What worked for you?Please share Tips and suggestions for weight loss

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  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    arequote="evolutionaerie;32508481"]Making sure your water intake is adequate is key - for me, like another poster said, a lot of the times that I think I feel hungry, I'm often just thirsty. Sometimes I'll have a cup of tea, and decide after it if I really want to eat something.
    To be honest though, I do think that 1200 calories is probably not a reasonable daily goal for you, and that your body may be telling you you're hungry because you are, and that you need to be eating more, especially if you are exercising. Depriving yourself and being afraid of certain foods because of calories will lead to a bit of weight loss in the short term, but as you become more active, such a low calorie goal will actually put your body into starvation mode and force it to hold on to fat instead of raising your metabolism. This isn't a sustainable form of weight loss, and there are several groups on MFP dedicated to the success of those (including me!) who realize that providing your body with more healthy fuel will actually work for you instead of against you. Please don't be afraid of milk, red meat, or carbs from fruit...if you are really worried when you eat something that is a little bit higher in calories, just put in a little more exercise that day...I promise you, weight will soon start falling off! Check out the links I put down below and do some research - I really think changing your approach could be helpful for you in terms of the hunger and your overall goal! :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Merithyn/view/eat-more-weigh-less-demystified-293364
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3817-eat-more-2-weigh-less
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/lillebanon/view/my-take-on-eating-more-to-weigh-less-254554
    [/quote]

    @evolutionaerie The best thing I did today was come on here and ask for help. I thought by keeping my calorie intake at 1200 I would shed the weight faster. During my workout cardio alone I burn about 420 calories+ Weight training. I never thought that I could be jeopardizing my weight loss,and everything that you said make sense because I haven't lost anymore weight. I'll be checking out your links. I'm sure so many people are the same boat as me and will benefit from your suggestions and advice.
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    Hote="greengiwitook32507628"]Agree with Asher_Ethan on the water. So important to drink lots of water. I also have tea with milk and sweetener when I'm feeling like I need something to fill me up. It tends to do the trick. I'm drinking one right now actually, in the past I would have been snacking on cookies while making the kids lunches![/quote]

    @greengirl4 I also find myself having to Stop myself from eating or snacking while making my children lunch. My family has no issue with their weight ,so when I cook dinner I cook our typical Mexican food. I've had to modify my meals, for example I will make my tacos with Lettuce leaves, I'll add salsa, avocado, lemon . I've never had tea with milk but it's worth a try. Thank you for your tip :)
  • jessica22222
    jessica22222 Posts: 375 Member
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    For me getting active helps with my hunger. I find when I'm at home sitting around I start to get bored and I think I'm hungry and will reach for food and eat mindlessly. I found when I go for a walk, take the kids to the park...just a change in scenery helps break that cycle. I'm very fortunate to live in such a beautiful city that's close to trails, mountains, lakes and rivers so there's lots to do outdoors. I like to find new places so it's always exciting and changing rather than going to the same places all the time.
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    For me getting active helps with my hunger. I find when I'm at home sitting around I start to get bored and I think I'm hungry and will reach for food and eat mindlessly. I found when I go for a walk, take the kids to the park...just a change in scenery helps break that cycle. I'm very fortunate to live in such a beautiful city that's close to trails, mountains, lakes and rivers so there's lots to do outdoors. I like to find new places so it's always exciting and changing rather than going to the same places all the time.

    @jessica22222 you are so right, the other day I found myself trying really hard from eating sweets and I just put some shoes on and took my daughter to the park and all those Cravings went out the window. Thank you for the reminder I will start doing that moCravings☺
  • AliceSwarthout
    AliceSwarthout Posts: 808 Member
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    I eat red meat all the time... High in calories though so definitely watch your moderation. My most helpful hint that helped me is water Water WATER... 9 out of every 10 times I think I'm hungry, I'm actually just thirsty... If I think I'm hungry I drink a cup of water and reevaluate my hunger in 20 minutes.

