Weight loss tricks

124

Replies

  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    in for people not realizing shes asking for tricks to help with a calorie deficit

    yep, way too predictable on here.

    Yep, kind of like the one poster who always comes in scolding everyone because it makes him feel superior. Happens every thread!

    I assume your talking about moi. i just hate it when people nitpick things just so they can point out someone is wrong, when they are creating a perfectly good discussion, which has actually appeared on this forum many times with no problem before

    Not everyone understands the deficit concept when they are new. It can be rather shocking for people to hear that they can eat what they want, just less of it.

    And, pot please meet kettle. Because you nitpick everything.

    sorry for the late reply, had some stuff to do

    anywho, if you've been on this site for more than a day you know the key to weight loss is a calorie deficit. just look at this one post that got jumped all over by 10 different users on the first page because it didnt say "calorie deficit tricks"

    wanna give me an example of how i nitpick everything?

    And you've been around here long enough to know that's not always the case.

    You jump on people all the time based on your perception or opinion about what you think is important. You did it to me yesterday when I was actually trying to make a valid point.

    Feel free to do that - but don't think that doesn't make you a hypocrite.

    it almost always is. what i believe your referring to is people not realizing that they arent in a deficit. and im still lost on that point you were trying to make yesterday, all i saw was multiple posts asking the same question that had been answered already, thats why i stepped in

    See, I disagree. I see a lot of detox/diet/cleanse/500 calorie/shakeology/garcinia/keytones/tricks/magical potions...etc. etc. etc. All threads about how to lose weight that don't take calorie deficit into consideration.

    Just because you are lost on it, doesn't make it not valid. I can't help the fact that you missed parts of the thread that made it make sense. But policing everyone? Let it go.

    i read the whole thread, and it made sense but again what you were asking was answered. and policing is fun, what else am i supposed to do at work. Work? nat

    ill agree about the detox and cleanse threads (though i think alot of people realize those are short term implementations that wont have all that much effect on fat loss as a whole) but most others u mentioned do. 500 cal diet does, shakeology is a tool that creates a deficit, garcina and keytones claim to boost metabolism creating a larger deficit (though they dont), tricks to help create a larger deficit (though it isnt explicitly stated as in this case). Id try a magic potion though

    It actually wasn't answered. It was deflected. But, honestly, I'm done having this conversation with you.
    "i dont know" is a perfectly acceptable answer

    We will agree to disagree.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    in for people not realizing shes asking for tricks to help with a calorie deficit

    yep, way too predictable on here.

    about as predictable as the white knights..
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    in for people not realizing shes asking for tricks to help with a calorie deficit

    yep, way too predictable on here.

    Yep, kind of like the one poster who always comes in scolding everyone because it makes him feel superior. Happens every thread!

    I assume your talking about moi. i just hate it when people nitpick things just so they can point out someone is wrong, when they are creating a perfectly good discussion, which has actually appeared on this forum many times with no problem before

    Not everyone understands the deficit concept when they are new. It can be rather shocking for people to hear that they can eat what they want, just less of it.

    And, pot please meet kettle. Because you nitpick everything.

    sorry for the late reply, had some stuff to do

    anywho, if you've been on this site for more than a day you know the key to weight loss is a calorie deficit. just look at this one post that got jumped all over by 10 different users on the first page because it didnt say "calorie deficit tricks"

    wanna give me an example of how i nitpick everything?

    And you've been around here long enough to know that's not always the case.

    You jump on people all the time based on your perception or opinion about what you think is important. You did it to me yesterday when I was actually trying to make a valid point.

    Feel free to do that - but don't think that doesn't make you a hypocrite.

    it almost always is. what i believe your referring to is people not realizing that they arent in a deficit. and im still lost on that point you were trying to make yesterday, all i saw was multiple posts asking the same question that had been answered already, thats why i stepped in

    See, I disagree. I see a lot of detox/diet/cleanse/500 calorie/shakeology/garcinia/keytones/tricks/magical potions...etc. etc. etc. All threads about how to lose weight that don't take calorie deficit into consideration.

