Changes you have made
HM2206
Posts: 174 Member
I frequently see people writing that "it is not a diet, it's a lifestyle" and "I have what I want in moderation" etc.
But I imagine some of you must have made some changes other than simply cutting back? Like things you simply don't eat or drink anymore?
I can say I have adopted some new habits, and got rid of old ones. E.g.:
- I don't drink juice anymore. After realizing how many calories it is, I would rather have the fruit with the fiber. So I ditch the glass of orange juice and have an orange between meals.
- If I'm out, I go for wine. I like wine anyway, but I used to have drinks and they have so much sugar and it is impossible to know how much. I also realized many bars simply haven't heard of sugarfree tonics.
- I prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep gives me less energy and I can tell my body is trying to make up for it by craving extra food. So I have started giving myself a curfew.
- I always take the stairs at work.
Anyone have other little things they have simply changed in their life and am not planning to change back?
But I imagine some of you must have made some changes other than simply cutting back? Like things you simply don't eat or drink anymore?
I can say I have adopted some new habits, and got rid of old ones. E.g.:
- I don't drink juice anymore. After realizing how many calories it is, I would rather have the fruit with the fiber. So I ditch the glass of orange juice and have an orange between meals.
- If I'm out, I go for wine. I like wine anyway, but I used to have drinks and they have so much sugar and it is impossible to know how much. I also realized many bars simply haven't heard of sugarfree tonics.
- I prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep gives me less energy and I can tell my body is trying to make up for it by craving extra food. So I have started giving myself a curfew.
- I always take the stairs at work.
Anyone have other little things they have simply changed in their life and am not planning to change back?
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Replies
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I do eat what I like. I look at calories first and then meeting my protein goal. I try to eat several servings of vegetables or fruit a day. I plan and prelog my food for the day every morning to help me meet my goals.
I use a food scale frequently.
I look up nutritional info for restaurants and plan my order. I might get a regular burger with a side salad and vinaigrette dressing with an unsweetened tea.
I eat less cheese, bread, pasta or rice. I am not eating a low carb diet and did not cut those foods out but eat less than I used to.
I make a smaller amount of popcorn and use less oil. Apparently I used to eat about 4- 5 servings and use way more oil than I needed.
I eat more eggs, more yogurt, cottage cheese, more fish, more beans/lentils. Less beef. Chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts more often. Smaller amounts of dark chocolate. Vegetables or fruit for snacks more often.
I used to eat crackers. I decided the amount of calories was not worth it so I almost never have crackers now. That's the food I cut out most.
I mostly drink water or unsweetened tea now. I decided to save my calories for food.
I spend less time sitting.
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The biggest change for me so far has been that I really don't drink alcohol anymore. I used to have a glass of wine at home a few times a week or make a cocktail on the weekend, now I just don't want it. I have had one cocktail and two glasses of wine since New Year.2
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-I still eat the things that I enjoy, just less of it.
-I weigh my food (most of the time)
-I cook dinner a lot more, therefore we eat out less
-When we do go out, I'll stick to 1 (sometimes 2) drinks. I'll opt for wine or a vodka/soda instead of high calorie beer. If I do get a beer, I only have 1...instead of the usual 3 or 4.
-I count my calories, pre log my food, weigh myself often to keep myself on track
-I try to walk outside a lot (although so far this month I haven't been so good at that)
-Less soda. I haven't cut it out completely, but will only have maybe 1 or 2 a week instead of daily.
-I pack my lunch and snacks more often2 -
That's right, "it is not a diet, it's a lifestyle" and "I have what I want in moderation" are both true for me, but yes, I have also made some permanent changes, some simple adjustments, and some dramatic overhauls. My preferences are partly the same as always, partly very differerent. I think of my eating habits as "normal" now; they used to be quite extreme and I was very often stressed out and feeling miserable.
I plan my meals, but now I only plan for meals I actually want to eat, not meals and foods that are supposed to be "healthy". I do indeed aim to get in sufficient nutrition, have a good balance and appropriate portions, but I know that I have to decide for myself what, when and how much to eat; if I try to follow "guidelines" made by others, I will rebel, sooner or later.
