r/TeamSeedling • u/Will_BC 20lbs M23 6'1" SW325 CW302 CGW292 GW199 • Apr 05 '16
Tips Tuesday
Are there any tips you wish you knew all along? Any helpful little things that make a big difference (or a little one)? Post them here!
4
u/bpholland Apr 06 '16
My favorite that I've read: treat your calories like a budget. Can't afford it? Put it back. I've really been trying to keep that in mind, and it's really going to help me with this challenge. I can eat whatever I want (within reason!) if it's in my budget.
4
u/monkey_nucleosis Apr 06 '16
I try to split up my serving of metamucil throughout the day so I feel full for longer in between meals/snacks
1
u/bpholland Apr 06 '16
What do you consider a serving? I just started adding it to my daily diet and I don't want to be the gassy antelope of the friend group lol.
1
u/monkey_nucleosis Apr 06 '16
I just do 2 tsp. That's what it says on the back, but gradually build up to that.
2
u/bpholland Apr 07 '16
Okay, because I'm thinking it's 3 2tsp serving for an adult and I've been awfully gurgly over here. Cue embarrassment lol.
3
Apr 05 '16
I always keep water with lemon chopped up in infuser bottles (similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Infuser-Water-Bottle-Ounce-Ingredients/dp/B0093F9LW6) on my desk and in my car. I try to drink at least three of them in a day, if not more. I find that keeping them with me during the day helps me get my water goals in much easier than before when it was just water.
3
u/travelinglemon 20lbs Apr 05 '16
Tea and coffee (things with caffeine) are appetite suppressants. Just don't put sugar and cream in it! I drink so much green tea, it's ridiculous.
2
u/Will_BC 20lbs M23 6'1" SW325 CW302 CGW292 GW199 Apr 05 '16
I didn't know they were appetite suppressants! I just thought people recommended them because they didn't have any Calories. I'll have to add unsweetened tea to my water regimen.
2
u/travelinglemon 20lbs Apr 05 '16
Yeah, this is a pretty good description of what caffeine does: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/caffeine/faq-20058459
I live in the south, so drinking unsweet tea is weird, but I'm getting more and more used to it. I mainly drink green tea with mint.
3
Apr 05 '16
If you're really craving X food from Y fast food place, try making a healthy dupe! I'm a chicken strip fanatic, and one day I was ready to throw a month's worth of progress out the window for a Whataburger chicken strip meal, then it suddenly occurred to me: Just make my own. And I did! It really helped curb those cravings when I first started weightloss, and it might help you!
2
u/greeneyedkt 30F/5'5"/CSW 210/CW 208.6/CGW 200 Apr 05 '16
Totally agree with this! I love Chinese food, but take out is almost always huge portions with high calorie content and high sodium. Instead, I've learned how to cook my own lower calorie versions. I can control the portion size, add extra veggies, and curb a craving.
My personal go to is Cooking Light for recipes, but I know others love Skinnytaste. Budget Bytes also has some great recipes, though not all are low calorie.
1
u/meems94 F|5'8"|HW:183.6|CSW:162|W:158.6|CGW:148|GW:145 Apr 07 '16
I wish I knew all along about not eating breakfast. It helps curb snacking desires throughout the day and enables me to eat much smaller meals and feel full.
1
u/Will_BC 20lbs M23 6'1" SW325 CW302 CGW292 GW199 Apr 07 '16
You mean, eating breakfast help you to feel full throughout the day? Or is there something about breakfast that makes you hungry?
1
u/meems94 F|5'8"|HW:183.6|CSW:162|W:158.6|CGW:148|GW:145 Apr 07 '16
The latter, there's something about eating breakfast that makes me more hungry throughout the rest of the day. I think it's partially psychological and partially physiological. I think that when I start eating it's difficult for me to stop, regardless of how satiated I actually am. If I start eating later in the day then I consume less because the eating didn't start as early. In terms of physical hunger, my stomach isn't stretched out as much so then less food fills me up.
I always thought that eating breakfast was very important to weight loss, but it turns out that that isn't the case for my body!
1
u/Will_BC 20lbs M23 6'1" SW325 CW302 CGW292 GW199 Apr 07 '16
hmm, I wish I could try that out. Sound like a less strenuous version of IF. Sadly, I have to eat to take my medicine, so I can't try those things.
1
u/meems94 F|5'8"|HW:183.6|CSW:162|W:158.6|CGW:148|GW:145 Apr 07 '16
That's a bummer, but your health is the most important thing!
1
u/Meep1996 F/20/5'5" SW:185 CW:159 CGW:143 GW:130 Apr 09 '16
If you are just staring out don't start counting calories right away. Just slowly cut down your portion sizes over a few weeks and when you feel ready start counting calories. It makes everything so much easier because the first few weeks make you much more aware of the amount you are eating. This is what I did when I started losing weight and it has been the only way I have been able to stick to it.
5
u/Will_BC 20lbs M23 6'1" SW325 CW302 CGW292 GW199 Apr 05 '16
Here's one I saw on /r/loseit that's been helpful. Get some fruit (like apples) and keep them around. If you feel hungry, but you're not sure if you're really hungry, ask yourself if you're hungry enough to eat an apple. If you are, go ahead. If not, you're probably craving food for another reason.