    Just because you are lost on it, doesn't make it not valid. I can't help the fact that you missed parts of the thread that made it make sense. But policing everyone? Let it go.

    i read the whole thread, and it made sense but again what you were asking was answered. and policing is fun, what else am i supposed to do at work. Work? nat

    ill agree about the detox and cleanse threads (though i think alot of people realize those are short term implementations that wont have all that much effect on fat loss as a whole) but most others u mentioned do. 500 cal diet does, shakeology is a tool that creates a deficit, garcina and keytones claim to boost metabolism creating a larger deficit (though they dont), tricks to help create a larger deficit (though it isnt explicitly stated as in this case). Id try a magic potion though

    So you are saying instead of helping people to understand these types of magic potions don't work you would rather give people false hope? For some of us, this time was our last attempt after years and years of yo yo dieting, and if it wasn't for people debunking all the crap we would have tried it and failed yet again.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    and if it wasn't for people debunking all the crap we would have tried it and failed yet again.

    +1

  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    in for people not realizing shes asking for tricks to help with a calorie deficit

    yep, way too predictable on here.

    Yep, kind of like the one poster who always comes in scolding everyone because it makes him feel superior. Happens every thread!

    I assume your talking about moi. i just hate it when people nitpick things just so they can point out someone is wrong, when they are creating a perfectly good discussion, which has actually appeared on this forum many times with no problem before

    Not everyone understands the deficit concept when they are new. It can be rather shocking for people to hear that they can eat what they want, just less of it.

    And, pot please meet kettle. Because you nitpick everything.

    sorry for the late reply, had some stuff to do

    anywho, if you've been on this site for more than a day you know the key to weight loss is a calorie deficit. just look at this one post that got jumped all over by 10 different users on the first page because it didnt say "calorie deficit tricks"

    wanna give me an example of how i nitpick everything?

    And you've been around here long enough to know that's not always the case.

    You jump on people all the time based on your perception or opinion about what you think is important. You did it to me yesterday when I was actually trying to make a valid point.

    Feel free to do that - but don't think that doesn't make you a hypocrite.

    it almost always is. what i believe your referring to is people not realizing that they arent in a deficit. and im still lost on that point you were trying to make yesterday, all i saw was multiple posts asking the same question that had been answered already, thats why i stepped in

    See, I disagree. I see a lot of detox/diet/cleanse/500 calorie/shakeology/garcinia/keytones/tricks/magical potions...etc. etc. etc. All threads about how to lose weight that don't take calorie deficit into consideration.

    Just because you are lost on it, doesn't make it not valid. I can't help the fact that you missed parts of the thread that made it make sense. But policing everyone? Let it go.

    i read the whole thread, and it made sense but again what you were asking was answered. and policing is fun, what else am i supposed to do at work. Work? nat

    ill agree about the detox and cleanse threads (though i think alot of people realize those are short term implementations that wont have all that much effect on fat loss as a whole) but most others u mentioned do. 500 cal diet does, shakeology is a tool that creates a deficit, garcina and keytones claim to boost metabolism creating a larger deficit (though they dont), tricks to help create a larger deficit (though it isnt explicitly stated as in this case). Id try a magic potion though

