A Question for everyone since starting their healthy lifesty

Jade1964
Jade1964 Posts: 111 Member
edited September 29 in Motivation and Support
What is the one thing that you've changed since starting your healthy lifestyle that you think has really made a difference to your weight loss? Did you give up soda? Stop snacking at night? Get a trainer?

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Bought a scale and weigh almost everything I cook or eat. I didn't cut too much out of my diet. Potato chips, Pretzels and other simple carbs. I had a blood sugar problem. I am doing great now and love it. Lost all the weight I wanted and really just watch portion size and stay within my goals. Good luck to you on your new lifestyle. If you drink your calories I would stop. Not worth it. stick to water or green tea with lemon. I eat low cal popcorn and 1/2 cup of grapes or strawberries everynight. It gives me the crunch I love.
  • nosey_rosey
    nosey_rosey Posts: 380 Member
    I gave up all soda and fast food... I occasionally eat fast food if I have to but in moderation. I drink a ton of water and watch my sodium, fat and sugar intake =) Seems to be working pretty good for me =)
  • kimkat77
    kimkat77 Posts: 20
    Hmmmm... the biggest change was working out 6 days a week on the elliptical...The biggest change in food was NO bread and eating lots of fiber and protein with water (no drinks with calories)! Great question, I actually stopped and reflected!
  • meowmx
    meowmx Posts: 15 Member
    Joining the local gym. I love to run outside, but where I live it rains alot and gets dark so early in the wintertime, so it's easy to lose the motivation to go. Now I really never have an excuse to not work out. Also I drink a ton of water now, average 15 cups a day!:drinker:
  • HisBeloved65
    HisBeloved65 Posts: 186
    Bought a scale.
    stopped making excusing.
    Kicked emotional eating out the door.
    starting moving...walking, jogging, various workout videos, gardening and biking.
    kept track of everything I ate and made no excuses for why I wanted to cheat.
    If I cheat, I own it.

    I dont have a trainer, I dont go to the gym. I dont have an HRM but I am losing weight and feeling really really good and alive!
    oh and about 150 ounces of water every day. Pretty much only sugar from fresh fruit. no fast food. I wasnt really a soda drinker so that wasnt too big a deal. I watch my carbs and fat pretty intensely.
  • kimi131
    kimi131 Posts: 1,058 Member
    Originally I think drinking water was the biggest key. I went from 1/2 a glass every few weeks (with soda and tea as my only drink) to 8 or more glasses of water a day. It gave me so much more energy! Now I have more energy and exercise is so important. I never thought I'd get to the point where I enjoy exercising!
  • ncwingnut71
    ncwingnut71 Posts: 292 Member
    I weigh and measure everything. I cut out all caffine. I heard that caffine (sp?) can hinder some people in weight loss. I only drink water or herbal tea. I even stay away from caffine free soda, because it's just too sweet to me now. I make sure I get at least one walk in a day.
  • ToniAnn411
    ToniAnn411 Posts: 83
    Honestly, I just eat healthier and added more serious exercise. Exercise is key for me.
  • jnchorn
    jnchorn Posts: 250 Member
    Hi there. When I began my journey I started drink almost 100% water. I also switched to whole wheats whenever possible and brown rice instead of white. I also figured out my trigger foods were chips and bologna. I could eat bologna on white bread everyday and chips by the bag. So I cut out both of them entirely for several months. I havent had bologna now in 2 years and I only eat chips on occassion. I dont think you have to cut out all your favorite things just try to find balance and make every bite as healthy as you can. :)
  • Jconner30
    Jconner30 Posts: 311
    I gave up the following: Junk Food (cookies, chips, etc etc). Regular food: Pizza, Hamburgers, French Fries, Mexican Food, and all the food that cost a ton in calories. I gave up Sodas and Beer.

    The difference? Frown to Smile. FAT and DISGUSTING 'obease' body to now just mildly 'overweight' and eventually to skinny :)

    I do eat the foods above (in the gave them up category). I just eat them on Saturdays (thats my cheat day). It gives me something to look forward to :smile: Also, I can drink beer on one day only. I choose that day :smile:

    First words of advice, clear your pantry out of any junk foods. Its SOOOO easy to get frusterated and 'binge eat' - thats bad. Bindge eating is like a snowball rolling down a hill. Remove the junk and the temptation will not be there. Think of yourself as a 'food-a-holic'. Set simple goals - ones you can achieve. For instance - my first goal is to lose 10 pounds and to exercise 30 mintues a day. After you achieve that goal, then challenge yourself. Eventually, you will be skinny, healthy and happy.

    If you snack, do it healthy! Fruits and nuts are good snacking foods. One person told me if its man made, dont eat it.
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
    1. Weigh all of my food or measure it with measuring cups.

