little changes that could make a HUGE diff?

nibbynoo
nibbynoo Posts: 250 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
okay guys im talking switching milks, swapping snacks, using sweeteners

i want all your little fixes that WILL make a difference!!

:D
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Replies

  • notoriousgtt
    notoriousgtt Posts: 75 Member
    Swapping fizzy juice for water
    Swapping full fat milk for soy milk.

    Both of these have made big differences to me :)
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
    I used to have 2 sugars in tea and coffee. Then I tried none, then tried sweetener and have now settled on one sugar. Little things.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    Spending more than half my day standing / stretching / moving at work instead of sitting. I have a workstation that I converted into a standing station. 'Tis great.

    ALWAYS taking the stairs over the elevator.

    Parking far away in the parking lot and walking. Also saves my car from getting whacked by others' car doors! Bonus!

    Walking for groceries instead of driving (I live about .2 miles from the grocer :happy: )

    Putting coconut milk instead of cream in my coffee every morning.
  • Angela_MA
    Angela_MA Posts: 260
    Skim milk, lots of water, greek yogurt instead of low fat or fat free yogurt, big salads full of veggies and smaller proportions of carbs....oh and more protein! :bigsmile:

    Next week I am going to eliminate my fat free creamer and opt for skim milk and splenda in the morning! This is a big deal because I love my creamer, but it gives me to many unnecessary carbs....it is time to say goodbye to it! :brokenheart: Eventually I just want to drink black coffee, but that will take sometime!
  • weesharpie
    weesharpie Posts: 18 Member
    I'm with the water, I used to be a real Irn Bru junkie and now I don't miss it at all.

    It's all about the natural food! I don't drink milk anymore - personal choice to reduce chemical intake (I make my porridge with water :P)

    I also don't consume artificial sweeteeners, a wee bit honey does the trick, or dried fruit? Depends what you want it for.

    I have lost weight since changing my diet, I've just not started tracking it yet!
  • bstiver
    bstiver Posts: 57 Member
    baby carrots or almonds for chips :D
    Endulge aktins bars for candy bars (they have one just liek snickers)
    Greek yogurt for breakfast!
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    A "big" little change I made when I lost all of my weight was to stop picking, like a pretzel here, a bite of the kids' sandwich there, etc.. Once I stopped doing that and actually recorded every thing I ate the weight dropped off. There is a huge discrepancy with what you think you're eating and what you actually are when you write it down!

    Another one is to measure everything! Sometimes eyeballing is completely off!
  • stella77
    stella77 Posts: 282
    sweeteners for coffee/tea

    30 min fast walk most days

    hummus - you can have over 4 tbsps for 100 kcal or so. Makes a great lunch with some rusks, celery and cucumbers.

    and most importantly - I never buy anything I shouldn't eat and I never have it at home. (well, most of the time)

    Oh and yes - air popped popcorn!
  • Nina_Crowson
    Nina_Crowson Posts: 136
    whole milk to skim milk
    Eating cereals in the morning (which never kept me very full) to eating weight control oatmeal, low fat bagels, grits (things that stick to your ribs as my momma says)
    Wheat everything!
    Coke to water


    :o)
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    I have never heard of using coconut milk instead of cream! Sounds yummy! But doesn't it have more fat/calories than even regular creamer?
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
    Whatever the changes you make, they need to be something you can live with long term. So if you want some coke, have some coke, but dont take the piss and have loads. If you want a bar of choc, have one, but dont do it all the time or scoff loads. The last thing you want to do is to deprive yourself of your favourite foods, IMO deprivation leads to binging and failure and depression. There's no need for that. I think it's all about eating and drinking what you want (kinda) but consider it into your daily cals and just dont take the piss.
  • etjaneausten
    etjaneausten Posts: 36 Member
    Make mashed potatoes with sour cream instead of butter - much fluffier and less calories.
    Substitute hummus on bread for butter.
    Bought tiny zip-lock bags and made my own 100 calorie snacks. That way I can still indulge occassionally in my favorite sweets, but have control over the portion size.
  • sparklypoof
    sparklypoof Posts: 9 Member
    to angusfam5, about the splenda: dunno if you've used that stuff before, but I thought I was doing great things by getting that sweetness in my coffee and zero calories - until it started affecting my whole digestive system!! after reading up on it, I realized my problems (which I thought were somehow diet-related, even though I eat very healthfully) - were all because of using splenda. I stopped using it, switched back to regular or raw sugar and honey, in smaller amounts, and I haven't had ANY problems since. it's kind of freaky to think of all the chemicals in that sweetner and the processing that goes on... just my 2 cents anyway! it's worth the few calories for REAL sugar, to me :)