    So you are saying instead of helping people to understand these types of magic potions don't work you would rather give people false hope? For some of us, this time was our last attempt after years and years of yo yo dieting, and if it wasn't for people debunking all the crap we would have tried it and failed yet again.
    not sure how you got that out of my post. notice how i said garcina and keytones dont work? im defending the tips that help keep a calorie deficit. the magic potion thing at the end was just a stupid joke
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Acg67 wrote: »
    - Find the right calorie deficit for your situation. Trick is to minimise hunger and temptation and also provide your body with the nutrients it needs, while being below your maintenance burn.
    - Make good food choices beyond calories.....it will also make your calories go further. Keep your sugar target low and within that eat natural ones eg. fruit as much as possible. Also pay some attention to the GI index for your carbs.
    - Weigh and measure your food. Do not guess unless you have to, and be honest.
    - Plan your food diary on days where it is possible
    - Drink water through the day
    - Weigh yourself often and learn about your body, while keeping your eye on the trend....
    - Get exercising, and measure it accurately in terms of calories. Gadgets are your friend here if you can afford them.....( I use vivofit and Garmin 620, and HRM for all activities. About to go to 920xt to cover all if Santa listens to my wishes ;-) )
    - Reward yourself with days off or days where you go over your limit, as long as you make up for it on other days. You have to live.

    LOL GI Index
    It's a good think you're here to laugh at the tips. I'm sure everyone would hate to try something you found laughable.

    If you don't like a tip, why not just move on, folks? It's not like anyone's recommending others puke up meals or something.

    And just how are you contributing by policing what other people say?
    By encouraging sharing of tips and discouraging the barbs from the peanut gallery.

    If you don't like GI, don't use it. You don't get to pick The One True Diet.

    Actually, you are equally as distracting.
    You've posted 20 times in this thread. You go.

  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Acg67 wrote: »
    - Find the right calorie deficit for your situation. Trick is to minimise hunger and temptation and also provide your body with the nutrients it needs, while being below your maintenance burn.
    - Make good food choices beyond calories.....it will also make your calories go further. Keep your sugar target low and within that eat natural ones eg. fruit as much as possible. Also pay some attention to the GI index for your carbs.
    - Weigh and measure your food. Do not guess unless you have to, and be honest.
    - Plan your food diary on days where it is possible
    - Drink water through the day
    - Weigh yourself often and learn about your body, while keeping your eye on the trend....
    - Get exercising, and measure it accurately in terms of calories. Gadgets are your friend here if you can afford them.....( I use vivofit and Garmin 620, and HRM for all activities. About to go to 920xt to cover all if Santa listens to my wishes ;-) )
    - Reward yourself with days off or days where you go over your limit, as long as you make up for it on other days. You have to live.

    LOL GI Index
    It's a good think you're here to laugh at the tips. I'm sure everyone would hate to try something you found laughable.

    If you don't like a tip, why not just move on, folks? It's not like anyone's recommending others puke up meals or something.

    And just how are you contributing by policing what other people say?
    By encouraging sharing of tips and discouraging the barbs from the peanut gallery.

    If you don't like GI, don't use it. You don't get to pick The One True Diet.

    Actually, you are equally as distracting.
    You've posted 20 times in this thread. You go.

    Yes, but I've actually posted helpful comments.
  • chimebird
    chimebird Posts: 57 Member
    Wow, things are getting alarmingly pedantic in here. It sounds like you have a pretty solid grasp on the fact that you need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. I definitely have some tips, tricks, whatever you want to call them for how I achieve this, and they work really well for me, so feel free to give them a try and see if they work for you, too!

    - Lots of coffee and tea. If you feel like eating out of boredom, emotion, something to do with your hands (ie not hunger), have a beverage instead. In the mornings I have green tea, followed by coffee with flavored coconut milk from So Delicious. It's lighter than creamer but thicker than milk. I add about 1/3 of a cup to my coffee and voila, flavored coffee for like 30 calories. I also drink decaf earl grey with milk and stevia every damn night. I've had a big issue with comfort eating my whole life, especially at night, so I've been working on channeling those emotions into "well at least I've got my cozy and delicious cup of tea to look forward to!" It's been working pretty well and I rarely binge at night anymore.

    - On the same note, lots of flavored soda water. I really hate the taste of the aspartame in the stuff you buy from the store, so I buy plain soda water and add a splash of juice, usually apple or orange. Or maybe a squirt of Crystal Light blueberry lemonade. None of that stuff is great for you but it's all substantially less than a full serving size, so I don't worry about it.