    Far and away water was the most helpful thing for me.
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    I'm going to plan meals today and look up new recipes. I'm planning to increase my calorie intake. I think part of the problem is I keep eating the same meals for the past 2 months.Please share some of your recipes.:)
  • HollandOats
    HollandOats Posts: 202 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Things that help me stave off hunger:

    1. Protein rather than carbs for breakfast (a whey isolate + casein protein shake does the trick and is tasty to boot)
    2. Eat breakfast after 9am (if I eat before then, I'm cyclically hungry sooner and more frequently throughout the day)
    3. Coffee with milk prior to 9am helps to make me feel like I've had something without triggering cravings
    4. Eating to hit a high protein goal (for my 5'8" ~150 self, my goal is around 90g daily) helps keep me fuller
    5. Healthy fats with my meals helps me feel fuller longer (I mash half an avocado on my sandwiches, daily)
    6. Minimizing carbs from sources other than fresh produce, as, for me, they trigger more hunger
    7. Having a bunch of fresh veggies for my side with lunch or supper fills me well, for very few calories. About a cup of broccoli, and then some other veggies I like (mushrooms, beets, tomatoes) is very satiating when paired with my grilled chicken sandwiches. (vinegar rather than dressing keeps cals low)
    8. Pre-logging healthy snacks and having them on hand should a craving strike helps a lot... I log them in my "other" category... then if the hunger crisis never comes, I can delete them from my diary and save them for another day.
  • Lexicpt
    Lexicpt Posts: 209 Member
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    Saving most of my calories for the evening has been a life saver for me. It's easy to just graze at work but when I get home, I want to sit down to a substantial meal.
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    Lexicpt wrote: »
    Saving most of my calories for the evening has been a life saver for me. It's easy to just graze at work but when I get home, I want to sit down to a substantial meal.

    Great suggestion,specially now that I will be planning out my meals and using this app to make sure I keep up with my calories .
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    Things that help me stave off hunger:

    1. Protein rather than carbs for breakfast (a whey isolate + casein protein shake does the trick and is tasty to boot)
    2. Eat breakfast after 9am (if I eat before then, I'm cyclically hungry sooner and more frequently throughout the day)
    3. Coffee with milk prior to 9am helps to make me feel like I've had something without triggering cravings
    4. Eating to hit a high protein goal (for my 5'8" ~150 self, my goal is around 90g daily) helps keep me fuller
    5. Healthy fats with my meals helps me feel fuller longer (I mash half an avocado on my sandwiches, daily)
    6. Minimizing carbs from sources other than fresh produce, as, for me, they trigger more hunger
    7. Having a bunch of fresh veggies for my side with lunch or supper fills me well, for very few calories. About a cup of broccoli, and then some other veggies I like (mushrooms, beets, tomatoes) is very satiating when paired with my grilled chicken sandwiches. (vinegar rather than dressing keeps cals low)
    8. Pre-logging healthy snacks and having them on hand should a craving strike helps a lot... I log them in my "other" category... then if the hunger crisis never comes, I can delete them from my diary and save them for another day.
    @HollandOats These are such helpful tips that a lot of us can benefit from. How can I find out what is the amount of protein I should be eating?
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    lots of miles walking, drinking gallons of water daily, and logging consistently

    29509743.png
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    jrline wrote: »
    lots of miles walking, drinking gallons of water daily, and logging consistently

    29509743.png

    Congratulations on your weight loss!!!!☺
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
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    greengirl4 wrote: »
    Agree with Asher_Ethan on the water. So important to drink lots of water. I also have tea with milk and sweetener when I'm feeling like I need something to fill me up. It tends to do the trick. I'm drinking one right now actually, in the past I would have been snacking on cookies while making the kids lunches!

    Ya, I have started to have tea as well. Just an in between pick me up. I also will be snacking while making kids food. lol
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    bbontheb wrote: »
    greengirl4 wrote: »
    Agree with Asher_Ethan on the water. So important to drink lots of water. I also have tea with milk and sweetener when I'm feeling like I need something to fill me up. It tends to do the trick. I'm drinking one right now actually, in the past I would have been snacking on cookies while making the kids lunches!

