Last week at my Weight Watchers meeting the leader asked what we learned by doing Flex. I loved hearing everyone experiences. People all have different challenges, histories and situations. Some of the tips where practical, some anecdotal. Mine was funny, I love when I can get everyone at a meeting to chuckle…
I learned everything doesn’t need extra cheese. :~)
That’s what I said and it’s true! I used to put cheese, extra at that, on EVERYTHING! Ohhh when I think of the calories, fat (and Points) consumed, YIKES!
Anyway, I truly believe we all have something to share. Some idea or experience that can relate to or help someone else. I do my best to share mine on the blog but now it’s your turn. I’m looking for your best healthy tip. Have you lost weight and figured it out? Are you still losing and have some advice that’s keeping you on track? Please, do tell!
What is your best tip?
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"Chickpea and Cucumber Salad with Dried Cherries and Cheese... http://t.co/sunh8HSX— RoniNoone
About Roni
Roni started this blog in '05 to journal her weight loss. 70lbs later, she's committed to living a conscious, healthy life and hopes to inspire others along the way. Read more on the about page.Like the new look of Roni’s Weigh?
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My best tip, and one I tell everyone I know that wants to know how I lost weight………is…………www.ronisweigh.com !!! I can’t help it….YOU are my best tip!
But other than you….I tell everyone how, when I finally decided to lose weight to get healthy (for me), rather than lose weight to get skinny so I could get a boyfriend (for someone else)….it finally worked! I honestly am not concerned with how I look, but instead….how I feel! And I feel fabulous!
Check out Bonnies last blog post..Brian
My tip is to write down everything you eat, religiously, plain and simple. It’s the only thing that I can say will make it or break it for me. Plan dinner ahead if you need to, to make sure you don’t use too many points during the day. But write everything down. Without that, you start estimating and “forgetting” foods you’ve eaten, and that opens a door to leniency and, finally, not counting at all (at least in my prior WW experiences).
Check out Shannans last blog post..Week 6, Day 1 Report Posted & Links…
Bonnie – You are TOO funny! :~)
Make exercising fun. I never thought I’d like going to the gym, but I can listen to music on the ipod and read magazines. I just bought a magazine the other day and I ONLY read it while running on the treadmill. Make exercising fun and your healthy diet will do the rest.
My best tip:
Food is fuel; not love, not solace, not a friend, not my life, not the end of the world.
I am one of those lucky people who loves all food including the healthy stuff so if I follow the WW guidelines like eating two teaspoons of olive oil, two dairy servings, 5 fruits and veggies etc….I basically use a huge chunk of points on healthy, filling food. Also, you will note that the end of my tip is “not the end of the world” which to me means that if I don’t get that perfect donut I have been craving it isn’t the end of the world or if I do indulge in something it isn’t the end of the world, tomorrow is another day.
Check out Erins last blog post..In the beginning…Part Three
like your tip ;) so true too! i shave a bunch of calories off of a chipotle burrito by foregoing the “extras.” of course, it’d be great with those extras, but it doesn’t need it!!
my tip is to not set perfection as my standard. (had to learn that through many a trial and error)
another tip (and this is for calorie trackers and measurers) is a food scale. saves dishes on measuring cups and makes it so much easier to measure!
Check out madison (follow my weigh)s last blog post..rotten & expired
I have learned that it is rarely worth it to drink calories / points.
For me, exercise first and the food is much easier to deal with! Love hearing everyone’s tips.
Check out Alexias last blog post..Foodio54 and the five worst drinks in America plus a little rambling
My tip is to be creative and make healthy versions of your favorite calorie-laden foods (I know Roni often does this too!). Craving pizza? Make it on a tortilla with low fat cheese and turkey pepperoni. Want a brownie sundae? Use vitabrownies and frozen yogurt. Most of the time it will curb your craving AND you won’t feel guilty (or sick/bloated) afterward!
Alexia–I agree with you on the exercise first tip…..I did that too. I started Curves in February 2007, and by the time I finally decided to start Weight Watchers (in August 2007), exercise was firmly planted in the “habit” portion of my brain. So the food part was much easier to deal with….after all, I was already acting like a thin, healthy person, by exercising 4 x’s a week.
Check out Bonnies last blog post..Brian
These are great tips! I agree with the extra cheese and drink tips…it is just not worth it.