    - Eggs. Erry day. Low calorie, high protein, filling, delicious.

    - Mug cakes. These are pure wizardry. Basic recipe is here, from that you can customize the flavor however you like. I usually add protein powder and some fruit. I just had some peanut butter chocolate mug cakes topped with honey for lunch and I'm still blissing out over it.

    - Quest bars. Also pure wizardry. They make me super full and help me meet my macros every day.

    - PB2 instead of peanut butter. More wizardry. See a theme?

    - Chipotle bowls. Use their website to plan your order in advance so you can keep an eye on the calories and macros.

    - Eat basically the same stuff most of the time. I even keep this written down, lists of my usual dishes for each meal, so I can look at it if I'm feeling uninspired. It's totally fine to introduce new or random stuff, but knowing what works for you is empowering. I think we also tend to overestimate how much variety we really need to be happy with our diet.

    - Binge deterrents. I have a problem with binging, so I use these mental tricks to keep myself on track. Try these out of that's a problem for you, too. Firstly, meditate or do yoga. It's given me the mindfulness to, when I'm about to go on a binge, sort of objectively observe my thoughts and see that my head is trying to get me to binge, but in reality that's not something I need. We are not our thoughts, we HAVE our thoughts. Yeah, mindfulness! Another one I do when I'm really struggling is to set alarms to go off on my phone every 1.5 hours during the day. When it goes off, I'm allowed to decide if I need something to eat. That helps so much when I'm having a lot of anxiety around eating. I don't think about it as much if I know my chance to eat again is coming up soon. 1.5 hours is arbitrary, it just works for me. Again I don't do this every day by any means, just if I'm coming off a period of depression or anxiety.
  • blukitten
    blukitten Posts: 922 Member
    Well OP, I am sorry you got a thread full of people arguing but I can tell you what has helped me.

    Seeing my doc. I was exercising with a trainer twice a week, eating at a calorie deficit according to MFP, IIFYM, and other macros calculators, but I was not losing weight or it would yo yo and not really come off.

    So I saw my doc and found out I have some medical issues (PCOS and Hypothyroid) that made my metabolism almost non existent, and found out how I need to eat along with the calorie deficit for me to actually lose the weight.

    I HAVE to do low carb or I will not lose. As my doc put it- my body is in fat storage mode as soon as I wake up in the morning. So now with the medications and doing low carb I have lost a significant amount of weight without exercising. I plan to add exercise but not to create more of a deficit but more for building muscle and toning.

    I hope you get some good "tricks", strategies, tips, or whatever else you would like to call them but this is what helped me! :smile:
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Acg67 wrote: »
    - Find the right calorie deficit for your situation. Trick is to minimise hunger and temptation and also provide your body with the nutrients it needs, while being below your maintenance burn.
    - Make good food choices beyond calories.....it will also make your calories go further. Keep your sugar target low and within that eat natural ones eg. fruit as much as possible. Also pay some attention to the GI index for your carbs.
    - Weigh and measure your food. Do not guess unless you have to, and be honest.
    - Plan your food diary on days where it is possible
    - Drink water through the day
    - Weigh yourself often and learn about your body, while keeping your eye on the trend....
    - Get exercising, and measure it accurately in terms of calories. Gadgets are your friend here if you can afford them.....( I use vivofit and Garmin 620, and HRM for all activities. About to go to 920xt to cover all if Santa listens to my wishes ;-) )
    - Reward yourself with days off or days where you go over your limit, as long as you make up for it on other days. You have to live.

    LOL GI Index
    It's a good think you're here to laugh at the tips. I'm sure everyone would hate to try something you found laughable.

    If you don't like a tip, why not just move on, folks? It's not like anyone's recommending others puke up meals or something.

    And just how are you contributing by policing what other people say?
    By encouraging sharing of tips and discouraging the barbs from the peanut gallery.

