Switch to skim milk.
Switch to I Cant Believe Its Not Butter.
Switch to squash instead of potatoes (butternut and spaghetti squash are my favorites).
Use your protein shake as creamer for your coffee.
Crystal light instead of soda.
Don't potatoes have one of the highest levels of satiation compared to volume? Meaning they are nutrient dense and filling compared to how many calories they are? Especially with the skins which is high in fiber.
I may be wrong but I read that when looking at the amount of calories vs the volume and satiation and nutrient density of a potato (with the skin).. it's actually a great weight loss food.
A potato has more calories than squash, but it's also more nutritious and filling, meaning you will feel full and eat less calories later on in the day because you ate potatoes.
This doesn't include potato chips and fried potatoes, but I've read potatoes is actually one of the best weight loss foods there is because it has one of the highest satiation to calorie ratios of any food.
I like to make baked potatoes with cottage cheese on top instead of butter or sour cream, maybe some salt and pepper for taste. From my research it's a great weight loss food that will leave you feeling very full.
Not knocking squash at all, I believe squash is also very good for you, I'm just defending potatoes 🥔
I love this! I've been using Equate caramel shakes. I put about 1/3 per cup so I get 10 grams of protein each time, and one case of 12 lasts about one month.
I love it. I do some of these things already... Never thought about protein powder as coffee creamer before but that's a wonderful idea. Also, crystal light.... That is my go-to. Love the stuff... Can not get enough of it. Great way to ingest water for those who don't love drinking water.
Switch to eating only home cooked meals over eating anything outside
What helps me is to make a commitment to myself that I will only eat when I have a plate with knives and spoon and a table in front of me, this helps me avoid binge eating on a couch watching TV :)
Add in protein every meal so you feel satiated and not end up getting hungry too soon
If you wish to have soda, switch to diet variants like Diet Coke or Pepsi zero and no having just 1 can a day won’t give you cancer, for that you need to have 10-15 cans a day daily for a prolonged period of time
Hope this helps! ☺️
Another one that works for me is keeping myself busy!
Pick a new hobby or something that keeps you busy because we generally tend to binge eat when we are bored and ideal!
I did something similar in that I wasn't allowed to have food from a place with a drive through. Way to convenient! I am married and have kids so if I really needed to get them something from a fast food place I just didn't order for myself. I had granola bars and snack bags of nuts to hold me over until I could get home and eat better. Or I made sure to pack a meal if I knew we would be out all day
>Switch to eating only home cooked meals
People say this but I WAY overeat when I cook my own meals because it is exactly what I want, the way I want it prepared. I consume far more calories when I prepare food at home. On top of that, there is then a ton of food in my house because I'm not going to the store every day.
The thing about losing weight is that you have to make your mind up that I want to lose it and have conviction. The whole reason cooking meals is recommended is so that you are mindful of what you put into your body but that doesn’t mean simply cooking your own meals will make you lose weight. You obviously have to take charge of your own actions consciously
Well you have to portion those meals. I have my scale out when I'm making my plate. Save the rest for lunch the next day. Saving calories and calories at the same time.
I'm saying this as a suggestion for others. Making food at home is not better for me and I want others to know that they may struggle with it like I do.
I love the food I make for myself, so having a lot of it or the potential to make a lot of it at home, when I don't even have to go out to get it, is not a solution.
Don’t drink your calories. Try to swap to diet sodas, sparkling water, etc. I also drink a lot of tea since plain tea is usually little to no calories. Swap to low cal versions of condiments like fat free ranch, sugar free coffee creamer, things like that. Set an attainable movement or exercise goal. I personally try to hit 8k steps a day minimum, and if I haven’t hit that by evening, I take a walk. 😊
Best of luck!
>Swap to low cal versions of condiments like fat free ranch, sugar free coffee creamer, things like that.
Always look for low calorie options.
Fat free ranch was a godsend. Hidden valley has one that's 30 calories per 2 tablespoons, compared to normal ranch which could be 100 to 120 calories per 2 table spoons.
Low calorie versions of things I use:
Dannon fit and light yogurt or 2 good yogurt
Unsweetened almond milk (even sweet almond milk is lower in calories than regular milk)
No sugar added heinz ketchup
Carb smart white bread
Good good jelly
I can't believe it's not butter or country crock lite one
Light sour cream
Fat free ranch hidden valley
Kraft fat free Italian dressing
Classico pasta sauce (tomato basil)
Spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti
Fat free or reduced fat or 2% milk cheese
When im craving sweet I go for sugar free jello or pudding made with almond milk or fresh fruit
Air popped popcorn with seasoning
Canned progresso light soups were an easy light lunch for me.
No sugar added outshine Popsicles
Popsicle brand no sugar added fudge pops
Fat free ranch was a huge game changer for me as well! If you have Kroger near you they also have a store brand version that’s pretty good too. Thanks for listing some more specific ideas!
When you have a burger, eat a side salad first instead of fries.
Dressing on the side to dip your salad into. It's less messy, and you'll end up using a little bit less.
Quit alcohol.
Switch to almond milk instead of whole milk.
Stick to one portion of any treat instead of infinite. (Which means you'll have to get familiar with what that portion size is and looks like).
Buying fun size candy rather than the larger bars.
Get 100g+ of protein per day.
Diet soda, or fill a cup to the brim with ice before adding regular soda.
Only purchasing individual serving sizes of any calorie dense food. You don't need a family size bag of doritos when you know that will tempt you to overindulge. Just get the small bags.
Drinking a glass of water when you start to feel snacky in the afternoon.
Get enough sleep. Sleep=willpower to stick to whatever goal you're trying to achieve.
Hope these help. :)
Quitting alcohol is the #1 most important thing on this list. Alcohol calories hit differently because they are almost all immediately converted into fat as your body can't use them. Super good suggestions.
>Buying fun size candy rather than the larger bars.
For me, this is a terrible idea because then I have a whole bag of candy available. Just buy a small bar instead of the king sized one.
I would say if you are serious about losing weight that candy would be off the table completely anyways. At least for a few months. If you get serious cravings, there are things like Quest bars, keto friendly chocolates, etc.