My biggest tip is that we should plan. I know for some people this is harder to do than it is for others. But while I am in the losing phase I find it is really important for me to plan. I create a list of dinners for the week and then make a grocery list based on my meal plan. I also plan my lunches and snacks for the week. My plan does not stop there….I try to plan for the unexpected…I carry snacks with me even if I will not need them. I keep carrot sticks, soy crisps, and gum at work incase I have the urge to snack or if I am hungry. I plan so that my plan has a better chance to suceed.
Check out Christys last blog post..Roni’s 2nd Word of Wisdom
My tip is NEVER EVER skip breakfast, no matter how guilty you feel you have overeaten the previous night. Also, breakfast is the only meal when I will make myself eat even if I’m not that hungry. It makes a difference.
Check out Innys last blog post..A funk
My tip is that we need to be less hard on ourselves. A bad food choice isn’t the end of the world, it’s not poison, it won’t kill me or cause me to gain 10 lbs overnight. I guess it’s about being more honest with myself and kinder to myself too. It’s hard to put what I mean into words.
Check out crazyladys last blog post..Life’s little lessons
I have a lot a weight to lose and my best tip is to live in the moment and embrace the journey! If I think too far ahead about how far I have to go I get overwhelmed. So I try to think about how far I’ve come instead.
when at a restaurant, remember the portions are too much. When I get my dinner, I immediately cut EVERYTHING in half (sides, too!) and put it on the boyfriend’s plate (he is a big eater!) or, if he doesn’t want it, move it to the side and get it to go. In the past, I had the “eat everything on plate” mentality. I find I am still satisfied after eating only half (and am not feeling “stuffed”) – and, oddly, I feel like I’m in control / have a sense of “accomplishment”(?) when the waiter comes by and I am able to say I’m finished – and still have what looks like a full plate of dinner on my plate!
My tip is if you are hungry, eat! As soon as possible! So if after breakfast you get hungry at 9:30, don’t wait till lunch to eat- just eat a piece of fruit or something. I think if you don’t feed your body when it’s hungry it starts freaking out and slows your metabolism down. My other tip (on the opposite end of the spectrum) is don’t eat if you’re not hungry! If it’s “lunch time” and you’re not hungry, don’t eat until you are! Even if it’s 2:00 when you’re finally hungry.
Check out Rachels last blog post..Lauren
Great tips from everyone! My biggest one would be that it is entirely possible to enjoy any television program or movie WITHOUT a snack. You can undo an entire day of healthful eating with a bowl of ice cream, or a bag of chips, in front of the tube!
These are all such great tips. I agree with TNT about restaurants giving way too much food. Getting half of it to go is a great idea!
I always think, would I feed my daughter this? Would I consider this healthy enough to feed her? If it doesn’t meet that criteria, then I don’t eat…most of the time anyways. But it does stop me, and really make me consider what I’m about to eat.
Variety – don’t eat the same 5 things all the time because every time you eat the same thing for the millionth time that delicious McDonald’s cheeseburger starts looking better and better.
Great tips everyone!
I recently sprained my ankle. So I have been very inactive. However, I managed to lose 3lbs this week – I really stuck to my points (no extras)! It opened my eyes to the fact that I can maintain my progress even if I have a “set back”. This leads into my tip. If you have a “set back” don’t give up. Last night I almost didn’t go to my meeting, thinking I was going to have a gain. Boy was I wrong. The meeting has motivated me to really stick with my points so I maybe will loose a little more even with this ankle sprain inhibiting me from going for my runs and workouts.
In the past, I would always treat myself to a food iteam (brownie, date square, magic bar, etc.) I would feel like even the treat was a slip up and I would quickly slide back into my regular eating habits. Since going WW 12 weeks ago, I have lost 24.2lbs and haven’t looked back! I know that I will have these set backs, but I will no longer look at them as the end all and give up. I do ‘treat’ myself to WW cakes and cookies, but I never view it as a set back any longer. I still have a long ways to go both in weight and my mindset but it really helps to stay positive (and as someone else mentioned) and look at how far you have come, not how far you have to go!
Have a great day everyone!
It is okay to be hungry! My ww leader told me that and it is true. I used to freak out when I felt hungry and then I learned that it is okay.
Own your points. Don’t eat something and then not journal it because it is too pointy. Own it. Then you know whether it was worth it or not.
