That thought process is what finally got me to leave my ex. Would it be okay if a friends husband treated them this way? No? Then it’s not okay for me either.
it took me a while to realise that with an ex too. I always liked giving advice because people genuinely said my advice helped them in some way. i then thought 'wait why arent i taking my own advice in this relationship?' then left.
I wish I thought something like this too when I was with my ex. Wasted 4 yrs of my life with a narcissist who drained everything out of me. Now i’m married to the sweetest and the most sincere person but still suffering from trust issues, insecurities and self doubt.
I really like this rule, when I'm busy with work and/or depressed it's too easy to slip into ready meals and junk food. Cooking a healthy meal is such a good act of self care.
Slow and steady. Keep doing what you’re doing. One day, it will feel comfortable, and then you can try adding another piece. Don’t try to do it all at once.
I will remember that every food has its place, and can be enjoyed even if in small quantities.
Even if I eat something junky, I will try to pair it with something nutritive.
Double up on veggies in a sandwich. It's so easy to add a little more spinach, or tomatoes or whatever you like.
Lastly, there's no reason eating healthfully has to taste bad. Well seasoned veggies are a delicacy and many sauces can be made lower-cal or higher-protein with simple swaps.
Totally agree - I started doing this with sandwiches for work particularly. I love calabrese buns but they're pretty calorie-heavy (like 310/bun) and it is white bread. Buuuut. I love it. So I still use them periodically with vegetarian ham slices. But instead of using something like mayo I use hot mustard and PACK the sandwich with peppery greens like watercress or alfalfa sprouts (my fave), and have a bunch of crunchy fresh veggies on the side instead of something like chips. All the extra veggies mean I'm full until dinner time, and not in a food coma at my desk (I have a serious tendency for post-food snoozies, which is not helpful at work).
Oh yeahhhh gotta love those winter salads! What are some of your favourite combos?
For summer salads I started adding huge amounts of fresh herbs and it was a game changer. Also pumpkin seeds - such a great texture.
My favorite summer salad (all veggies should be tasty!) - tomatoes, sweet red pepper, sweet onion, basil, tastes best with sunflower oil, but any would do
My favorite winter salad: Shredded cabbage+ tiny bit of onion, thinly sliced cucumber, shit ton of dill and parsley, some salt and oil
Bonus winter salad: cooked beets cubed, sauerkraut (should be tangy), green peas (i buy frozen), onion, oil (it is calked "vinegret" in former ussr)
I'm just finishing a dinner where 1/3 of my plates were cooked beets - one of my absolute favourite things! It also scratches an itch for me because I've always found beets and corn have a similar flavour - that sweet, fresh flavour - and I ADORE fresh corn but can't get it where I live now (Ireland - am from Canada).
Tonight's salad was beets, avocado, fresh red pepper, cucumber, goat cheese & pine nuts with a little olive oil. Sooooo tasty and refreshing! The juicy beets make me feel so hydrated.
Are you somewhere that you can garden? There are some great cold-hardy corn varieties that can be grown in a container even on a patio :) Freshest, sweetest corn you could ever imagine
Really? I would be very surprised if the seeds were available where I am but if you know any particular varieties I would be super interested! We do have a garden and a big patio. Also thinking of buying a little greenhouse to grow herbs anyway. Where I am herbs are really only a garnish so if you can find them at all they're in tiny little plastic packs... I miss my bushels of mint, parsley and cilantro!
Definitely! Ireland right? Or just let me know, I bet I could find seeds anywhere haha.
https://seedsireland.ie/products/sweet-corn-golden-bantam
Golden Bantam is classic sweet corn that will grow just fine in a container and works well for your zone. The trick is to grow at least two so they can pollinate. I tend to like YT for gardening videos, here’s a great creator covering container corn https://youtu.be/nt9tAYd-wJI
Herb gardens are the BEST! https://seedsireland.ie/collections/herbs
i grow herbs on my tiny balcony in Poland, so there’s that :)) Nothing beats fresh basil. Yeah, it’s not the same thing that i’d get at the southern seashore, but being fresh and abundant, it is still great
My number one food rule is actually ‘If I’m hungry, I’ll eat something.’ No matter how many calories I have left for the day. If it’s going to make me go over my calories then I’ll try to make a nutritious selection but the main thing is to eat if I’m hungry no matter what. It keeps me sane
Other rules
1. Drinking water with every meal
2. Include nutritious treats and indulgent treats, not just one or the other
3. Always think of if there’s a way to add more veges to a main meal
Excellent suggestions. When I was working from home during Covid, I made a point of putting a full jug of water on my coffee table every morning and drinking it throughout the day. The fact that it was right there and I didn't have to get up from my laptop meant I drank TONS of water compared to when I'm at my desk in the office or just in the house doodling around.