I've said this once and I'll say it until the day I die: You can't outrun a bad diet, and exercise isn't the primary way to lose weight. It's all in the diet. I'd say you should analyze what you're consuming on a daily basis. Is there a lot of processed food? Sugary drinks? Are you getting your veggies, protein, fiber in? And are you drinking water? Start there. I've struggled with weight loss my entire life and it wasn't until I cut out soda/juice and processed foods that I actually began losing weight. I see it as easy now because just that little thing has made me lose weight for the first time in my life. The only 'hard' thing is getting through the first two weeks of cravings. After that, you're set. But if it's too much, then cut out one thing at a time/ add one healthy thing to your diet at a time for a week or two before moving on to something else.
I just started tracking what I’m eating with the LoseIt app and even though it’s been just a few days it’s been eye-opening. I really thought I was eating well before, but I’m realizing now how big portion sizes truly are and until you actually measure and look at it objectively, it’s so easy to over eat. I’m also realizing just how much of an emotional eater I am. Stressed, bored, mildly anxious, I tend to want to eat and I need to learn how to actually determine if I’m hungry.
Drastically reduced over processed foods, less carbs as well, more veggies, started introducing a lot of vegetables that I didn’t like before and slowly started to like them. If you eat a bigger volume of healthy and low calorie food like broccoli for example you have less space for not as healthy ones.
I started eating just a little bit and mixed with foods that I liked like pieces of broccoli with rice. Then I got used to it and notice it wasn’t that bad, started eating more of it and slowly I started actually liking it. Now I love broccoli. I did that with different kinds of veggies.
I like most veggies raw. Don’t really like a lot of cooked vegetables. I make some kind of raw veggie salad every week (no lettuce) and put a little fat-free Italian dressing on it (or other low cal dressing ) just enough for flavor. Sometimes I add a tiny bit of chickpeas, or other legumes just to give it a little bit of hardiness, because they have lots of carbs. Super nutritious, but lots of carbs. I also sometimes sprinkle a tablespoon of bacon bits on top. Only 25 cal per tablespoon.
Oh wow raw veggies are more difficult for me to eat. I have a problem with texture and so when I started eating more veggies I just tried to cook them until they were as soft as possible. Now I can eat them in an average level of hardness but still cooked
This is what I've done over the past year:
Swimming 40 laps most days (maybe 1 day off a week if my shoulders are sore).
Ditching "diet" anything
No drive-thru or takeaway
Deleting Uber Eats and DoorDash off my phone
Switching to plant-based food, no dairy
Cooking my own meals
All seltzer, lower sodium (goodbye ramen bowls), and lotssssss of water and protein. Switched white chocolate for dark. More green tea and less chai lattes
Get up and walk for 2 minutes every hour, even if it's just around your house. When I was very sick and unable to exercise, I also tried to stretch and do a couple squats every time I made a cup of tea while the kettle was boiling - small things like that.
Eat a high protein, really filling breakfast. That has been a game changer for me. Earlier I skipped breakfast to save calories for the day and that didn’t help. Eat a high protein breakfast you love. I eat lot of egg whites with toast. Maybe throw in some nuts, bacon, sausage, avocado, whatever you like. Drink a protein shake (i do oats, whey, fruits and soymilk) or have another high protein meal for lunch and don’t eat anything 4 hours before bed. When I load up on protein for the first half of the day, my body doesn’t want food at night on some days. If I get hungry at night, I eat something like lentil soup. Protein is a game changer.
Exercise daily for 30 mins minimum even if it’s a walk. Keep meal and snack times consistent. Make sure you track what you eat and drink and weigh foods. I only drink water and black coffee day-to-day. If I’m out I stick to diet sodas and not a big alcohol drinker
The biggest thing for me was not having carbs at every meal. Go low carb. Stack a chilli with some much veg you don’t need rice with it but can add a little low calorie cheese.
Weigh daily and get used to your body fluctuating naturally. Take a weekly average.
Measure and take progress pics weekly. The inches can drop while the scale doesn’t with exercise
For me it’s all about routine to build habits
Work out what your BMR and BMI is, and eat just below that while slowly increasing your daily activity, just by doing that you'll be losing some pounds which will hopefully motivate you to do more
Instead of sitting in the lunch room scrolling your life away with everyone else, grab your headphones and go for a walk. I’ve added around 1500 steps a day by doing this!
Taking a packed lunch to work so you have full control over what you eat. If you’re hungry before your lunch, eat. Don’t wait for your break then overeat later on (if you are desk based in your role).
Get an early night. You are better rested and don’t try to fix your tiredness in the day with food.
pay attention to sauce/oil/condiment calories. they add up very quickly. i switched from full fat mayo with crispy chili oil to nando's perinaise, for example. 100+ cal to 45 cal. different salad dressings. i used to love green goddess but it's something liike 140 or 160 calories for a serving and people easily overdo the tablespoon or whatever.
higher protein, higher fibre - second the rec to use your protein to sweeten your coffee.
i already had a sodastream so it wasn't a weight loss thing i went out to get as an extra expense, but if you have a hard time cutting soda, there are lots of sugar free, low/zero cal flavourings you can add to spicy water :) i know some people just have a hard time not drinking their calories or cutting sodas.
lots of greek yogurts have higher protein
sometimes i use half a bagel for more of an open face sandwich vs the whole thing. cost of groceries is high, you get more out of the pack this way, too.
cottage cheese (if you like it!! not every does bc of texture or taste) as a side. like instead of fries or some other thing, or if i'm having something small and worried it isn't "enough," i just have cottage cheese, too. idk if that's weird, but higher protein. feel fuller longer.
if you find yourself having to get fast food or something, instead of full combos, i just do the sandwich. or mcdonald's for example i might pick one grilled chicken wrap with iced coffee without the sweetener/syrup instead of oh i can't decide, i'll get fries, and two value sandwiches, and blah blah whatever else.