    to the original poster - I cut out processed foods whenever possible. I enjoy indulgences when they're really worth it - like a fancy night out w/really good food - but try to stick to healthy eating the majority of the time. also? I am working on not beating myself up mentally for "being bad" - it's a little thing, but telling myself that "it's okay!" really does help!
  • Jeepinmom4
    Jeepinmom4 Posts: 298 Member
    The only thing I completely traded was SODA,I was a 6 a day soda drinker. As a matter of fact all I drank was soda. Now I drink propel all day :) day 10 no soda!! Good luck on your journey!
  • loulou_88
    loulou_88 Posts: 11 Member
    try cutting out breads and pasta... anything white that is processed, you will be amazed!!
  • hanson22
    hanson22 Posts: 24 Member
    using stevia instead of real sugar.
    eggwhites instead of egg yolks.
    watching the "bready" carb intake in the evening.
    Being aware that liquid calories still count and can add up! (Such as with alcohol.)
    Preparing for a meal at a restaurant (looking up the menu online, working out to compensate for something you want to eat)
    Skim milk. Always.
    Trying to pair a protein and a carb for a more well-rounded nutrition plan.
    Always making time for working out (5 days a week is my goal), whether it's only a mile run or a 5 mile run, it's the consistency overall and longterm that produces results.

    And above all, I have had to learn to practice everything in moderation... and not be an all or nothing person.
    Hope this helps!
  • nibbynoo
    nibbynoo Posts: 250 Member
    i was thinking of switching to soy dairy products.... hhmmm
    whats better skimmed milk or like the low low soy stuff?!

    Ive recently started bagging all food in my house in portion controlled bags (really anal but i live alone so by god it helps!) all my meat, pasta, rice, cous cous its all bagged in sensible portions and it makes things quicket and easier :)

    also started having soup for lunch instead of sandwiches, all my pasta, bread etc is now brown, chocolate swapped for fruit.

    also cottage cheese? AMAZING! a cheese fix with less fat :)
  • Djbass728
    Djbass728 Posts: 71 Member
    Switched from diet coke to water.

    Cut out almost all processed foods.

    I eat a lot of soups - they seem to be very filling. I love to eat the black bean soup at Panera Bread - I have it at least three times a week.

    Eating more veggies.

    Having healthy snacks around when I need a little boost to get to the next meal. I always have almonds, pistachios and fruit at my desk.

    Also, I was the classic junk food/fast food eater and I am amazed at how quickly my tastes started changing as I made healthier choices - things I once craved are no longer desireable now - this continues to amaze me!!!! I just keep making small changes.

    Switched from milk to almond milk.

    The biggest thing I noticed with my food diary was how little protein I was getting - so I bought a soy protein powder at our local health food store. I started dropping pounds like crazy. And I love the flavor!!!!

    Stopped eating cereal - it seemed to not be very filling - now I do a protein drink, oatmeal or organic yogurt with ground flax seed mixed in.

    Good luck on your journey to a healthier lifestyle - it really is just about making small changes all the time until you tweak your food choices to your bodies needs.

    Donna
  • LindsayChick
    LindsayChick Posts: 129 Member
    I totally agree with the previous post about avoiding picking and snacking! This is a huge problem! The ways I've changed are:

    - Use a smaller plate (salad plate) for dinner. You automatically eat less and your plate still seems totally full.
    - I found out my favorite sandwich shop offered carrot sticks instead of chips (if only you ASK!). Ask around ;)
    - Fiber, fiber, fiber. I eat Fiber 1 Bars for breakfast, which are super filling, sweet and delicious. Also, I eat a lot of Fiber 1 cereal (w/ yogurt) and tons of filling veggies!
    - Choose filling calories (Ex. a Banana is extremely filling (100 cals) vs. a 100 cal pouch of chips/cookies etc.)
    - For me, I had to totally ditch sweets since it's a huge trigger for me. If I'm craving sweets I go for yogurt, fruit or coffee w/ skim milk and splenda

    Good luck! You can do it! ;)
  • defygravity531
    defygravity531 Posts: 289 Member
    swapping having a mini-meal between lunch and dinner (that time after work when I get really hungry) to eating a few triscuit thin crisps (complex carb) on my way home so I'm not ravenous when dinner's ready.

    ACTUALLY drinking my 8 glasses of water a day, not just "trying to". HUGE DIFFERENCE. :smile:

    swapping juices for water (why drink your calories?)

    swapping very large slices of Pepperidge Farm bread to the normal-sized slices of store brand bread. (110 cals/slice vs just 70!!)

    when I make a grilled cheese (on my new, smaller bread) I use one slice full fat cheese (I LOVE cheese) and one slice 2% land-o-lakes cheese. This way I can't tell the difference but I'm still getting a little less fat/calories.

    swapping guessing what I'm going to have for breakfast every morning to having a faithful stand-by that I eat every morning: a Deep Chocolate Vita-Top. OMG you have to try them. 100 calories, low fat, has protien and fiber, and is SO YUMMY. It prevents me from skipping breakfast and being too hungry by lunch.

    swapping reading on my lunch to walking (around the building or outside). I burn a few calories and feel more refreshed.

    swapping fast food "because I have to" to PLANNING AHEAD so I never feel like have to stop at fast food!

    swapping candy as a sweet fix to minute maid raspberry lemonade pops. 70 calories and because my teeth are sensitive to the cold they take me forever to eat so I feel more satisfied after. I never feel good after I eat candy.

    swapping regular ranch (and mayo) to light versions. Ken's Healthy Options salad dressings are a really good option.

    swapping regular granola bars and cereals to Kashi granola bars and cereals. Kashi Go Lean Crisp (Toasted Berry Crumble) is my favorite cereal and the dark chocolate coconut is my favorite bar.



