10 small/easy ideas to help lose weight

Losing weight is hard. I was thinking about a few things on my day #2 that I would share as possible motivation for others fighting the same battle.

Find something to keep track of all the temptations you reject. It doesn't matter how small or big. Keep track of it and celebrate it. When you feel like you are having cravings or not making progress, it is a great list to read. I add these celebrations to the notes section in MFP. Spend some time at the end of the month and add up all the calories you skipped.
Plan! Create a meal menu for the whole week - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Be realistic. Are you really going to get off work and make a full course meal? Commit to only buying items on your grocery list. If you plan your meals, you're less likely to buy fast food or eat junk on an impulse.
Go to the grocery store with a full belly or a friend. Or, take small card-sized photographs of your "before" photos to review. You won't buy the junk you are craving.
When you are at the grocery store, don't buy junk. If it makes you feel good, put it in your cart and just take it out and give it to the cashier as you are checking out. If you don't buy it, you won't eat it.
What is with everyone's obsession with parking so close to a building? I see them all the time. They are either waiting for that perfect spot, circling around several times in the parking lot or cramming their car in a spot that doesn't fit. Just stop. Save yourself the stress and anxiety. Park in that spot at the far end of the aisle. Get more steps in.
Read nutrition labels and make informed decisions. Just this evening, I realized I was about to use peanut butter that was 200 calories for 1 TB. Right next to it was peanut butter that had 180 calories for 1 TB. Since I needed 2 TB, I saved 40 calories just buy spending a few extra seconds and comparing labels.
When you have a craving, have something to drink. For me, coffee works really well. I bought a barista machine and really enjoy making a latte or espresso. Making the drink and then enjoying it takes time and the craving has normally passed to where I only have a few sips. It is important to have a drink of something that doesn't have caloric content. Try sparkling water, green tea or gatorade.
For most, it took you years to put on the weight you are trying to lose. You won't lose that in a week, a month or a few months. Don't ruin your motivation to lose weight by trying to immediately lose weight. I guarantee that it won't be a healthy way, nor will it be a long-term solution for weight loss. Take the time to lose the weight the right way and also combine it with making a new you. Start a hobby, take time to read inspirational books or improve something in conjunction with weight loss (perhaps your relationship with your spouse, family member or a friend).
When using MFP, don't kill your motivation to lose weight by obsessing over the single calories. If you've used MFP for 1 day, you probably have said, "wow, I didn't know one serving was this small." It's a great tool to learn about what you are eating, educating yourself on serving sizes and holding yourself accountable for what you are eating. And guess what? That is progress! Give yourself credit for just realizing that you are learning what a single serving size looks like. So what if you are over your calories one day as long as you have learned something to do better the next day.
Enjoy the adventure. Hug yourself.

Happy weight loss!

- BuffingButtons