    If you don't like GI, don't use it. You don't get to pick The One True Diet.

    Sure do....It's called a claoric deficit.....the one true diet.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Acg67 wrote: »
    - Find the right calorie deficit for your situation. Trick is to minimise hunger and temptation and also provide your body with the nutrients it needs, while being below your maintenance burn.
    - Make good food choices beyond calories.....it will also make your calories go further. Keep your sugar target low and within that eat natural ones eg. fruit as much as possible. Also pay some attention to the GI index for your carbs.
    - Weigh and measure your food. Do not guess unless you have to, and be honest.
    - Plan your food diary on days where it is possible
    - Drink water through the day
    - Weigh yourself often and learn about your body, while keeping your eye on the trend....
    - Get exercising, and measure it accurately in terms of calories. Gadgets are your friend here if you can afford them.....( I use vivofit and Garmin 620, and HRM for all activities. About to go to 920xt to cover all if Santa listens to my wishes ;-) )
    - Reward yourself with days off or days where you go over your limit, as long as you make up for it on other days. You have to live.

    LOL GI Index
    It's a good think you're here to laugh at the tips. I'm sure everyone would hate to try something you found laughable.

    If you don't like a tip, why not just move on, folks? It's not like anyone's recommending others puke up meals or something.

    And just how are you contributing by policing what other people say?
    By encouraging sharing of tips and discouraging the barbs from the peanut gallery.

    If you don't like GI, don't use it. You don't get to pick The One True Diet.

    Actually, you are equally as distracting.
    You've posted 20 times in this thread. You go.

    how about you listen to your screen name and walk right out of this thread?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    adowe wrote: »
    Acg67 wrote: »
    - Find the right calorie deficit for your situation. Trick is to minimise hunger and temptation and also provide your body with the nutrients it needs, while being below your maintenance burn.
    - Make good food choices beyond calories.....it will also make your calories go further. Keep your sugar target low and within that eat natural ones eg. fruit as much as possible. Also pay some attention to the GI index for your carbs.
    - Weigh and measure your food. Do not guess unless you have to, and be honest.
    - Plan your food diary on days where it is possible
    - Drink water through the day
    - Weigh yourself often and learn about your body, while keeping your eye on the trend....
    - Get exercising, and measure it accurately in terms of calories. Gadgets are your friend here if you can afford them.....( I use vivofit and Garmin 620, and HRM for all activities. About to go to 920xt to cover all if Santa listens to my wishes ;-) )
    - Reward yourself with days off or days where you go over your limit, as long as you make up for it on other days. You have to live.

    LOL GI Index
    It's a good think you're here to laugh at the tips. I'm sure everyone would hate to try something you found laughable.

    If you don't like a tip, why not just move on, folks? It's not like anyone's recommending others puke up meals or something.

    And just how are you contributing by policing what other people say?
    By encouraging sharing of tips and discouraging the barbs from the peanut gallery.

    If you don't like GI, don't use it. You don't get to pick The One True Diet.

    Sure do....It's called a claoric deficit.....the one true diet.

    one diet to rule them all!
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    Why are some people getting so caught up on the word "trick"?

    What if we substitute tip instead?

    Here are some "tips" for losing weight/being healthier:
    -weigh/measure your food to ensure accurate logging
    -log daily if possible
    -Work to be more active/exercise more (which can include taking the stairs, parking further away, a walk after dinner, etc)
    -find exercise you enjoy (if you hate running you don't have to force yourself to do it, you can swim, bike, play sports, dance, etc)
    -look for ways to substitute low calorie foods for high calorie foods (low fat cheese/milk for whole, cooking spray instead of butter, etc)
    -develop a support network of friends who will help you if you start to feel discouraged
    -understand that there will be ups and downs but you shouldn't give up (some days you will go way over calories some days you will stick to your calories, some weeks you will lose weight some you may gain)
    -understand that your body's needs will change over time (as you lose weight your calorie needs will change & as your body gets used to certain exercises or as you lose weight you will burn less calories doing them)
    -staying hydrated and getting enough sleep usually helps you feel better and aids your body in this journey
    -losing weight doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming (there are lots of free workout videos on YouTube you can do at home)
  • Laoch_Cailin
    Laoch_Cailin Posts: 414 Member
    Even though this thread has a kinda bad feeling now I'll give an answer to the question you asked.