I stick to meals - I wait until I'm hungry, eat three meals per day, and a fourth if needed. I weigh/count some foods, mostly for planning purposes, less for the calories. I have water or black coffee/tea between meals. If I want something "extra", I will occasionally have something "extra".
I buy just what I need, and eat it up; nothing is off limits, but I don't buy stuff I know I have trouble moderating, at least not in large amounts.
I enjoy cooking and eating and anticipating a meal.
I eat for nourishment and pleasure, not to pass time or soothe emotions.
I don't worry about not doing it "right" or sometimes eating too much. It evens out over time as long as I don't consistently overeat, and I don't do that anymore!
I move more on the daily - dance, walk, take the stairs. I don't do any planned exercise.
I aim for 8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night.
I weigh myself every day, and calculate the average every week. If I see any creep, I cut down on "extras" and try to move a little more.1 -
My biggest change has been cutting out the mindless eating. I'm a perpetual snacker. Now, before I get up to grab something to eat, I check in with myself to see if I'm actually hungry or if I'm eating out of habit. I still struggle with this, especially at night when my husband is snacking, but it's getting better.
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- I track macros to make sure I am hitting goals
- I started eating better snacks like Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese instead of chips or chocolate
- I make sure to get better sleep by going to bed at a consistent time and "unplugging" earlier
- I actually make dinners every night instead of making quick meals or stopping somewhere for dinner
- I cut out as much added sugar as possible
- I have not had any soda in over 2 months and stick to plain water or seltzer water any time I eat out.
- I quit adding a cup of salt to everything and I barely even use it to season anything anymore1 -
Alcohol on weekends only, and generally just one beer.
Cut back my snacks - I have an apple at midmorning, and just coffee in the afternoon.
Fresh veggies as my appetizer - I pull out veggies to eat while cooking dinner. I'm usually really hungry by then, and it takes the edge off so I eat a reasonable portion of my meal.
Stopped buying treats at Tim Hortons with my coffee. They're not that good, and they're all really high calorie with no redeeming qualities.1 -
- I track macros to make sure I am hitting goals
When you say 'hitting goals', do you mean reach the macros on all of them? Or just staying under?
I usually stay under sugar and salt, I go over on fat and try to hit the max on protein. I am not sure what people mean when they say 'hit macros'.
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I exercise now, I drink diet soda instead of regular, and I drink less alcohol. Otherwise, if it fits in my calorie goal I'll eat or drink it 0
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- I track macros to make sure I am hitting goals
When you say 'hitting goals', do you mean reach the macros on all of them? Or just staying under?
I usually stay under sugar and salt, I go over on fat and try to hit the max on protein. I am not sure what people mean when they say 'hit macros'.
I am very similar in a way. I try to stay max on proteins as well as staying about right on for fats and carbs. I am with you on the sugar and sodium; I try to stay under. Sometimes I get close or go over on sodium, but I don't think I have gone over on sugar0 -
The only real changes I've made have been to reduce/eliminate things that just don't seem worth the calories to me.
Examples:
1. When I have rice or pasta, it's an accent to the meal, not the main event like it used to be.
2. I don't have caloric mixers in my cocktails anymore unless it's a special cocktail that I'm wanting to try -- and then I'll limit myself to one and switch to something else after that.
3. I rarely have full fat salad dressings.
4. Candy is very rare (except for dark chocolate)0 -
I'm logging food for the first time in my life. This alone has been the biggest change for me. Actually holding myself accountable as to what I'm eating has been eye opening. The second biggest change has been to cut out fast food, especially french fries. I used to eat fast food daily and have fries and/or chips 2 or more times a day. Thirdly, I've added more veggies to my diet. I used to hardly ever eat good veggies, now I eat them daily. I haven't weighed myself recently, but I can definitely tell it's working.0
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I eat first and worry about the calories later which is the wrong attitude
However I have reduced portions over time and dont have much of a lunch. Slimming all over generously0 -
I don't order takeout/delivery like I used to. I'm lazy and don't like to cook so delivery on the weekends was always part of my routine. That's just not practical if I'm trying to count calories as I really can't do so accurately.0
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Soda - used to drink about 5 cans a day (not joking) I do have one every once in a while, since 2013
White potatoes - maybe once a week. I know this isn't a "bad" food but for some reason my body doesn't do well with this.
