieting tips...

curleesam
curleesam Posts: 462 Member
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
In the spirit of sharing is caring I would like to share my top 3 diet tips and encourage you to do the same. Let's help eachother (I can't be the only one struggling for ideas???!)

- I swap my lunch and my dinner around so that my main meal is my lunch and I have enough time in the day to work it off
- I drink sparkling water with a little no added sugar cordial so that it tastes like a sweet and fizzy drink as opposed to plain water
- I snack on Sultanas whenever I have a sugar craving

Looking forward to getting some new tips and inspiration from everyone :)

Replies

  • jessieinblue
    jessieinblue Posts: 287 Member
    1. More food earlier. I don't always succeed (the last few days have been bad), but on an ideal day, breakfast or lunch is my biggest meal and dinner is my smallest.

    2. Drink water almost exclusively. Sometimes I will have milk or, in the summer when I'm *really* craving it, lemonade. No soda ever, fruit juice very very rarely.

    3. This is my biggie!! I love cooking at home, but I am also a sucker for Italian restaurants. Not the chains like Olive Garden (blech), but the local, REAL Italian holes-in-the-wall that feed you like your grandmother would. Anyway, here's the tip: when I get that enormous, delicious pasta dish, I ask for a take-home box *with* my entree. I then proceed to put between 2/3 and 3/4 of my meal into that box and eat what's left. If I'm not full, I add a little more back, but usually what's left is enough.

    It's all about self-discipline.

    **Edit!** I have a fourth:

    4. Eat slowly! I chew every bite, focus on how the food tastes, and really enjoy it. I don't eat in front of the television or while I am driving, because I don't get the most out of my food that way. Savor food and you will need less of it to satisfy you :D
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    That is a great idea about the to-go box before eating because I never have leftovers! No matter how much pasta I get.

    My three

    1. No more family style serving at home. I make plates in the kitchen and take them to the table. Having a pot or bowl of good food infront of me is too much to resist.

    2. Green Tea.. I drink it ALL day long at work. All the benefits of water and it tastes fantastic

    3. Chicken thighs... yes they are higher in fat then breasts, but they are delicious and still healthy! They are also much cheaper and easier to cook.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    1.gotta be a huge one is ROUTINE ALWAYS stick to it!
    2.EXERSICE no matter what!
    3.always have a ton of fruit around the house!!!

    good luck x
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member


    3. This is my biggie!! I love cooking at home, but I am also a sucker for Italian restaurants. Not the chains like Olive Garden (blech), but the local, REAL Italian holes-in-the-wall that feed you like your grandmother would. Anyway, here's the tip: when I get that enormous, delicious pasta dish, I ask for a take-home box *with* my entree. I then proceed to put between 2/3 and 3/4 of my meal into that box and eat what's left. If I'm not full, I add a little more back, but usually what's left is enough.


    That really is a great tip! Thanks for sharing, I think I will definitely be using that one in the future as I love eating out and HATE HATE HATE leaving delicious food on my plate for restaurants to throw away. :)
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    In the spirit of sharing is caring I would like to share my top 3 diet tips and encourage you to do the same. Let's help eachother (I can't be the only one struggling for ideas???!)

    - I swap my lunch and my dinner around so that my main meal is my lunch and I have enough time in the day to work it off
    - I drink sparkling water with a little no added sugar cordial so that it tastes like a sweet and fizzy drink as opposed to plain water
    - I snack on Sultanas whenever I have a sugar craving

    Looking forward to getting some new tips and inspiration from everyone :)


    Dont know if you knew or not dried fruit is pretty high in calories....just to warn you i LOVVVVVVVVE dried fruit but rarely have it! :(
  • dmolina12
    dmolina12 Posts: 12 Member
    I seem to be a sugar addict and always struggle to keep my "sweet" intake in check. Here's a few of the ways that have helped:

    1. Hot herbal tea in place of a sugary snack. My favorite is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea....no need to add anything to this tea except hot water! It will help me to ward off a sugar craving and help me with my water intake too since it's no calories and no caffiene.

    2. When I am really afraid I will just "binge" if I don't eat immediately, or if I need to make sure I have a full stomach before going to a social event, I eat an apple along with all natural peanut butter. I know peanut butter is extremely high in fat and calories, but this trick always, always, always, fills me up for an long period of time....at least 2-3 hours.

    3. I have experimented making my own Hummus and find that I like it way better than anything I can buy over the counter. I love it and I eat tons of raw veggies by dipping them into it.

    Looking forward to hearing other tips!! This is so motivating me!
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member
    Yeah I know, I only snack on Sultanas as opposed to gorging on them! lol I would if I could but I figure a small handful of sultanas is better than a bar of chocolate or packet of sweets :)
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member

    3. I have experimented making my own Hummus and find that I like it way better than anything I can buy over the counter. I love it and I eat tons of raw veggies by dipping them into it.

    Looking forward to hearing other tips!! This is so motivating me!

    Yum I love Hummus! What recipe do you use?

    I also find it really motivating learning how others are doing so well with such simple ideas!
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member

    3. I have experimented making my own Hummus and find that I like it way better than anything I can buy over the counter. I love it and I eat tons of raw veggies by dipping them into it.

    Looking forward to hearing other tips!! This is so motivating me!

    Yum I love Hummus! What recipe do you use?