If you are not hungry then food won’t fix it! lol
cook! If you cook it you know what goes in it.
Good luck and thanks for the inspiration!
Check out Jennifers last blog post..Mommy and Buddy…
Great tips from everyone so far. I totally stopped eating cheese on alot of things and you know what? I don’t miss it and I discovered, I wasn’t as big of a ‘cheese person’ as I thought.
I also do as Jen and Roni do by getting creative in the kitchen to make healthy versions of the foods I love. Lately, those Pita pizzas have been saving me.
But here’s my own tip: I buy the large tub of spinach leaves from the warehouse stores and unless I am eating it everyday, it goes bad so I put spinach in everything. It increases my portion sizes without adding points and it helps me knock out some veggie servings for the day. I add it to cold dishes to make the salads seem bigger. I add it to hot dishes and let it wilt. I even add it to my frozen meals that I eat for lunch at work.
I found two things really helpful in changing my eating habits. First, I read labels and cut out as much processed stuff as I can. If the first 5 ingredients contain corn syrup, hydrogenated anything, or artificial sweeteners I don’t buy it. My intense cravings for salt/sugar is completely gone. Fruit, PB, pickles are great. Also, I have a bag of dark chocolate baking chips in the freezer. When I need chocolate, I grab a TB of those!
Tip #2: I keep my hands bus by knitting. I started last year and am completely addicted to making socks and hats. Youtube and Ravelry.com have great tutorials and patterns. Most of the time this keeps me away from snacking while watching TV.
Great tips and inspiration everyone!
Oh and I also love saying things that make people laugh in a group setting. We are obviously extroverts huh Roni?
if I start of good in the morning – the rest of the day seems to be a breeze.
if i run to starbucks i hardly can turn down a mocha :-D so then lunch comes
and hmmmm…. I’ll splurge there too then dinner and snacking after.
so for me if I start my day off with a hard boiled egg, piece of whole wheat toast and a piece of fruit – I won’t run to the philly cheesesteak house for lunch :-D
I find when I was younger it was about how to look good – now at 33 – I want to feel better which in turn will always make you look better. I think you can be a better wife, friend, sister, daughter or son when you treat yourself right!!!!
Hi Roni, I think the best tip I can think of is to make weight loss easy: as in, buy the right foods for your pantry and refrigerator, so when you reach for a snack it has a better chance of being healthy. Cook a big, healthy, satisfying dish on Monday so you can just pop leftovers in the microwave all week. The thing is, it’s hard to eat healthy if we rely on outside influences. If we rely on ourselves to make it easy, it becomes easy.
Also I find that if I’m satisfied and happy in other areas of my life, it’s SO MUCH EASIER to make good food choices, something you’ve talked about before. So I recommend maybe not focusing on the food (not fixating on it) because once you know about good nutrition, you know what to eat. The problem is making the right choices. And feeling better about yourself can help you to do that.
Annalisa–I’m a knitter too…..I just checked out Ravelry.com and requested an invitation. I’ve only been knitting for a couple of years and don’t get a LOT of time to knit so I haven’t advanced a LOT in those 2 years, however, other knitters tell me I catch on fast. I’ve recently made 2 Elmo hats for my 2 littlest grandies, by using a bit of this pattern and a bit of that pattern, but now another of my grandies wants a Grover hat and his eyeballs are not round (like balls) like Elmo’s are. They’re more oval and flat. Have you ever heard of a pattern for that…by any chance?
Check out Bonnies last blog post..Brian
For me, take control of the food front first- excercise when you can as an added bonus. I say this because I do not like to excercise. I know that so many people start with the excercise and the improved eating follows. Not for me. If I made a plan to excercise a certain number of days/week etc- it would never last- I am just speaking for myself and my tendencies. WHen I started WW, I knew that the weight loss would have to be mostly dietary (eating less food overall and healthier food). No kidding- it’s amazing how well it works. I lost all of the weight I wanted and am maintaining- none dependant on excercise. Now, that being said- certainly I realize that excercise is healthy, so I try to stay active in fun ways. It’s just so cool to know that it’s possible to slim down without having to force heavy excercise~
:)
1. Surround myself with people who support my mission. OHHHH soooo important. That doesn’t mean I don’t hang with my friends who have nooooo problem ordering cheese balls with ranch or pizza at the office, but these people (who used to be me) applaud me for staying on track….and even though I google over their cheese balls…..I chomp at my carrot and on special occasions I grab a cheese ball and pop it in my mouth and realize…Ooooo, that leaves my lips greasy. Also under this category……I agree with BONNIE….. reading this page for inspiration and seeking other things to inspire me! THANKS RONI!
