Odd tips and tricks??

I've said it a bunch of times here, but I think it's unusual in the wider weight-loss universe: Pick a relatively easy plan - the easiest possible to follow plan - that will get to the goal and keep you there, not a "lose weight fast" plan. The calendar is not a weight loss tool.

I pre-log, usually several days out.

It helps me create a shopping plan. I go with a list and don’t buy anything not on that list. It also prevents the indecision of “I’m hungry and don’t know what’s for dinner so I’ll just get fast food or stuff my face with chips while I decide”.

Knowing what’s on the plan also gives me more flexibility. For example, my whole day was logged, but then my daughter asked if I wanted to meet her for cake and coffee.

I eliminated a planned snack, and moved another to after dinner. Net result? Stayed under goal, had a nice time with her, and enjoyed a nice treat. 👍🏻

Prelogging is the ultimate control.

My 'odd' trick is to address a sugar craving with the polar opposite in flavour. If I have a sweet craving, I go for sour pickles, or something spicy. For some reason it completely distracts my taste buds and stops the sugar craving.

More of a technique trick-
If you are weighing food that sticks to the spoon (for me its yogurt out of a big tub)
leave your spoon in a bowl when setting the tare weight on the scale.

That way you dont have to clean off the spoon for accurate weighing.

I floss and brush my teeth after dinner. My signal to myself that I am done eating for the day. I won't snack if I do this.

I agree with everything that’s already been said. My additions:

For people starting their healthy lifestyle journey: Make one small, simple change at a time. Eg., each two to four weeks make an additional small change such as:

1. log all your food for a month —> get into the habit of logging
2. Be more accurate with you logging, weighing and measuring everything
3. review your calories and nutrition for the previous weeks. Do you see a trend? Is there something you are eating that isn’t serving you? Is there a replacement for that item? Perhaps you drink soft drinks. Replace these drinks with water.
4. Then continue to log (which is already a habit) and evaluate what your next change will be.
   

If you don’t want to weigh and measure things consider using your plate as a guide:

1/4 whole grain

1/4 protein

1/2 vegetables

It’s easy to interpret dehydration cues as hunger cues.

If feeling peckish, drink a glass of water, wait a few minutes and see if the “hunger” has abated.

Also, eat a nourishing meal or snack before you go grocery shopping. It really does prevent you from impulse purchases.

I’ve asked my husband to get his chips out of the kitchen. If I have to go looking for them, I’m not going to bother.

Even after several years of maintenance, I don’t (can’t!!!) keep snacks in the house unless they have some nutritional value. Other than a small trove of chocolate covered marzipan in the freezer. (Tip: freezing chocolates means you have to wait for them to thaw to enjoy. Plus, out of sight, out of mind).

After learning that armies in the Middle Ages received rations of marzipan to keep them in their feet, I feel better about them. After all, I’m an Army of One, they’re frozen anyway, individually wrapped servings, I usually don’t have patience to thaw them, and like half the stuff in my freezer, I forget they’re in there. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Treats and desserts do not have to be a daily thing

No screen time while eating. Especially if I'm eating something that I find to be a treat. If I worked to fit in that 28g of Pringles and I eat them while scrolling on my phone, it's as if I never ate them at all. My brain didn't register them. Talk about mindless eating 🙄 So now, I pay attention to what I'm eating. I enjoy my treat, and my brain is much happier with that 28g and not begging for more. Just my own personal psychobabble in my head.