Cereal - I love cold cereal but I will over eat on them in a hot second!!!
Desserts - I don't eat them as often ***and I have a wicked sweet tooth. I'm learning to make desserts with protein powder
I could keep going. Currently I have one splurge meal a week and still may have a few pieces of chocolate through the week.
Everyone is different. There are so many "diets" eating plans and types of exercise out there, anyone should be able to find something that works for them.
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In my mid-teens, before I started losing weight, I quit drinking juices and soda at the recommendation of my then pediatrician. In a rare case, I might taste a 1/4 cup or less worth of some new juice or soda, but for the most part, the only non-calorie-free drinks I ever have nowadays are protein powder mixes and milk.
I also no longer eat just because food is available. I eat if I'm hungry and if I can fit what's available into my macros/calories.
I make it a habit to take steps whenever possible. Steps add up quickly, and I aim for 10k+ steps a day. Walking is such an easy form of exercise that I can easily fit into my daily routine. There's no excuse to not walk.0 -
Changes I made:
- drink more water
- more mindful of portion size
- weigh my food most of the time
- read nutrition labels on things at grocery store instead of just throwing what I want into the cart
- no junk food in house because i will binge
- dream about chips instead of eating them0 -
I drink almost no soda now. I don't cut it out totally, but don't generally have it at home, just at parties and drink water at lunch now. I have never drank alcohol, so didn't have anything to cut out, there.0
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I have substantially cut back junk food, alcohol, and sugars. I have become more conscious of what I'm eating. I have added more veggies, nuts, and fruits to my daily intake. I'm trying to reach about 3100 calories; trying to gain weight.0
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I use an IF schedule to keep my calories in check.
I quit alcohol for health reasons. Mainly because 1 glass always seems to lead to 3, etc.
I drink black tea with milk all day. I think this helps me with energy, happiness, and not eating mindlessly.
I aim for 7/8+ servings of veg and fruit daily. This gives me tons of nutrients, keeps me very full, and really helps to keep the bathroom visits on schedule.
My only macro focus is protein. I aim for 100 grams per day. However if my fat is low I seem to get cranky.
I have been challenging by body this year. First I did yoga for 30 days which was beautiful and strengthening and which taught me how to breathe. Now I'm doing push ups for 30 days. And this obese girl can now do 12 full body push ups. Woo hoo.
And after all of that, if I want the damn cookie, I'm gonna eat the damn cookie. It just better taste good!
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- I almost never drink my calories (unless it's a protein shake or smoothie)
- I make my own food 90% of the time, rather than eating out
- I substitute certain things to help with calories, like instead of spreading butter on my bread, it'll be Brummell & Brown yogurt spread, or diet sweet tea instead of regular, or cooking with PAM spray instead of a bunch of oil/butter
- Dessert is no longer a bunch of cookies, but Halo Top or a yogurt/fruit smoothie instead.
- Regular exercise0 -
I have become far more "budget" conscious - I have about 1350 calorie "dollars" to spend every day, so I am paying a lot more attention to how I spend them, giving up calorie dense, unsatisfying foods that really dont make me happy for ones that I truly love and enjoy completely. This means that I rarely have alcohol (nice but mostly meh....) but ALWAYS have chocolate!! I find that a lot of processed foods for me were merely okay, just served the purpose of getting some food into me and the hubs after a busy day at work, but I really enjoy cooking so my reliance on convenience stuff has dropped dramatically in favour of planning and cooking. I have tried to move away from mindless eating out of boredom or using food as a reward or a comfort and taken up some hobbies that keep my mind and my hands occupied. I am not afraid to tell people that I am watching my diet, and I will even tell them I have medical issues (I do, but not related to food) if they try to get too personal about it. I will even lie and claim allergies if I have to get them off my back!!