    Ya, I have started to have tea as well. Just an in between pick me up. I also will be snacking while making kids food. lol
    @bbontheb Do you put any sweetner in your tea? I've heard green tea is good for weight loss, have you tried it?
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    I can't get to the gym till 9:45 p.m. and I get home at 11 p.m. at that time I'm very hungry. since I had dinner earlier that evening what is your suggestion or tip or what do you do if your hungry after you go to the gym?

    Suggestion: eat something (if it won't interfer with you sleeping).
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    bbontheb wrote: »
    greengirl4 wrote: »
    Agree with Asher_Ethan on the water. So important to drink lots of water. I also have tea with milk and sweetener when I'm feeling like I need something to fill me up. It tends to do the trick. I'm drinking one right now actually, in the past I would have been snacking on cookies while making the kids lunches!

    Ya, I have started to have tea as well. Just an in between pick me up. I also will be snacking while making kids food. lol
    @bbontheb Do you put any sweetner in your tea? I've heard green tea is good for weight loss, have you tried it?

    Green tea will not help with weightloss.

  • buffalobill41
    buffalobill41 Posts: 72 Member
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    It seems like the answers are somewhat simple it just takes lots of willpower (we all fall off and cheat so i'm not judging). Try eating 5 small meals a day. Try in general to avoid eating out (even though they have healthy choices the better stuff is always so tempting and the portion sizes are too large). Try to avoid non-water beverage (even diet soda), take nodoz if you need the caffeine, even fruit juices and vitamin water/gatorade have lots of calories and sugar that will keep you from burning fat and won't really fill you up. Try to get lots of protein. Try to get used to veggies or some other low cal low fat food that way if you do feel like eating a lot you can just eat too much of those and not feel guilty. And brush your teeth after what's supposed to be your last meal of the night that way a snack will be less tempting later. And honestly sometimes you have to treat yourself like a drug addict, would a recovering crack addict keep crack in the house? of course not so just try not to buy chips or cookies or ice cream or whatever it is you like to binge on vs assuming you'll control your portions of those (i know i can't). It kinda sucks but it works.
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    Breakfast suggestion:
    It seems like the answers are somewhat simple it just takes lots of willpower (we all fall off and cheat so i'm not judging). Try eating 5 small meals a day. Try in general to avoid eating out (even though they have healthy choices the better stuff is always so tempting and the portion sizes are too large). Try to avoid non-water beverage (even diet soda), take nodoz if you need the caffeine, even fruit juices and vitamin water/gatorade have lots of calories and sugar that will keep you from burning fat and won't really fill you up. Try to get lots of protein. Try to get used to veggies or some other low cal low fat food that way if you do feel like eating a lot you can just eat too much of those and not feel guilty. And brush your teeth after what's supposed to be your last meal of the night that way a snack will be less tempting later. And honestly sometimes you have to treat yourself like a drug addict, would a recovering crack addict keep crack in the house? of course not so just try not to buy chips or cookies or ice cream or whatever it is you like to binge on vs assuming you'll control your portions of those (i know i can't). It kinda sucks but it works.
    @buffalobill41 washing my teeth earlier than later is a great tip. I'll try that tonight.willpower definitely is the key. Thank you
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    I'm getting tired of my plane salads.I would love to hear some suggestions and tips .what do you put on your salad ?what kind of salad dressing do you use to maintain weight loss?
    for protein I like to add chicken breast to my salad but that I'm even getting tired of the same flavoring. How do you season your chicken?
  • bre11217715
    bre11217715 Posts: 44 Member
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    Suggestion: it's not time for lunch and I was feeling hungry so I had a snack .I blended a cup of unsweetened almond milk that's 40 calories, a few bluberriesand a bit of plain yogurt and it helped sooth my stomach.today I am logging everything I eat to keep track of my calories.This way I'm not worried , and I won't be jeopardizing my weight loss by eating less than I should.Thank you everyone for your advice and tips .Everything that is posted on here I take very serious. Whatever I think applies to me and can help me it's worth trying.I appreciate you taking the time to post on here because what works for you can help others as well.