    For me the number 1 'trick' (other than the obvious of a calorie deficit) is....prelogging. It allows me to know exactly what I'll be eating that day, around what amount I need to eat to fill my day and get my macros right. It stops me hoarding my calories incase I don't have enough for dinner and stops me thinking about food all day long.

    Hope this helps x
  • mrsmalloryevers
    mrsmalloryevers Posts: 34
    edited December 2014
    My trick is to turn to God instead of food when I want to emotionally eat! :)
  • sseqwnp
    sseqwnp Posts: 327 Member
    edited December 2014
    BigT555 wrote: »

    it almost always is. what i believe your referring to is people not realizing that they arent in a deficit. and im still lost on that point you were trying to make yesterday, all i saw was multiple posts asking the same question that had been answered already, thats why i stepped in

    What are you? Some kind of crusader?
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    sseqwnp wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    PRMinx wrote: »
    Aviva92 wrote: »
    BigT555 wrote: »
    in for people not realizing shes asking for tricks to help with a calorie deficit

    yep, way too predictable on here.

    Yep, kind of like the one poster who always comes in scolding everyone because it makes him feel superior. Happens every thread!

    I assume your talking about moi. i just hate it when people nitpick things just so they can point out someone is wrong, when they are creating a perfectly good discussion, which has actually appeared on this forum many times with no problem before

    Not everyone understands the deficit concept when they are new. It can be rather shocking for people to hear that they can eat what they want, just less of it.

    And, pot please meet kettle. Because you nitpick everything.

    sorry for the late reply, had some stuff to do

    anywho, if you've been on this site for more than a day you know the key to weight loss is a calorie deficit. just look at this one post that got jumped all over by 10 different users on the first page because it didnt say "calorie deficit tricks"

    wanna give me an example of how i nitpick everything?

    And you've been around here long enough to know that's not always the case.

    You jump on people all the time based on your perception or opinion about what you think is important. You did it to me yesterday when I was actually trying to make a valid point.

    Feel free to do that - but don't think that doesn't make you a hypocrite.

    it almost always is. what i believe your referring to is people not realizing that they arent in a deficit. and im still lost on that point you were trying to make yesterday, all i saw was multiple posts asking the same question that had been answered already, thats why i stepped in

    What are you? Some kind of crusader?

    yea. why?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Even though this thread has a kinda bad feeling now I'll give an answer to the question you asked.

    For me the number 1 'trick' (other than the obvious of a calorie deficit) is....prelogging. It allows me to know exactly what I'll be eating that day, around what amount I need to eat to fill my day and get my macros right. It stops me hoarding my calories incase I don't have enough for dinner and stops me thinking about food all day long.

    Hope this helps x

    I would go this as well ..

  • CBoone5036
    CBoone5036 Posts: 2 Member
    ok, so to all of the people that act like its common sense to lower your cal intake that is great but to the people like me that did that and nothing was happening keep this in mind...your body needs at least 1200 calories per day or it stores what you are giving it thinking that you need to be in survival mode. I eat 5 200-230 cal meals some ideas are a yogurt and banana, a healthy choice meal, a meal replacement shake ( I buy generic and use as a supplement not replacement) and a package of tuna with 2 pieces of marble rye bread, then for dinner every night i eat the rest of my calories. If I go over the 1200 I exercise to get it back down to 1200. Usually walking for 15 -20 min will eat up 100 calories. Doing this has helped me to lose a total of 28 lbs and still losing. Hope this helps someone.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    One trick is to change the way you think and talk. Tell yourself "I don't eat that" rather than "I can't eat that"

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/heidigranthalvorson/2013/03/14/the-amazing-power-of-i-dont-vs-i-cant/
  • Even though this thread has a kinda bad feeling now I'll give an answer to the question you asked.