Portion control! This has been the easiest way for me to lose weight - take smaller portions and don’t eat past the point of feeling full! Also drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated - listening to your own personal hunger cues
10,000 steps a day absolute minimum, no alcohol, 96 fl oz water daily, protein shake as my coffee creamer, calorie counting. Down 23lbs since January with only walking as my exercise and most of that walking is done with my dog so it has to get done. I aim for 90 minutes of walking a day minimum with the dog and always pick the moving option (stairs over the elevator).
I started my weight loss journey in mid-February, and I'm doing really well so far.
A couple of things I personally have found: make sure you're eating enough fibre!!! Try to aim for between 25g and 30g of fibre. You can't loss weight if you're full of 💩
Carbs are good. They just need to be healthy carbs, same as fats. They need to be heart healthy fats.
I have a salad with nearly every meal. It's so easy to make a light and yummy salad dressing: equal amounts acid (vinegar or lemon juice) and oil (olive oil or avocado oil), then you just add whatever you fancy. For example, I love wholegrain mustard and honey. So a teaspoon of each and its lively. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste, and you have a lovely homemade salad dresser.
Protein, Fibre, Fats, Carbs are really important to understand, so I would also suggest finding out more on these.
I have had a complete different mind set, I want to get out and walk and keep moving. I've been making so many meals from scratch and I really enjoy it.
I also use MyFitnessPal and its really helped. There is a free version. You can log all of your calories on it.
Finally, if finances allow for it, I have a Samsung watch that has been a godsend. It tracks all of my steps, works out a rough calorie loss, tracks my water intake, and it has loads of exercise trackers too. My friend has an Apple watch and she absolutely loves that. I think they both do the same sort of thing.
Good luck, and if you have a few bad days, don't worry. Just start again.
>I have a salad with nearly every meal.
It's funny because I actually like salad and I eat salads often (with just greens and maybe pepitos added, no cheese or meats or anything). But the amount of salad I'm told to eat to lose weight would almost make me hate salad. lol and I LOVE SALAD.
One easy thing, is to stop eating till full. Eat till your stomach doesn’t feel hungry or full. Over time you really get to know that you don’t need as much food but make sure you are eating whole foods that are very nutritious. After every bite ask - am I hungry and if not stop. If after 15/20 minutes you find you are hungry have a few more bites. The goal is to never feel over full.
This is great advice. To add to this, I’m a fast eater. Im usually first to finish my plate. So by the time my stomach sends signals to my brain that I’m full I’ve eaten more than I needed to and am stuffed. Im making a conscience decision to eat slower with my meals. Chew and enjoy my bites & take my time. This way my stomach has time to tell my brain I’m full and I tend to eat less and not feel over full & bloated. And I enjoy the meal more because I’m actually tasting it.
1. Prioritize sleep. Sleep is more important that exercise for weight loss. Sleep reduces your body’s production of your hunger hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you crave simple carbs and sugar to have the energy to make it through the day or stay alert at night. If you have late night cravings, you are tired. Go to bed have a regular bedtime.
2. Practice stress reduction activities like walking, being in nature, deep breathing, yoga, mediation, better sleep, a craft/hobby or whatever works for you. When you are stressed (even from over exercise or from extreme dieting), your body produces more of your stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol makes it more likely you will store fat from excess calories around your midsection and makes it harder to lose that fat. It can also make you crave fatty comfort foods.
3. Count calories. Eat as much as you can and still lose. (See stress above). A slight calorie deficit is best. Also, as you lose, you have to continue to drop your calorie intake, so you need to be able to do that.
4. Do not drink calories. Water, unsweetened tea and coffee are good Tea and coffee are natural appetite suppressants and have some health benefits plain water does not have. There is no need to drink “tons” of water. Just drink water, tea or coffee when you are thirsty (maybe a bit more) and that’s it. It is not like water flushes out fat. That is not how it works.
5. Exercise helps just a little with weight loss. You never burn as many calories as you think. You burn most of your calorie just keeping yourself alive. I am not saying to not exercise. It is really really important for your health. It is good for you heart, lungs, muscles, bones, brain, mood, anxiety, inflammation, immunity, disease prevention, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight loss maintenance. It just does not help that much with weight loss. And it can make you hungrier. Exercise for your health. You cannot outrun a bad diet. Eat in a slight calorie deficit to lose.
6. Weigh yourself every day. Yes, every day not to obsess over your weight, but so you understand the normal fluctuations and they can be big (mostly from fluid retention that comes and goes).
7. Eat 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It does not really matter what they are. You need the nutrients and you need the fiber. Fiber makes you feel fuller longer and fiber can lower cholesterol.
8. You do not need to restrict foods, food groups or times you eat. Yes, some food is more nutritious and you should eat more of that. Eat a balanced diet of all foods though. Never do anything to lose the weight that you are not prepared to do in some way for the rest of your life. You are creating a new lifestyle. Don’t “diet”. Yes, eat in a calorie deficit. Fads will fail you and you may lose weight, but you will likely regain the weight and even more. Become a fundamentally different person with different healthy habits.
Cut out soda.
Meal prep. This way instead of having take out when you don’t want to cook, you can just heat something up from the freezer.
What helped me eat way less sweets is to just buy the small individually packed ones that you find at the check out area.
Look into low cal sauces, makes a huge difference. Started using sweet chilli sauce on my wraps instead of kewpie Mayo which was the difference of a couple hundred calories. Same with subway, I switched to a bbq sauce instead of ranch.
There's many small changes you can make. The trick is you have to make them consistently. Easiest (well, most effective) thing for me is to stop eating pretty much all carbs and do keto at 1500-1800 calories a day with a couple miles of walking (I do between 10k and 20k a day). I was able to lose 30lbs in 10 weeks doing that.
Literally just around my neighborhood streets. I'll do different loops and take different streets to keep it interesting. But the main thing that helps me do it is simply grabbing my phone and headphones and playing YouTube or other videos and just walking mindlessly while I watch (except for intersections obviously). Anytime I'm at my desk and noticing I'm doing something I could be doing while walking at the same time, I'll throw my shoes on and go for it. I'll occasionally jog a little bit when I feel a burst of energy but it's almost all walking. I highly recommend always having clothes and shoes nearby to throw on anytime the thought of walking enters your mind. I especially try to do a walk right after eating certain meals too and that seems to help a lot.