    I also find it really motivating learning how others are doing so well with such simple ideas!

    A hummus recipe would be great... I have replaced the mayo in my tuna with spicy hummus.
  • dmolina12
    dmolina12 Posts: 12 Member

    3. I have experimented making my own Hummus and find that I like it way better than anything I can buy over the counter. I love it and I eat tons of raw veggies by dipping them into it.

    Looking forward to hearing other tips!! This is so motivating me!

    Yum I love Hummus! What recipe do you use?

    Here's my recipe in short: I do make my own hummus and I like it even better than store bought!! I use 1 can chickpeas including the juicy contents of the can, 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons tahini (buttered or crushes sesame seeds similar to peanut butter), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1&1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, & 1/2 teaspoons salt. Then I add whatever else I might want to flavor it with....I've used roasted peppers, green olives, black olives (not so pretty but tastes great). I like that I can add my favorites. I have a little "magic bullet" blender thing that mixes it up great :)
  • pinstripepirate
    pinstripepirate Posts: 605 Member
    1. I try not to let myself get too hungry, because if I do it's hard to control the amount that I'm eating. I will just eat everything I can get my hands on and then regret it later. If I'm very hungry (for meal or snack), I immediately look for some sort of protein. Chicken, nuts, peanut butter- something that will take the edge off.

    2. I bought two Nalgene 32 oz water bottles. This way I can track the amount of water I'm consuming in a day. Two water bottles are 8 cups. You really only need 1 (I use the same bottle all day), but I have two so that if one is dirty I can run it through the dishwasher and use the other one instead. The Nalgene bottles are tough and I like that I don't have to hand wash them! I am attached at the hip with my water bottle.

    3. Keep produce in the house. If you don't have fresh fruits and veggies at hand, you just won't eat them. I also love to have options. We almost always have bananas and apples; recently we've been getting pears and oranges as well. This also fulfills my sweet cravings.
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member

    Here's my recipe in short: I do make my own hummus and I like it even better than store bought!! I use 1 can chickpeas including the juicy contents of the can, 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, 2 tablespoons tahini (buttered or crushes sesame seeds similar to peanut butter), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1&1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, & 1/2 teaspoons salt. Then I add whatever else I might want to flavor it with....I've used roasted peppers, green olives, black olives (not so pretty but tastes great). I like that I can add my favorites. I have a little "magic bullet" blender thing that mixes it up great :)

    AMAZING - thanks, I am going to give it a try!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    1. Patience
    2. excercise, weights, swiming, walking the dog, chasing the kids all over the house, yoga, polka dancing, I don't care what. SOMETHING minium 30 mins a day. minium 3x a week. better if its more and longer. break a sweat, if you dont, you're not going hard enough.
    3. food diary. track everything.

    most important it's ok to have a off meal, or day. just spread it out. don't have a off week. or month. lol.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    1. Have short term goals with rewards of slightly increasing "value" for acheiving each goal. They don't have to be lbs related -- could be to wear a specific outfit, participate in an event or even body fat % related. Having a massive goal at the end of a very long time seems too far away and makes it more difficult to seem "real". And the rewards don't have to cost anything or be food related.

    2. Drink your water, and drink it as cold as you can stand it. The body burns more calories turning the colder water into body temp than room temp water. While it's not a lot every day (probably around 60-100 depending on your amount of water), that adds up over time.

    3. Don't abandon everything you love or you'll quickly fall off the wagon. I love chocolate and give myself one piece every day at the end of my work day. It keeps me from grabbing the treats that coworkers always leave in the kitchen 30 calories (I have mine with my 15 almonds for my trip home) and it keeps me on the straight & narrow.
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
    1. Watch what you eat.
    2. Exercise more.
    3. Repeat as necessary until desired fat loss is achieved, then continue doing Steps 1 and 2 so fat doesn't come back.
  • dmolina12
    dmolina12 Posts: 12 Member
    1. Watch what you eat.
    2. Exercise more.
    3. Repeat as necessary until desired fat loss is achieved, then continue doing Steps 1 and 2 so fat doesn't come back.

    Love this reply!!!!
  • bayles1
    bayles1 Posts: 408 Member
    1.Always have a bottle of water to hand.
    2.Eat a grapefruit each day,
    3.Eat within forty minutes of getting out of bed.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    1. Water, water, water.......

    2. Take the time to plan your meals and cook (cut fresh vegetables, make home made dressings and such, grind your own meats for burger and sausage)

    3. To rid yourself of sugar cravings - Eat meals of protein, fat and lots of green leafy veggies for a minimum of 3 days and up to 2 weeks. You will get rid of the cravings and have them under control.
  • vickibangs
    vickibangs Posts: 2
    I try to fill 1/2 of my plate with fresh spinach tossed with balsamic vinegar - it makes it seem like i am eating more and it is packed with Vitamin A and potassium- and almost no calories
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    1. plan & prepare your meals
    2. use smaller plates (almost the size of a saucer for portion control)
    3. log everything you eat everday
  • skinnyb450
    skinnyb450 Posts: 288
    1. Drinking water by having 2x 1.5 litres bottles to take to work - Drink 1 at my desk and the other one at lunch
    2. Exercise for 6 days of the week with one rest day
    3.Change the exercise routine every week

    Bump:flowerforyou:
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