2. Grow a garden. You will feel so guilty not eating everything you produce that you will surround yourself with lots of good choices.
3. Try new things….foods…exercise….activites….Don’t get in a rut.
4. Get busy doing stuff….volunteer, give to others. You start worrying less about what you need and what you get but what you can give.
5. Go to meetings!!!! Even if it is just once and awhile. The community is soooo important and inspiring. I love, love, love meetings. (except for when I gain) :)
6. BEST investment…..my orville reddenbacher microwave popcorn popper. If you love popcorn this will save you a TON of money and……it tastes awesome with a little spray butter and popcorn salt… I might just have to go pop myself some!
HAPPINESS. My best tip that took me 6 months to understand…. is that to lose the weight and keep it off, I had to be HAPPY. I had tried WW 4 times and always lost 10 pounds and gained them back. Finally, two years ago, I started again. It worked. I lost 40 pounds in 6 months. For the first time in my life, I was living in a place that I love with wonderful roommates, had a wonderful relationship, worked for a great company. I was making little money, and was in a long distance relationship, but still, I was the happiest I’d ever been and I truly believe that the positivity made it easy to stay motivated and keep on track and lose weight and feel thin for the first time in my adult life.
I have to add extra cheese to everything also, it is a naughty habit that you get used to and the extra cheese taste becomes adictive, to help me lose weight I have had to cut it out – it is only sensible
I think my best tip was one I learned my very first week at W.W. I couldn’t believe it! But little changes (5-10 calorie) really do make a difference. They all add up over time. Example: Cool Whip Lite instead of regular Cool Whip (I admit it, I have a cool whip addiction problem–I think almost anything can be improved with a bit of cool whip lite!) But this applies to so many things, and I applied this rule all the way down. 2% milk, then 1% milk, now I drink non-fat and actually like it. I recently just switched to fat-free half and half after almost 4 years of dieting/maintenance. When I was heavy, I would look at labels and say, 10 calories, what difference does that make? And I would always choose the higher calorie version because it would ‘taste better.’
Check out debbys last blog post..What an Adventure!
Oh, I have so many!
1) Food is food. It does not provide comfort. It is not a friend. You control your life and your food instead of food controlling you.
2) Move. Find an exercise you enjoy and stick to it.
3) Make time for yourself. Rearrange your life in order for you to have time to go to the gym or make meals instead of going out, etc.
4) Remember you CAN do it. No more excuses. Do not use an excuse or that fact that some days will be hard as an excuse to not change your lifestyle.
5) Share. Let others know you have changed your lifestyle. Embrace it. Seek the support of others.
6) Be proud. Be proud of all your accomplishments, no matter how big or how small. Do not focus on how much you still want to lose but on how far you have come. And don’t measure your success by comparing it to others.
Check out KK (Running Through Life)s last blog post..How to NOT Lose 3 Pounds In 1 Day
I think my tip would be journalling food no matter what. Sometimes when I think I’ve “blown” a day and then tally points, I realize I’m still doing OK and it keeps me on track to get right back with it instead of just saying “to hell with it…I screwed up!” I can’t tell you how many times this has happened (like yesterday! I had a burger and thought it put me way over for the day and was ready to give in to an evening of noshing but I was fine and so I just stopped eating realizing that I hadn’t TRULY blown it—does that make ANY sense?)
Of course, the opposite is true — adding up points and realizing it was a lot more than I thought–but that’s more of a lesson of what not to do next time.
Seek inspiration (and help!) from others! I really don’t think you can do this alone. Get your spouse/children or other family involved, find a WW meeting, get some people from work, etc. But work together and share your experiences. If you find it hard to ask for help, online is a great source for inspiration!
keeping your blood sugar stable is more important than calorie counting. Eat a good ratio of protein, fats, and carbs in each meal every 3 to 4 hours. This has helped me to shed pounds and given me so much more energy for longer workouts which help shed the fat.
I’ll be 43 next week. Stop by my website to see my “after” pictures then.