    I still eat plenty of delicious food, I just eat smaller portions and maybe have it less often.
  • SLaw4215
    SLaw4215 Posts: 596 Member
    Learning to cook! so you don't get stuck eating frozen diet dinners all the time. That's so boring!!!!! My (12 year old daughter) have a goal to try a different fruit and/or vegetable every other week. Try whatever it is a few different ways (baked, boiled, juiced, cold, etc) We may not like everthing but at least we can say we've made an educated decision. This week we chose a fresh Hawaiian Papaya!
  • Jizes318
    Jizes318 Posts: 409 Member
    I have switched the following.....
    Regular eggs to Egg Whites
    Whole Milk to 2% Milk
    Ground Beef to Ground Turkey
    Regular Bacon to Turkey Bacon
    Soda to Water
    BudLight to Bud Select 55 Cal
    Coffee with Sugar and Creamer to Just a little fat free creamer
    White to Wheat
    Chips and Candy to 100 cal Snacks

    I work out more if I am going out to eat so I have playing room. Stay active.
  • HeyLisa
    HeyLisa Posts: 201
    Spicy tex-mex chicken soup. I sometimes add a small minute rice to a serving. It's filling and has good healthy calories.

    My big batch has about 5 servings.. I can have for lunch or dinner.
  • bellinachuchina
    bellinachuchina Posts: 498 Member
    --Use small plates & utensils instead of regular types
    --Use different cooking methods: grilling, broiling, baking, boiling, sauteing w/ broth & not oil
    --Substitute oil for cooking spray or f.f. low sodium broth
    --Cauliflower used for "rice" or "mashed potatoes"
    --Corn Flakes instead of bread crumbs
    --Fat Free dairy products for full fat ones
    --FAGE 0% Greek Yogurt instead of full fat sour cream or mayonaise
    --PB2 for regular peanut butter
    --Egg Whites vs. Yolks
    --Cocopop Multigrain Rice Cakes instead of bread/tortillas
    --Light Whole Grain products
    --Only drink zero calorie liquids, or under 20cal options (coffee, tea, sugar free energy drinks)
    --Sugar Free/Fat Free ALWAYS (This way you have extra calorie room for natural healthy full fat/sugar foods like avocados, fruits, nuts, etc.)
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    I have never heard of using coconut milk instead of cream! Sounds yummy! But doesn't it have more fat/calories than even regular creamer?

    Coconut milk is 80-90 calories per cup, and of all the cow substitutes is definitely my favorite.
  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
    Going to McDonalds and order only 2 burgers, instead of 2 burgers and big portion of fries and a big drink :-)

    MM
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Spicy popcorn! I had actually never thought of putting spices on popcorn till I saw Rachel Ray do it (I'm a Food Network junkie). Now instead of butter I spray on just a little olive oil (via Misto - which is another GREAT weight loss tool!!) to make the spices stick and use a variety of spices (garlic, black pepper, chili powder, whatever I'm in the mood for).

    Also, I have a sedentary job so I've started using the bathroom one floor down so I have to walk one flight of stairs every time I have to go.
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
    I've switched almost all my breads, pastas, and cereals to whole grain varieties. They're more filling and usually have more fiber and other nutrients.

    Skim milk and one teaspoon of raw sugar in my coffee instead of half and half and a load of sugar. (Though I do still indulge in half and half occasionally on a weekend, just in much smaller quantities.) I'm trying to cut out the sugar totally, but haven't gotten there yet.

    Adding more veggies into casseroles and such. It means you can still eat filling portions and keep your calories down.

    Having more protein for breakfast seems to help too. I have an egg with breakfast most mornings these days and it just lasts so much longer for me than cereal or even oatmeal.
  • dawnrenee567
    dawnrenee567 Posts: 292 Member
    Less milk (used to have it everyday, now just a couple times a week)
    More water - lots more at least 10 glasses a day MINIMUM
    Watch your sugar - even from fresh fruits
    MOVE
    Did I mention more water? I doubled my water intake this week and lost 3 pounds
    I've also done my best to cut out processed snacks - no 100 calorie packs or fake foods
  • Lyndzo
    Lyndzo Posts: 142
    Two big ones for me are:
    1.Cut back on juices, no pop and drink WATER!
    2. Whole wheat bread instead of white
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