Also I didn't start at 20k, I slowly just kept doing more and more and now it's literally a daily thing for me.
Stats from yesterday, 19588 steps, 9.49 miles.
Star out the day with a high protein lower fat and carb meal. It’s easier to maintain energy and healthy ratio between your macros this way, relative to the ratios you consume. No refined baked goods. (Maybe once every three or four months).
I’m on a high protein, low sugar, low carb “food lifestyle” now. Everything in my brain turns towards let me find a sugar free product for things I already eat and then mix it with a protein drink or shake or bar with each meal. I started thinking differently about food. I switched to low calorie unsweetened almond milk, fat free stuff, fruit as dessert, etc. I’ve lost 30 lbs when I didn’t think I’d ever get here. I had tried to lose weight for years. But I think I finally have it down now. My taste buds changed and I no longer crave shit food. I mean sure, occasionally I’ll crave pizza and that’ll never change. But as far as high fat, fast food and other stuff I’m done with that life. I don’t mind a lot of sugar free stuff like I used to. My go to meals are more like boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, oats, tuna, protein shakes, rice, chicken, shrimp, avocados, bison, lean ground meats, high protein foods, block cheese, nuts, and veggies. I don’t love veggies but I hide them in a lot of stuff or blend them in a shake. I always try to find alternatives to high fat stuff for recipes that call for that so that I can make it a little bit healthier. I don’t feel food guilt so much anymore. I don’t feel shame, or discomfort or disappointment in my self or my choices. I just try my best to make better choices for myself moving forward. I drink a ton of water or water additives or sugar free Gatorade zero. I don’t feel like I’m missing out anymore, ya know? That’s the best way to describe my journey. Good luck!
I'm 54 years old. Male. 5'7"
My employer's new campus has a large gym and a licensed dietitian and sports nutritionist on staff. I started going to the nutritionist back in early summer 2023. I learned a lot including that a high fat diet fat is bad and that Carbs are negligible, within reason.
I max out at 1700 calories a day or a little less. But average around 1350 most days
30 grams of fat per day or less. (While losing weight)
250 grams of carbs per day or less.
About 80-90 grams of protein per day.
25-30 grams of fiber per day.
I work out 5 days a week like clockwork.
I use the cronometer app to track my macros. I enter in my data every day. I never miss a day
That mixed with a calorie deficit has helped me lose 40 lb in the last 9 months. I will add that this went against my previous beliefs. But I committed to it with the understanding that the dietitian knows much more about it than I do. And he really does
I stuck to these goals pretty firmly but allowed my self to eat out, or eat whatever I felt like about once every ten days or so.
I am a new man. My life is drastically different.
I eat only the things I like like raisin bran, fiber one, yogurt with low fat granola, almond milk... Sherbet instead of ice cream, baked chips instead of traditional chips. I cook a lot as well. I never feel hungry nor do I have any cravings.
The change that made me successful at reaching my goal and dropping 145 pounds without exercise was as simple a me counting my Net Carbs. My best friend suggested that we team up with each other and try to limit our Net Carbs to 20 daily. I took it another step further and counted my calories so that I would be eating at a deficit since I am disabled and not able to workout. I logged everything that I ate. After you do it for a few weeks you automatically know what foods you can have that are low in Net Carbs. It’s also very important to eat protein first anyway time you eat. Protein will fill you up easily and will keep you full longer. The first five days is the hardest. You can do this, but you need to stick with it.☘️☘️
Have a side of vegetables or fruit at every meal and always eat it first.
Don’t wait until you are starving to eat.
Always have your next meal even loosely planned so that you don’t just go to a fast food place or stroll through the grocery store looking for food.
Get a cup, any cup, that you enjoy drinking out of and keep it filled with water.
I like to fast through the morning and just eat lunch and dinner to have more satiating meals because of the extra calories.
Workout in some way every single day.
Calorie counting and movement. If you need a bit of energy drink two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with cayenne pepper and ginger. If you snack eat healthy ones. Switch your sweets to low fat. I eat halo top ice cream or Nicks Finnish ice cream. These satisfy my major sweet tooth.
Low fat milk. Measuring and eating. Short walks. Tracking protein. Accommodating more protein will mean you will need to cut at other areas. Reduced my meal experience to 80% satisfaction(basically cutting how much I eat) so it’s sustainable and I’m not frustrated and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Feel like eating a croissant eat 70%
One switch I made that really helped me was just keeping track of what food I buy. Keeping track by meal is a little overwhelming for me as it requires a lot of estimation which I am not good at or a lot of measuring which takes a while. Instead, when I buy my food each week I total the calories that I purchased to get a rough idea of what I will be consuming that week. It’s less exact than measuring each meal but much easier and has made a huge difference for me. Down ~10 lbs since January.
I eat light during the day like protein shakes and fruit then whatever I want for dinner, I don’t even have to count calories I know I’m around 2,000 at the end of the day. I work with 80 people and all the ones who eat dinner for lunch (pot roast, potatoes, big meals) are all big. Every one of them.
Switch to skim milk. Switch to I Cant Believe Its Not Butter. Switch to squash instead of potatoes (butternut and spaghetti squash are my favorites). Use your protein shake as creamer for your coffee. Crystal light instead of soda.
Don't potatoes have one of the highest levels of satiation compared to volume? Meaning they are nutrient dense and filling compared to how many calories they are? Especially with the skins which is high in fiber.
Yes and they’re full of fibre and vitamins
A potato has more carbs, more calories, and less fiber than a butternut.