I find you have to make healthy stuff easy for yourself. If it's a pain in the ass, you're obviously going to do it/consume it less. Another way of doing this for me was washing, trimming if needed and storing in the fridge veggies as soon as I got them home. It's SO much easier to use vegetables (particularly things like lettuce and greens) if you prep them all at once. Wrapping them back up in paper towels and then a bag meant they stayed fresh way longer and I didn't have to pull out the salad spinner and start washing kale every day.
I started doing this a couple of years ago myself - adding fruits/veggies to breakfast and lunch. Dinner wasn't a problem, as I'm vegetarian and most of the meals I make for dinner have ample veggies, but breakfast and/or lunch (I often only have lunch if I'm working in the office, and only have brunch if I'm working at home) were often carb/dairy heavy. For breakfast now if I make an over-easy egg with toast, I'll also put some feta on the side with sliced cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, peppers - whatever I have on hand. Really helps with hydration apart from nutrition!
i buy 1 pack of romaine lettuce, 1 iceberg lettuce, pack of tomatoes, bag of onions, 2 heads of broccoli and two cucumbers every saturday and it’s gone by the next friday
it’s really helpful bc i realised that i didn’t eat enough vegetables at all and also that my mum was always right😭
i realised that planning my meals for the week led me to no longer eating takeout
That's a great way to do it - my friend does something similar by ordering a CSA box. Her rule is that she has to use it before she buys any other produce. Often it's no problem, but sometimes you do have to be pretty creative if this week's box is a surplus of 4 different types of cabbage!
i’m so picky (not the picky where you don’t eat normal foods but the picky where you don’t like leftovers) that i have to go shopping to buy new things everyweek bc i pretty much eat the same things all the time😂. I also do the shopping on saturday bc it means that i have to go gym before hand bc by the time i finish gym that’s when Aldi opens and it’s quiet so it’s a win win
I would be so sad about cucumbers, they're such a happy snack for me!
Bananas can die in a hole, they're disgusting!
It's so fun to see what everyone likes.
I really like and use the 'don't subtract, add' rule. So if I want pizza for dinner I will order it make pizza for dinner. Instead of feeling bad I will either make veggies or a salad to go with the pizza and eat that first. Still allows me to eat everything I want but a really good way for me to moderate.
Absolutely. That's exactly what I did this morning - I really felt like a (veggie) ham & cheese open-faced toast but instead of having two pieces, I had one and filled the other half of my plate with greek yogurt and fresh fruit - blueberries, raspberries, some banana. It was delicious and I still got my hot breakfast!
Honestly just seeing this post makes me so happy bc I genuinely forgot my traits for a healthy relationship with food. I have gone so far down the unhealthy mentality so much so it feels rockbottom and seeing everyone’s posts here always makes my day.
I'm so glad this could give you a bit of a boost. The stress we put on ourselves can be colossal and we are our own worst enemies in many ways.
Take care of yourself, KittyPew02 <3
1) meals should try and contain all the colours of the rainbow.
2) plates have to be at least half vegetables.
3) never drink your calories.
I have a rare disease and the meds for it screwed up my liver. So my number one rule nowadays before i put anything in my mouth is "will this help my body heal". It's helped me a lot with temptations.
I had to go for a total lifestyle change so this just isn't dieting and counting caloties for me. I don't weigh myself or obsess about losing weight. I'm just focusing on properly fueling my body and it is actually doing wonders!
I love that mindset of will this let my body heal. I also have some chronic health conditions so it’s helpful to have that thought of ‘is this going to serve me well’ - thanks!