    For me the number 1 'trick' (other than the obvious of a calorie deficit) is....prelogging. It allows me to know exactly what I'll be eating that day, around what amount I need to eat to fill my day and get my macros right. It stops me hoarding my calories incase I don't have enough for dinner and stops me thinking about food all day long.

    Hope this helps x

    I do the same thing. Plan int he morning your food for the whole day. sometimes I'll leave a couple hundred calories just in case there is some sort of temptation or incase what I planned doesn't feel like enough!
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    CBoone5036 wrote: »
    ok, so to all of the people that act like its common sense to lower your cal intake that is great but to the people like me that did that and nothing was happening keep this in mind...your body needs at least 1200 calories per day or it stores what you are giving it thinking that you need to be in survival mode. I eat 5 200-230 cal meals some ideas are a yogurt and banana, a healthy choice meal, a meal replacement shake ( I buy generic and use as a supplement not replacement) and a package of tuna with 2 pieces of marble rye bread, then for dinner every night i eat the rest of my calories. If I go over the 1200 I exercise to get it back down to 1200. Usually walking for 15 -20 min will eat up 100 calories. Doing this has helped me to lose a total of 28 lbs and still losing. Hope this helps someone.

    Nobody has ever failed to lose weight by eating too little.
  • blukitten
    blukitten Posts: 922 Member
    In addition to my seeing my doc answer, I also

    Drink lots of water- more than I ever though I possibly could in a day- lol
    I have made it my goal to drink 3- 34 oz cups of water everyday at work and then more when I get home- I reach this goal almost everyday

    If I am having a craving - sweets for example- I pre-log what I want- it helps me to see how many carbs (HAVE to track this-see previous post) or calories is in something before I eat it and most often will change my mind when I see how much of my macros it will use.
    For example- this morning when grabbing breakfast I saw a special on Toffee Hot Chocolate at the coffee kiosk- yum right!! So of course when I got back to my desk it was all I could think about, but logged it and it has 44 carbs- more than my doc gave me for my daily allowance so that helped me say never mind!

    Eggs every day for breakfast- there is a cafeteria at work so I can get my eggs however I want them and they have lots of healthy mix ins for omelets and scrambles if I want

  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    What no diet pills ?
  • JenniferIsLosingIt
    JenniferIsLosingIt Posts: 595 Member
    I start by realizing that food is fuel and just like your car if you put better fuel in it things improve. Also, drink lots of water (half your body weight in ounces to be precise) and Walk, eat more fresh foods, plan ahead, cook more eat out less, take care of yourself! Strive to make each day better than the last!
  • hiker_chick
    hiker_chick Posts: 16 Member
    Here are some "tips" that I use to stay on track and eat healthy most days:
    1) water first-if I feel hungry, I drink a glass of water. Sometimes hunger we feel is really just thirst! This also insures I get enough water everyday, and makes me more mindful of my eating.

    2) fruit bowl on my desk at work-when I get the munchies, or feel hungry mid-morning or mid-afternoon, I reach for a tangerine/apple/kiwi/pear, eat it and track it. This helps me get in some good, wholesome food, and makes it easier to avoid the junk that floats around the office.

    3) Pre-tracking!! I sit down most nights and plan out what I am going to eat that next day. I also try to plan out the week for meals out, etc on Mondays, so I have an idea of what I am going to do for dinner each night and don't default to ordering pizza or snacking for dinner. I also evaluate my plans for the weekend and make mindful choices when I go out. When I understand that grabbing that beer at the pub runs me anywhere from 200-250 calories and makes me reach for junk food.....I make the decision ahead of time to order a tea, and stay on plan.