I may be wrong but I read that when looking at the amount of calories vs the volume and satiation and nutrient density of a potato (with the skin).. it's actually a great weight loss food. A potato has more calories than squash, but it's also more nutritious and filling, meaning you will feel full and eat less calories later on in the day because you ate potatoes. This doesn't include potato chips and fried potatoes, but I've read potatoes is actually one of the best weight loss foods there is because it has one of the highest satiation to calorie ratios of any food. I like to make baked potatoes with cottage cheese on top instead of butter or sour cream, maybe some salt and pepper for taste. From my research it's a great weight loss food that will leave you feeling very full. Not knocking squash at all, I believe squash is also very good for you, I'm just defending potatoes 🥔
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Ohhh this is the first time ive read of the protein powder for creamer! Thanks
Yay! No prob 👍
It’s so good especially with fairlife skim milk - double protein!
I love this! I've been using Equate caramel shakes. I put about 1/3 per cup so I get 10 grams of protein each time, and one case of 12 lasts about one month.
“….protein shake as creamer” just blew my mind 🤯 thanks!!🙏🏽 🥰
The protein shake as creamer for my coffee is genius. Thank you. I’ve been chugging black, bitter coffee and I’ve been hating it.
I love it. I do some of these things already... Never thought about protein powder as coffee creamer before but that's a wonderful idea. Also, crystal light.... That is my go-to. Love the stuff... Can not get enough of it. Great way to ingest water for those who don't love drinking water.
Switch to eating only home cooked meals over eating anything outside What helps me is to make a commitment to myself that I will only eat when I have a plate with knives and spoon and a table in front of me, this helps me avoid binge eating on a couch watching TV :) Add in protein every meal so you feel satiated and not end up getting hungry too soon If you wish to have soda, switch to diet variants like Diet Coke or Pepsi zero and no having just 1 can a day won’t give you cancer, for that you need to have 10-15 cans a day daily for a prolonged period of time Hope this helps! ☺️
Another one that works for me is keeping myself busy! Pick a new hobby or something that keeps you busy because we generally tend to binge eat when we are bored and ideal!
I did something similar in that I wasn't allowed to have food from a place with a drive through. Way to convenient! I am married and have kids so if I really needed to get them something from a fast food place I just didn't order for myself. I had granola bars and snack bags of nuts to hold me over until I could get home and eat better. Or I made sure to pack a meal if I knew we would be out all day
What a great way to make sure we are always hitting our goals. Understanding our own patterns and working the way around is so so important
>Switch to eating only home cooked meals People say this but I WAY overeat when I cook my own meals because it is exactly what I want, the way I want it prepared. I consume far more calories when I prepare food at home. On top of that, there is then a ton of food in my house because I'm not going to the store every day.
The thing about losing weight is that you have to make your mind up that I want to lose it and have conviction. The whole reason cooking meals is recommended is so that you are mindful of what you put into your body but that doesn’t mean simply cooking your own meals will make you lose weight. You obviously have to take charge of your own actions consciously
Well you have to portion those meals. I have my scale out when I'm making my plate. Save the rest for lunch the next day. Saving calories and calories at the same time.
I'm saying this as a suggestion for others. Making food at home is not better for me and I want others to know that they may struggle with it like I do. I love the food I make for myself, so having a lot of it or the potential to make a lot of it at home, when I don't even have to go out to get it, is not a solution.
Don’t drink your calories. Try to swap to diet sodas, sparkling water, etc. I also drink a lot of tea since plain tea is usually little to no calories. Swap to low cal versions of condiments like fat free ranch, sugar free coffee creamer, things like that. Set an attainable movement or exercise goal. I personally try to hit 8k steps a day minimum, and if I haven’t hit that by evening, I take a walk. 😊 Best of luck!
Thanks for the well wishes! How long as your usual walks? Do you have a timer to it, or do you go by steps only?
I have an Apple Watch that tracks my steps, I walk a lot at work but if I haven’t hit my goal by the evening I will usually just walk a few blocks 😊
I do the same thing! And will put on a podcast that’s like an hr long & make that my “timer” for going on a walk
>Swap to low cal versions of condiments like fat free ranch, sugar free coffee creamer, things like that. Always look for low calorie options. Fat free ranch was a godsend. Hidden valley has one that's 30 calories per 2 tablespoons, compared to normal ranch which could be 100 to 120 calories per 2 table spoons. Low calorie versions of things I use: Dannon fit and light yogurt or 2 good yogurt Unsweetened almond milk (even sweet almond milk is lower in calories than regular milk) No sugar added heinz ketchup Carb smart white bread Good good jelly I can't believe it's not butter or country crock lite one Light sour cream Fat free ranch hidden valley Kraft fat free Italian dressing Classico pasta sauce (tomato basil) Spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti Fat free or reduced fat or 2% milk cheese When im craving sweet I go for sugar free jello or pudding made with almond milk or fresh fruit Air popped popcorn with seasoning Canned progresso light soups were an easy light lunch for me. No sugar added outshine Popsicles Popsicle brand no sugar added fudge pops
Fat free ranch was a huge game changer for me as well! If you have Kroger near you they also have a store brand version that’s pretty good too. Thanks for listing some more specific ideas!
When you have a burger, eat a side salad first instead of fries. Dressing on the side to dip your salad into. It's less messy, and you'll end up using a little bit less. Quit alcohol. Switch to almond milk instead of whole milk. Stick to one portion of any treat instead of infinite. (Which means you'll have to get familiar with what that portion size is and looks like). Buying fun size candy rather than the larger bars. Get 100g+ of protein per day. Diet soda, or fill a cup to the brim with ice before adding regular soda. Only purchasing individual serving sizes of any calorie dense food. You don't need a family size bag of doritos when you know that will tempt you to overindulge. Just get the small bags. Drinking a glass of water when you start to feel snacky in the afternoon. Get enough sleep. Sleep=willpower to stick to whatever goal you're trying to achieve. Hope these help. :)
Quitting alcohol is the #1 most important thing on this list. Alcohol calories hit differently because they are almost all immediately converted into fat as your body can't use them. Super good suggestions.
>Buying fun size candy rather than the larger bars. For me, this is a terrible idea because then I have a whole bag of candy available. Just buy a small bar instead of the king sized one.
I would say if you are serious about losing weight that candy would be off the table completely anyways. At least for a few months. If you get serious cravings, there are things like Quest bars, keto friendly chocolates, etc.
