Small But Super Helpful Habits

I agree with pre-packing meals & snacks (even something for dinner if you think you might run late getting home, and if you don't eat it you can save for tomorrow's lunch or take home for dinner).

I agree having a decent knife at work, plus a cucumber peeler and an apple corer are invaluable tools.

I keep a Mrs. Dash seasoning mix, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar at work also.

I completely agree with unsweetened black tea as a go to drink for every day - but I struggle to add plain water in between for pure hydration.

My biggest "I'm starving and must eat now" saviors are: those hard boiled eggs that come pre-peeled (in half, throw away 3/4 yolk), the Carnegie Deli pickle spears, sugar free jello made with fresh sliced strawberries, and sliced chicken breast meat w/Dijon in a leaf of lettuce or without. I also love a breakfast roll-up using the Ezekiel sprouted grain tortillas, some lean lunch meat and an ounce of cheese in the micros for 30 seconds... lasts for hours!

Undertwo wrote: »

I've taken to doing twelve bodyweight squats each time I use the bathroom at home. Two weeks ago I could barely keep my balance with arms extended now I do deep squats with arms folded against my chest.

Small steps in a greater journey toward fitness.

I do this too! Since I have a desk job and I'm self conscious about doing it in my area when I go to the bathroom I will take the time to do squats and since it's a one person bathroom I'll do jumping jacks or something too It all adds up!

I cut up fruits and veggies as soon as I get home from the grocery store. Having precut fruits and veggies displayed in clear Tupperware at eye level in my fridge makes it so much easier and more likely that I make a smart choice when I'm hungry.

I don't recommend eating apples everyday as they are very high in sugars. They are actually a 'useless' fruit nutrition wise. They are reportedly more efficient at waking you up in the morning than a cup of coffee.

Apples have both fiber and pectic that help you feel fuller. There are worse foods oust there.

For me, paying attention to portion size is key. We generally eat dinner from salad plates (which are still fairly large) just so there is not as much white space around the food--it tricks your mind to think the portion is larger. Also, I make sure that vegetables are at least half of the plate, protein 2/3 of what remains, and the remaining bit for rice/potatoes/pasta.

At restaurants, if I'm not specifically eating something that is low calorie, I will ask for a to-go box right away and split my portion so that I don't over-indulge.

Recording what I eat and trying to be as accurate as I can - not "oh but I think this meal is 500 calories"
Walking at least 10,000 steps a day because every little helps
Realising that I don't have to give up chocolate, sweets, and things I like - I just need to make sure I save up calories for treats every now and again

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Pre-log every morning.

This.

mgcarrillo wrote: »

girlviernes wrote: »

GothyFaery wrote: »

Went from whole fat milk to fat free

Funny, I went from skim to whole fat milk

Having supplies of nuts and coconut chips - they are a very easy form of a snack and very satisfying.
Getting some tools for work, I have some salt-free seasoning, a microwave steamer tray, and knife, and now a food scale. This way i can just bring some fresh produce and keep in work fridge and prepare on the spot. Everything tastes better fresh

I have a weird thing with milk, where if I drink low fat or skim, my brain thinks of it as a "drink" (i.e., not a big deal) and I consume more without even thinking about it, whereas whole milk registers to me as a "food" and I'm careful about only drinking a reasonable amount. But that may be just my personal oddness.

I also switched from 1% milk to whole ... it has more fat so it keeps me full far longer, and I do have to cut other fats to meet my macros, but it's worth it for the 8 ounces I drink a day.

teaching myself how to cook more varieties of foods, so that I don't eat too many pre-packaged, chemically ridden foods.

packing a lunch of healthy 'left-overs' instead of eating frozen dinners.

Learning difference between satisfied vs. full and knowing when to stop eating

if it's reasonable to walk there and still be on time, do it. you can burn an extra hundred calories daily just by adding up 20 minutes' worth of reasons to walk.

pairs4life wrote: »

Log everything without judgement. Review the logs. Move to being plant ( fruit and vegetable forward), in other words, eat as many fresh vegetables and fresh fruits as possible. This means even if it is a doughnut, cookies, burgers, or candy this Friday, the first course should be fresh fruit and/or vegetables! Everything else, everything else is a condiment!

I was "trained" to do this as a kid. I still feel guilty if I don't eat my fruit/veggie first before having a snack.