    4) Walks at lunch after I eat. Gets me out of the cafeteria (away from food I don't need!)and gets me some exercise/fresh air.

    5) I discovered a form of exercise I love, and have stuck to it. Take a bunch of fitness classes, do group activities, sign up for "that random kickboxing class that your friend told you about"...etc, until you find something that you enjoy doing and that fits in your schedule. If you don't find exercise that makes you happy or makes you feel good, you are not really going to stick with it (Lifestyle change!!!). For me personally, I now run quite religiously, and participate in group runs every week to stay on track. I also try to get in a hike every weekend. Fitness classes were too regimented for me, and I did not like having to stick to such a schedule when I get busy.

    6) Low cal drinks-tea, coffee, flavored water...whatever blows your dress up...drink them! A lot! As someone previously said-it keeps your hands busy, and at least for me I've found it suppresses my appetite, and warms me when it is cold out. In the summer I tend to drink more diet soda (a habit I am working on breaking...) and hope to get into unsweetened iced tea this next summer.

    Best of luck :)
  • PRMinx wrote: »
    Amitysk wrote: »
    The "tricks" I use are:
    Meal planning (usually plan and shop on Saturday and then prep and cook on Sunday)
    Small plates
    Lots of water
    If I am serving my fiance, I make sure that I don't have a portion equal in size to him
    If I do have a snack, I will portion it out.

    So, this...I get why it happens, but people should be very careful about comparing their consumption to others. We had lady on here a little while back who thought a viable strategy was following skinny people around at parties and eating what they ate. Not good.

    It's better to just focus on you and your calories....and to weigh your own food to meet those needs.

    oh, I figured this meant like when using the recipe builder. for example, I have a recipe for mushroom risotto that I make for me and my partner a lot and I make it all in the same pot, so when I'm dishing it out I give them slightly more so I know I'm eating <half the recipe. I don't think it meant like... just not eating as much as their fiance.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    CBoone5036 wrote: »
    ok, so to all of the people that act like its common sense to lower your cal intake that is great but to the people like me that did that and nothing was happening keep this in mind...your body needs at least 1200 calories per day or it stores what you are giving it thinking that you need to be in survival mode. I eat 5 200-230 cal meals some ideas are a yogurt and banana, a healthy choice meal, a meal replacement shake ( I buy generic and use as a supplement not replacement) and a package of tuna with 2 pieces of marble rye bread, then for dinner every night i eat the rest of my calories. If I go over the 1200 I exercise to get it back down to 1200. Usually walking for 15 -20 min will eat up 100 calories. Doing this has helped me to lose a total of 28 lbs and still losing. Hope this helps someone.

    survival mode or starvation mode from eating under 1200 calories is a myth.
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
    fun thread- ruined sifting through the snark. Here are some tricks I use that work for me:

    - change into gym clothes before leaving work. go to gym before getting home (and inevitably relaxing, cooking dinner, etc)

    - drink seltzer water/ la Croix. Fill up, but not all the chemicals and artivicial sweeteners over other diet drinks

    - load protein (plain greek yogurt is best for me), especially early in the day, to decrease cravings

    - spend some money on things that support your goals (new shoes or workout equipment, a gym pass, special health snacks). It shows you are invested and value your health

    - no temptation binge foods in the house

    - shop at Sprouts/ Whole Foods/ Farmer's market where there is less junk and often more tasty looking produce

    - focus on body measurements and athletic goals/improvement (don't be a psychological slave to the scale alone)

    -enter all food/drink every day (knowing you have to write it down makes eating crap less appealing)
  • jltaylor121
    jltaylor121 Posts: 3
    edited December 2014
    Don't go for a fad diet or restrict yourself from foods you love.

    Set yourself up to succeed by exercising and taking in calories a few at a time.

    Log everything and check through your log to look for ways to improve.
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