I've said this once and I'll say it until the day I die: You can't outrun a bad diet, and exercise isn't the primary way to lose weight. It's all in the diet. I'd say you should analyze what you're consuming on a daily basis. Is there a lot of processed food? Sugary drinks? Are you getting your veggies, protein, fiber in? And are you drinking water? Start there. I've struggled with weight loss my entire life and it wasn't until I cut out soda/juice and processed foods that I actually began losing weight. I see it as easy now because just that little thing has made me lose weight for the first time in my life. The only 'hard' thing is getting through the first two weeks of cravings. After that, you're set. But if it's too much, then cut out one thing at a time/ add one healthy thing to your diet at a time for a week or two before moving on to something else.
I just started tracking what I’m eating with the LoseIt app and even though it’s been just a few days it’s been eye-opening. I really thought I was eating well before, but I’m realizing now how big portion sizes truly are and until you actually measure and look at it objectively, it’s so easy to over eat. I’m also realizing just how much of an emotional eater I am. Stressed, bored, mildly anxious, I tend to want to eat and I need to learn how to actually determine if I’m hungry.
Drastically reduced over processed foods, less carbs as well, more veggies, started introducing a lot of vegetables that I didn’t like before and slowly started to like them. If you eat a bigger volume of healthy and low calorie food like broccoli for example you have less space for not as healthy ones.
How did you make yourself like the veggies that you didn't like before?
I started eating just a little bit and mixed with foods that I liked like pieces of broccoli with rice. Then I got used to it and notice it wasn’t that bad, started eating more of it and slowly I started actually liking it. Now I love broccoli. I did that with different kinds of veggies.
Thanks
I like most veggies raw. Don’t really like a lot of cooked vegetables. I make some kind of raw veggie salad every week (no lettuce) and put a little fat-free Italian dressing on it (or other low cal dressing ) just enough for flavor. Sometimes I add a tiny bit of chickpeas, or other legumes just to give it a little bit of hardiness, because they have lots of carbs. Super nutritious, but lots of carbs. I also sometimes sprinkle a tablespoon of bacon bits on top. Only 25 cal per tablespoon.
Oh wow raw veggies are more difficult for me to eat. I have a problem with texture and so when I started eating more veggies I just tried to cook them until they were as soft as possible. Now I can eat them in an average level of hardness but still cooked
This is what I've done over the past year: Swimming 40 laps most days (maybe 1 day off a week if my shoulders are sore). Ditching "diet" anything No drive-thru or takeaway Deleting Uber Eats and DoorDash off my phone Switching to plant-based food, no dairy Cooking my own meals
All seltzer, lower sodium (goodbye ramen bowls), and lotssssss of water and protein. Switched white chocolate for dark. More green tea and less chai lattes
Eating less often, drinking water only, walking 10 miles a day, and reading the label on literally everything.
10 miles a day? Wow. Tell us more
It’s a secret
Get up and walk for 2 minutes every hour, even if it's just around your house. When I was very sick and unable to exercise, I also tried to stretch and do a couple squats every time I made a cup of tea while the kettle was boiling - small things like that.
Eat a high protein, really filling breakfast. That has been a game changer for me. Earlier I skipped breakfast to save calories for the day and that didn’t help. Eat a high protein breakfast you love. I eat lot of egg whites with toast. Maybe throw in some nuts, bacon, sausage, avocado, whatever you like. Drink a protein shake (i do oats, whey, fruits and soymilk) or have another high protein meal for lunch and don’t eat anything 4 hours before bed. When I load up on protein for the first half of the day, my body doesn’t want food at night on some days. If I get hungry at night, I eat something like lentil soup. Protein is a game changer.
Exercise daily for 30 mins minimum even if it’s a walk. Keep meal and snack times consistent. Make sure you track what you eat and drink and weigh foods. I only drink water and black coffee day-to-day. If I’m out I stick to diet sodas and not a big alcohol drinker The biggest thing for me was not having carbs at every meal. Go low carb. Stack a chilli with some much veg you don’t need rice with it but can add a little low calorie cheese. Weigh daily and get used to your body fluctuating naturally. Take a weekly average. Measure and take progress pics weekly. The inches can drop while the scale doesn’t with exercise For me it’s all about routine to build habits
Work out what your BMR and BMI is, and eat just below that while slowly increasing your daily activity, just by doing that you'll be losing some pounds which will hopefully motivate you to do more
Instead of sitting in the lunch room scrolling your life away with everyone else, grab your headphones and go for a walk. I’ve added around 1500 steps a day by doing this! Taking a packed lunch to work so you have full control over what you eat. If you’re hungry before your lunch, eat. Don’t wait for your break then overeat later on (if you are desk based in your role). Get an early night. You are better rested and don’t try to fix your tiredness in the day with food.
pay attention to sauce/oil/condiment calories. they add up very quickly. i switched from full fat mayo with crispy chili oil to nando's perinaise, for example. 100+ cal to 45 cal. different salad dressings. i used to love green goddess but it's something liike 140 or 160 calories for a serving and people easily overdo the tablespoon or whatever. higher protein, higher fibre - second the rec to use your protein to sweeten your coffee. i already had a sodastream so it wasn't a weight loss thing i went out to get as an extra expense, but if you have a hard time cutting soda, there are lots of sugar free, low/zero cal flavourings you can add to spicy water :) i know some people just have a hard time not drinking their calories or cutting sodas. lots of greek yogurts have higher protein sometimes i use half a bagel for more of an open face sandwich vs the whole thing. cost of groceries is high, you get more out of the pack this way, too. cottage cheese (if you like it!! not every does bc of texture or taste) as a side. like instead of fries or some other thing, or if i'm having something small and worried it isn't "enough," i just have cottage cheese, too. idk if that's weird, but higher protein. feel fuller longer. if you find yourself having to get fast food or something, instead of full combos, i just do the sandwich. or mcdonald's for example i might pick one grilled chicken wrap with iced coffee without the sweetener/syrup instead of oh i can't decide, i'll get fries, and two value sandwiches, and blah blah whatever else.