    2. Stopped snacking as much.

    3. Reduced sodium.

    4. Reduced added sugars and replaced with fruit and unsweetened yogurt.

    5. Stopped buying 100 calorie or "light" food products.

    6. Stopped drinking pop, lemonade and juice.
  • findingfit23
    findingfit23 Posts: 845 Member
    I started exercising every single day. Planning days off left too much room to take another day off, and then suddenly I'm not exercising. I just do it every day now, and I like the way it makes me feel when I'm done.
  • RonniP
    RonniP Posts: 5
    I follow the 80/20 rule. I stick to my calorie goals 80% of the time; the other 20% I allow myself some flexibility.
  • Jade1964
    Jade1964 Posts: 111 Member
    I never had a chance to respond. I ask the question and then don't put in my 2 cents! ;o)

    I totally cut out diet soda. I try very hard to eat a high protein low carb diet. I work out 3 x's a week vs not working out all before.

    But one of the biggest things I have done that I have noticed helps is I eat a very small dinner or sometimes no dinner at all depending on my calorie intake for the day. And I don't eat after 8pm. I have noticed I will actually gain weight if I eat a big dinner even if I have enough calories and stay under my calories for the day. The dinner meal for some reason is just a killer for me weight loss wise. So I am very careful about when I eat and how much I eat for dinner.
  • koppc
    koppc Posts: 4 Member
    Honestly, every since I started keeping track of the food that I ate it made me more aware of how much I was actually eating. Knowing that if I opened the bag of chips I would have to record it, it kept me from opening that bag of chips. I haven't started a workout plan yet, but I make sure that I take stairs instead of elevators and I don't worry about how close I can get to the doors when parking, rather, I park farther away to get a few more steps in. Every little bit counts. :happy:
    I started this site last year at this time but didn't follow through with it. I picked it back up this May though and I have been sticking to it. It is definitely engraved in my routine now and will be for a long time! :happy:
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  • lollie1285
    lollie1285 Posts: 239 Member
    Bought a scale, started cycling 3-4 times a week, started weight training in between, counted calories and measured EVERYTHING. It has made a world of difference.
  • Katie3784
    Katie3784 Posts: 543
    I think pilates has helped the most. I tried to think in terms of motivation, and since I've seen such great results from pilates, it keeps me motivated to stick with it.
  • lizzy646
    lizzy646 Posts: 15
    I don't drink soda anymore, it is very tempting though when you are at the movie theater and you have a salty mouth full of popcorn :(. Also now I exercise every day, I try to do it 30 minutes a day at least but I don't always get it in!
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    1. I started drinking a lot less! it used to be sooo easy to go out with friends and co-workers and grab 2 or 3 drinks on Thursday, Friday AND Saturday night. Now I pick one night to drink and keep it to 2 drinks MAX and no high sugar cocktails either... I enjoy my weekends sooo much more.

    2. Another one was definitely working out more. Went from one night a week to 3 or 4 nights a week.. and adding a lot of strength training. Love having a little bit of muscle on my build.. a lot of people tell me that its sexier and I look more athletic for a girl lol

    3. Portion control! Now when I feel like snacking instead of grabbing a whole bag of chips I grab a bowl and pour ONE serving into the bowl and see if I'm satisfied which is usually the case. And no late night snacking or carbs. Kitchen is CLOSED at 8:30 pm the latest!

    4. I plan my eating for the day sometimes if I know I'm going somewhere I'll be tempted to grab some higher calorie foods.

    5. I shop a lot less.. I'm waiting to hit my goal weight so I can be totally happy with the way clothes fit me :)
  • Toots2012
    Toots2012 Posts: 25
    I have never really been a big soda drinker. But even so I started consuming more water on a daily basis. I will have a Sprite every once in a while but not religiously.
    A persoanl trainer, I considered it but opted against it because it would be like adding another monthy household bill...which I do not need. Besides I have so many workout DVDs at home. So I decided to commit and put those to use first before paying someone.
    Eating late, I try not to eat after 7pm but there are times that you can't control how late you eat, but I will say that I never eat after 10pm perid.
    I think that this is such a wonderful site because no matter what level your on or where you are in your journey its so helpful and the people are supportive.
  • rgprn
    rgprn Posts: 66 Member
    I'm seeing that everything counts. If you are limited to X amount of calories per day, pick out what you really want.
    I have come to the realization that there are really not that many things that I "really want." .... More than being
    Than being a thinner and healthier me !
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
    i stopped with the excuses and started being honest about how fat i was, how much I weighed (to my family and friends).

    I "CAME OUT" with the truth and told everyone my dirty little secrets, and that way, i felt accountable to stop.

    stop eating twice as much food as I needed, stop making excuses about the kids for being my reason, stopped making excuses about my knees and my sore feet (sure it exists, but i just have to suck it up if i don't want to be fat for the rest of my life).
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