I think the biggest revelation about losing a substantial amount of weight was that I am in control of what I consume, and that I dont let circumstances in my life dictate what I eat - I am not eating because my heart is broken - that doesnt fix anything. I am not eating because I am stressed at work, that doesnt fix anything. I am not eating because my kids are making me crazy, because that doesnt fix anything but mostly I am not eating because I have a poor self image or I feel guilty about something or life isnt turning out the way I want it to because...............you guessed it, that doesnt fix anything. The world will still be poopy whether I eat that whatever or not.
Oh, I have blathered on about this, havent I?!
Short answer? I had to experience a real, and sustainable change of perspective on life, and on personal accountability.3 -
More lifting weights, more home cooked meals, more veggies and lean meats, more pasta, more ice cream, more self-love
Less staying still, less 'diet' foods, less sleep (grr.. not by choice), less guilt2 -
- Eat less processed and pre-packaged food
- Stopped drinking - unless it is wine or sugar-free alcohol
- Have personal trainer and work out 5 times/week regularly
- Eat out less than 3 times a week (huge money saving tips esp. if you live in SFO)
- Now I have more workout clothes than regular clothes...1 -
Cut out artificial sweeteners (even stevia)
Cut out most added sugars
Avoid soy lecithin
Avoid carrageenan
Take stairs at every opportunity
Prioritize fruits and vegetables
Get enough healthy fats and protein
Weigh food
Log food and preplanning food when I can
Leave room for flexibility
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Just through weighing, measuring and logging I have become much more thoughtful about the food I prepare for myself and by extension what I see on a plate put in front of my at a restaurant. My portion sizes are much reduced and I prefer it that way now - I went out and had three courses with a friend the other night and boy was I in pain for a while. When I am jonesing for a snack I will consider what's around and what the rest of the day looks like instead of just satisfying my appetite quickly. I work out every day. I don't remember the last time I used my bottle of olive oil, I use a spritz now on a good non stick pan if I need it. I've drifted away from a lot of potatoes, rice and white bread as the easiest calorie dense foods to compromise on in order to balance my day out - have cauli instead of potatoes with stew, then I can also enjoy a whisky later. Breakfast cereal is pretty much gone. I make sure to load up on the fruit or veg portion of a plate. If I can shop for one of the thing I want to treat myself to I will, like getting one big old white kaiser roll from the bakery, but no more big bags of rolls or multiples of things I just can't eat in quantity any more. I plan meals and plan shopping. I look at my breakfast and lunch as fuel to get me through the day and then dinner is something a little freer.0
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Pretty much ... I eat less.
I haven't drunk my calories since the late 1980s.
I rarely consume alcoholic beverages.
I've been active since I could crawl.
I dropped cashews from what I eat during the day. For one thing, the amount of cashews I was eating was probably up around 400 cal, and for another thing, after a bit of experimentation, I pinned cashews down as the cause for some health issues I was having. So diet or not, I had to drop them anyway.
I made a slight modification to what I eat after work ... to something with a bit more staying power yet fewer calories.
I reduced my dinner serving size.
That's about it. 0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »The only real changes I've made have been to reduce/eliminate things that just don't seem worth the calories to me.
Examples:
1. When I have rice or pasta, it's an accent to the meal, not the main event like it used to be.
2. I don't have caloric mixers in my cocktails anymore unless it's a special cocktail that I'm wanting to try -- and then I'll limit myself to one and switch to something else after that.
3. I rarely have full fat salad dressings.
4. Candy is very rare (except for dark chocolate)janejellyroll wrote: »The only real changes I've made have been to reduce/eliminate things that just don't seem worth the calories to me.
You could also use zoodles or spaghetti squash instead of pasta noodles. I am a HUGE pasta lover, but actually enjoy it more with one of these veggie noodles than with regular ones. They're so easy too!0
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