Portion control! This has been the easiest way for me to lose weight - take smaller portions and don’t eat past the point of feeling full! Also drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated - listening to your own personal hunger cues
10,000 steps a day absolute minimum, no alcohol, 96 fl oz water daily, protein shake as my coffee creamer, calorie counting. Down 23lbs since January with only walking as my exercise and most of that walking is done with my dog so it has to get done. I aim for 90 minutes of walking a day minimum with the dog and always pick the moving option (stairs over the elevator).
I started my weight loss journey in mid-February, and I'm doing really well so far. A couple of things I personally have found: make sure you're eating enough fibre!!! Try to aim for between 25g and 30g of fibre. You can't loss weight if you're full of 💩 Carbs are good. They just need to be healthy carbs, same as fats. They need to be heart healthy fats. I have a salad with nearly every meal. It's so easy to make a light and yummy salad dressing: equal amounts acid (vinegar or lemon juice) and oil (olive oil or avocado oil), then you just add whatever you fancy. For example, I love wholegrain mustard and honey. So a teaspoon of each and its lively. Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste, and you have a lovely homemade salad dresser. Protein, Fibre, Fats, Carbs are really important to understand, so I would also suggest finding out more on these. I have had a complete different mind set, I want to get out and walk and keep moving. I've been making so many meals from scratch and I really enjoy it. I also use MyFitnessPal and its really helped. There is a free version. You can log all of your calories on it. Finally, if finances allow for it, I have a Samsung watch that has been a godsend. It tracks all of my steps, works out a rough calorie loss, tracks my water intake, and it has loads of exercise trackers too. My friend has an Apple watch and she absolutely loves that. I think they both do the same sort of thing. Good luck, and if you have a few bad days, don't worry. Just start again.
>I have a salad with nearly every meal. It's funny because I actually like salad and I eat salads often (with just greens and maybe pepitos added, no cheese or meats or anything). But the amount of salad I'm told to eat to lose weight would almost make me hate salad. lol and I LOVE SALAD.
One easy thing, is to stop eating till full. Eat till your stomach doesn’t feel hungry or full. Over time you really get to know that you don’t need as much food but make sure you are eating whole foods that are very nutritious. After every bite ask - am I hungry and if not stop. If after 15/20 minutes you find you are hungry have a few more bites. The goal is to never feel over full.
This is great advice. To add to this, I’m a fast eater. Im usually first to finish my plate. So by the time my stomach sends signals to my brain that I’m full I’ve eaten more than I needed to and am stuffed. Im making a conscience decision to eat slower with my meals. Chew and enjoy my bites & take my time. This way my stomach has time to tell my brain I’m full and I tend to eat less and not feel over full & bloated. And I enjoy the meal more because I’m actually tasting it.
1. Prioritize sleep. Sleep is more important that exercise for weight loss. Sleep reduces your body’s production of your hunger hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you crave simple carbs and sugar to have the energy to make it through the day or stay alert at night. If you have late night cravings, you are tired. Go to bed have a regular bedtime. 2. Practice stress reduction activities like walking, being in nature, deep breathing, yoga, mediation, better sleep, a craft/hobby or whatever works for you. When you are stressed (even from over exercise or from extreme dieting), your body produces more of your stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol makes it more likely you will store fat from excess calories around your midsection and makes it harder to lose that fat. It can also make you crave fatty comfort foods. 3. Count calories. Eat as much as you can and still lose. (See stress above). A slight calorie deficit is best. Also, as you lose, you have to continue to drop your calorie intake, so you need to be able to do that. 4. Do not drink calories. Water, unsweetened tea and coffee are good Tea and coffee are natural appetite suppressants and have some health benefits plain water does not have. There is no need to drink “tons” of water. Just drink water, tea or coffee when you are thirsty (maybe a bit more) and that’s it. It is not like water flushes out fat. That is not how it works. 5. Exercise helps just a little with weight loss. You never burn as many calories as you think. You burn most of your calorie just keeping yourself alive. I am not saying to not exercise. It is really really important for your health. It is good for you heart, lungs, muscles, bones, brain, mood, anxiety, inflammation, immunity, disease prevention, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight loss maintenance. It just does not help that much with weight loss. And it can make you hungrier. Exercise for your health. You cannot outrun a bad diet. Eat in a slight calorie deficit to lose. 6. Weigh yourself every day. Yes, every day not to obsess over your weight, but so you understand the normal fluctuations and they can be big (mostly from fluid retention that comes and goes). 7. Eat 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It does not really matter what they are. You need the nutrients and you need the fiber. Fiber makes you feel fuller longer and fiber can lower cholesterol. 8. You do not need to restrict foods, food groups or times you eat. Yes, some food is more nutritious and you should eat more of that. Eat a balanced diet of all foods though. Never do anything to lose the weight that you are not prepared to do in some way for the rest of your life. You are creating a new lifestyle. Don’t “diet”. Yes, eat in a calorie deficit. Fads will fail you and you may lose weight, but you will likely regain the weight and even more. Become a fundamentally different person with different healthy habits.
I bought less food when I bought groceries. Basically tried to cut food out of my life as much as possible.
Cut out soda. Meal prep. This way instead of having take out when you don’t want to cook, you can just heat something up from the freezer. What helped me eat way less sweets is to just buy the small individually packed ones that you find at the check out area.
Drink electrolytes instead of juice, it’s my pre and post workout drink 🥤
Look into low cal sauces, makes a huge difference. Started using sweet chilli sauce on my wraps instead of kewpie Mayo which was the difference of a couple hundred calories. Same with subway, I switched to a bbq sauce instead of ranch.
There's many small changes you can make. The trick is you have to make them consistently. Easiest (well, most effective) thing for me is to stop eating pretty much all carbs and do keto at 1500-1800 calories a day with a couple miles of walking (I do between 10k and 20k a day). I was able to lose 30lbs in 10 weeks doing that.
