Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread like this- sharing little ideas we may have heard somewhere or have come up with on our own, and have found them to be successful in weight loss/healthy living.

Over the years, I few things I've discovered:

-If I'm having a bagel, I don't put it together. I put my butter/cream cheese on both sides and eat side seperately. It makes the food last longer and makes me feel like I'm eating more! (I do this with PB sandwiches too)

-I don't keep a salt shaker on the table- it keeps me from adding unnecessary sodium to my meal.

-I make a big salad on Sunday that I know will last me a few days.

-I always carry a water bottle around with me, as well as a snack bar.

-I preplan my day the night before.

-I write down everything I eat and the serving size.

-I pre-measure my cereal, crackers, etc.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

Great thread Colleen.

I measure all my food to make sure I'm not over indulging.

DH makes sandwiches for breakfast when I buy the cold cuts, I take them home and pre weigh them into their own individual servings.

I make sure before I take my 1st bite of food in the morning that I drink 16.9 ounces of water.

I preplan my day the night before. I try to stick to it. And if I'm having a bad day I try to avoid situations where I'll over eat.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I don't eat out of the bag. I put snacks in little ramekins.

I always have a glass of water on the counter and take a few gulps when I walk into the kitchen.

We are a no soda house. We don't even have soda when we go out to eat. Trust me, saves us a few bucks on the bill, too. We have soda maybe once a month. It's a treat.

I will eat a bowl of cereal as a snack.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

-After dinner, I brush my teeth so I am less likely to indulge or eat late night snacks.

-I cook my own meals to avoid eating out and plan my dinners ahead of time.

-I try to use spices for flavor rather than using calorie loaded condiments.

-I keep a workout log to track how long I have exercised. It keeps me focused and helps me evaluate how I do each week.

-I use an ipod app to track my weight.

-I try to add a ton of fruits and vegetables into every meal. I add a cup of fruit to my oatmeal, in dinner dishes I add at least 4 cups of vegetables to the meat (I always cut up onions, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli to throw into the meals).

-I pre-portion my snacks rather than mindlessly eating.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I am not a good water drinker so I use Mio in my water to make it taste good! I avoid soda this way.

I eat a lot of small meals throughout the day, I have an early breakfast, midmorning snack of fruit or Nutrigrain bar, lunch, afternoon snack of baked chips or a protein bar, dinner and then after dinner snack.

When at parties, I skip the chips and dips and save myself for the main course. I feel like I can keep tabs on what I'm eating vs. when I eat chips I have no idea how much I've had!

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I eat 5-6 meals per day, all small

I log all my foods into myfitnesspal.com for tracking purposes

I prep food in advance and like an pp I make my lunch/breakfast the day before

I keep healthy snacks readily available and prepped like:
-Homemade trail mix (unsalted peanuts, cashews with sea salt, raisins, dried cranberries, hulled sunflower seeds that aren't roasted in oil, almonds),
-grabbable fruits like pears, apples.
-Cut up fruits like cantaloupe and watermelon
-yogurts
-low fat cheese sticks.
-raisins
-baby carrots
etc

-If I am out somewhere I make healthier choices, but still occasionally indulge. No need to deprive yourself of treats.

-I have a cheat day or meal at least once a week

-I listen to my body. If I feel hungry, I drin some water. If in 5 minutes I still feel hungry, then I will eat something.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

water water water. never go anywhere without it. i drink about 125oz per day.

i never let myself get to the point of being ravenous. if i'm hungry i eat something small. (fruit, nuts, etc.)

for lunch and dinner, i try to make 1/2 of my plate "green" meaning loaded with veggies instead of bread or rice.

and i never deprive myself. if i want a treat, i have one. and i refuse to beat myself up for it.

i weigh myself maybe once a month. i go by how my clothes fit, and how i feel. not what the number says.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

* Drink tons of water
* Measure out my food and track it (on a good day)
* Always try and have a 0 point veggie (the steam fresh frozen) with dinner
* If I want a treat, I have it
* I avoid second helpings
* I try and grab fruit instead of chips or candy
* Walk

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

the best thing i ever did was buy a food scale. it has helped me with my portion control so much, which i believe was always my biggest problem since i was not that much overweight and already avoided fast food, limited soda and actually liked to eat a lot of healthier things. i just ate in large quantities.

i have now trained myself to eat smaller portions just more often throughout the day.

bc i can measure and weigh everything i can also track my food accurately which i do on a daily basis.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I try to eat as clean as possible. Natural foods, use spices & herbs instead of condiments. I don't calorie count- just eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day of fruit, vegetables, nuts, protein like chicken or fish. This helps build lean muscle. I work out a lot and definitely need food for fuel.

Most importantly I keep dinner lean and green with LOTS of vegetables and chicken or fish. No starches for dinner.

Indulge in something good for 1 meal on the weekend bc if I don't, I'm more inclined to fall off the wagon and OVER indulge.

I am no morning person but i try my hardest to get up a half hour early everyday to do a quick workout in my living room- even if it's just lunges and push ups or something. By doing it first thing in the morning it motivates me to be healthy during the day and more committed to my workouts and go for a run after a long day at work.

Plan out all meals for the week prior and prepare as much as I can SUnday night to make it quick and easy during the week after work.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

I make a pot of soup each week and eat it daily.
In my fridge always:
friendship 1% cottage cheese
Fage plain 0% yogurt
hummus
lots of fruit and veggies
water bottles that have been refilled throughout the day

I always cook when I am not hungry so there is always something in the house. I never shop on an empty stomach and for those really lazy days, I always have a few portions of soup frozen in the fridge when I run out. My freezer is filled with my soup and unsesoned frozen vegetables for quick and lazy cooking nights.

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

Re: Share your healthy tips and tricks!

On Sundays I grill a lot of food for the week. I use the meats for lunch (either in a salad or just an entree) and lots of grilled veggies too. I also make 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in fat free, low sodium chicken broth. (This comes out to about 2 cups cooked.) I add sauteed mushrooms and onions to it (made with spray).

I always keep dip in the house made with light sour cream. (I think fat free is gross.) 2 TBSP of onion dip is 1 PP.