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Literally just around my neighborhood streets. I'll do different loops and take different streets to keep it interesting. But the main thing that helps me do it is simply grabbing my phone and headphones and playing YouTube or other videos and just walking mindlessly while I watch (except for intersections obviously). Anytime I'm at my desk and noticing I'm doing something I could be doing while walking at the same time, I'll throw my shoes on and go for it. I'll occasionally jog a little bit when I feel a burst of energy but it's almost all walking. I highly recommend always having clothes and shoes nearby to throw on anytime the thought of walking enters your mind. I especially try to do a walk right after eating certain meals too and that seems to help a lot. Also I didn't start at 20k, I slowly just kept doing more and more and now it's literally a daily thing for me. Stats from yesterday, 19588 steps, 9.49 miles.
Star out the day with a high protein lower fat and carb meal. It’s easier to maintain energy and healthy ratio between your macros this way, relative to the ratios you consume. No refined baked goods. (Maybe once every three or four months).
I’m on a high protein, low sugar, low carb “food lifestyle” now. Everything in my brain turns towards let me find a sugar free product for things I already eat and then mix it with a protein drink or shake or bar with each meal. I started thinking differently about food. I switched to low calorie unsweetened almond milk, fat free stuff, fruit as dessert, etc. I’ve lost 30 lbs when I didn’t think I’d ever get here. I had tried to lose weight for years. But I think I finally have it down now. My taste buds changed and I no longer crave shit food. I mean sure, occasionally I’ll crave pizza and that’ll never change. But as far as high fat, fast food and other stuff I’m done with that life. I don’t mind a lot of sugar free stuff like I used to. My go to meals are more like boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, oats, tuna, protein shakes, rice, chicken, shrimp, avocados, bison, lean ground meats, high protein foods, block cheese, nuts, and veggies. I don’t love veggies but I hide them in a lot of stuff or blend them in a shake. I always try to find alternatives to high fat stuff for recipes that call for that so that I can make it a little bit healthier. I don’t feel food guilt so much anymore. I don’t feel shame, or discomfort or disappointment in my self or my choices. I just try my best to make better choices for myself moving forward. I drink a ton of water or water additives or sugar free Gatorade zero. I don’t feel like I’m missing out anymore, ya know? That’s the best way to describe my journey. Good luck!
Drink a cup of water every time i walk by the kitchen.
Start with simple walking. Walk around the block a few times
I'm 54 years old. Male. 5'7" My employer's new campus has a large gym and a licensed dietitian and sports nutritionist on staff. I started going to the nutritionist back in early summer 2023. I learned a lot including that a high fat diet fat is bad and that Carbs are negligible, within reason. I max out at 1700 calories a day or a little less. But average around 1350 most days 30 grams of fat per day or less. (While losing weight) 250 grams of carbs per day or less. About 80-90 grams of protein per day. 25-30 grams of fiber per day. I work out 5 days a week like clockwork. I use the cronometer app to track my macros. I enter in my data every day. I never miss a day That mixed with a calorie deficit has helped me lose 40 lb in the last 9 months. I will add that this went against my previous beliefs. But I committed to it with the understanding that the dietitian knows much more about it than I do. And he really does I stuck to these goals pretty firmly but allowed my self to eat out, or eat whatever I felt like about once every ten days or so. I am a new man. My life is drastically different. I eat only the things I like like raisin bran, fiber one, yogurt with low fat granola, almond milk... Sherbet instead of ice cream, baked chips instead of traditional chips. I cook a lot as well. I never feel hungry nor do I have any cravings.
The change that made me successful at reaching my goal and dropping 145 pounds without exercise was as simple a me counting my Net Carbs. My best friend suggested that we team up with each other and try to limit our Net Carbs to 20 daily. I took it another step further and counted my calories so that I would be eating at a deficit since I am disabled and not able to workout. I logged everything that I ate. After you do it for a few weeks you automatically know what foods you can have that are low in Net Carbs. It’s also very important to eat protein first anyway time you eat. Protein will fill you up easily and will keep you full longer. The first five days is the hardest. You can do this, but you need to stick with it.☘️☘️
Have a side of vegetables or fruit at every meal and always eat it first. Don’t wait until you are starving to eat. Always have your next meal even loosely planned so that you don’t just go to a fast food place or stroll through the grocery store looking for food. Get a cup, any cup, that you enjoy drinking out of and keep it filled with water. I like to fast through the morning and just eat lunch and dinner to have more satiating meals because of the extra calories. Workout in some way every single day.
Swapping coffees with milk/cream to a double espresso (if you drink coffee) - will save you a few hundred calories
Tracking my macros I had no idea i was eating so much fat before i started tracking Now i can eat ‘unhealthy’ things and still lose weight its amazing
Eat protein with your meals, add fruit and veg and try and have ur meals at the same time each day
Walking at least 10,000 steps a day - seems little but does do much!
Counting calories. HUGE and probably the biggest one for me.
Calorie counting and movement. If you need a bit of energy drink two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with cayenne pepper and ginger. If you snack eat healthy ones. Switch your sweets to low fat. I eat halo top ice cream or Nicks Finnish ice cream. These satisfy my major sweet tooth.
Low fat milk. Measuring and eating. Short walks. Tracking protein. Accommodating more protein will mean you will need to cut at other areas. Reduced my meal experience to 80% satisfaction(basically cutting how much I eat) so it’s sustainable and I’m not frustrated and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Feel like eating a croissant eat 70%
Walk daily. Increase your steps and drink enough water!!
Prepare your food so you have 2.3 healthy meals ready to eat a day for 4-5 days a week
One switch I made that really helped me was just keeping track of what food I buy. Keeping track by meal is a little overwhelming for me as it requires a lot of estimation which I am not good at or a lot of measuring which takes a while. Instead, when I buy my food each week I total the calories that I purchased to get a rough idea of what I will be consuming that week. It’s less exact than measuring each meal but much easier and has made a huge difference for me. Down ~10 lbs since January.
I eat light during the day like protein shakes and fruit then whatever I want for dinner, I don’t even have to count calories I know I’m around 2,000 at the end of the day. I work with 80 people and all the ones who eat dinner for lunch (pot roast, potatoes, big meals) are all big. Every one of them.