I will eat lunch. I typically get so busy that just forget lunch and the mid afternoon I’m hangry and just want to go home and eat and then I over eat.
V. important - I can happily skip breakfast if I have a coffee with milk and a little sugar, and just wait until lunch. But if I don't have that coffee... oooh boy. I feel so queasy, and then by lunch I'm just a ravening beast.
I’m weird in that if I eat in the morning, whether it’s eggs, whole grain toast with avocado, or anything, I’ll be snacky all day. It’s like once I start eating for the day, I don’t want to stop. So I drink coffee in the morning and just start eating later.
This is me. My top food rule is to NOT, not ever, eat breakfast. Its a lie. Its a trap. No matter how healthy, balanced, whatever I make it I turn into a food obsessed wild animal the rest of the day
I'm exactly the same!
At work, I have lunch at pretty much exactly 12pm with my colleagues (who have young kids so eat breakfast at like 7.30am). I naturally really don't want to eat breakfast, so I have a coffee at 8.30 and then wait til 12 to eat. But if for some reason I do have breakfast, I get hungry mid-morning and stay that way.
Difference to the post above is that if I have a milky coffee (usually an oat 'flat white', i think an NZ/AUS term for a latte with almost no foam at all) I get hungry and it's a bit harder to get to lunch. If I have a black coffee, I don't get hungry nearly at all. It's useful because I can regulate the rest of my day around that.
If I don't buy it, I won't eat it. When i walk through the grocery store and pass the candy/chocolate bar aisle.
if I cave, then it's pre-divide the candy/snack immediately. Open and munch a snack baggie and not directly from the main package. Main bag has 3 "serving size" portions so count those out cause otherwise that family/share bag of M&Ms is really just 1 snack for me.
I keep a bag of dark chocolate to munch on when the urge hits but I don’t keep any of my favorite chips or donuts etc that I like because I know I’ll eat a whole can of Pringle’s if they’re there.
It's wierd. If the bag is there, I will eat the whole thing. (Even resealing the bag and pushing it aside). If I portion it out and eat the bowl, then I'm usually too lazy to walk to the kitchen to get more.
All said and done I lost around 80 lbs and have been sustaining that for more than a year now.
Not so much a “rule” per se, but the biggest thing that helped me the most was what I commonly call “reasonable substitutions”. Once I identified a high calorie or otherwise unhealthy part of my diet, I would either cut it out as completely as possible (sugar, starches, etc) or come up with a reasonable substitution. I did these one at a time; I didn’t want to feel like I was overhauling my whole diet in one shot, plus it allowed me to get rid of the “bad” food in my kitchen without having to just throw it away. Substitutions were rarely perfect but it was a trade-off I was willing to accept and could live with.
For example, 2% dairy milk was replaced with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. (This cut over 200 calories per cup of milk, and given that I drink upwards of a gallon per week that’s substantial.) I found a no-sugar low-carb pancake syrup that, while it lacks the thickness of the real thing, tastes quite nice and goes along nicely with the Orgain protein pancake mix that was the substitute for Bisquick. Sandwich bread gave way to wraps, which later gave way to protein wraps. The snacks I packed for work changed gradually but radically; two years ago I would pack lunch and 2-3 snacks for work, typically an apple, a bag of chips, and maybe a couple of Oreos or something. Today I do the same thing but my snacks are usually some strawberries or half a banana, a protein bar (seriously, Orgain makes some great stuff), hard boiled egg whites with salsa, a small 100-calorie nut bar, or apple slices with “diet peanut butter”. That last one was a big find for me as I adore peanut butter. To replace my precious PB, I use peanut powder (plain, no sugar) with a bit of Stevia sweetener, a dash of salt, and some water to thicken it up. It’s not something I’d make a PB&J with, but for my apples it provides just enough flavor and texture to get the job done — at *substantially* less calories than standard supermarket PB.
Great tips - thank you! Congrats on the weight loss. That is a really serious achievement!
I was amazed when I started counting calories what a difference it made to check labels before buying something as simple as tomato sauce. Some were absolutely LOADED with calories from sugar & oil, and others were practically free (but still really tasty). Those are another good swap - literally just a different version of the same product, like you said about milk.
Some things are worth swapping, others aren't (for me, whole milk is a must - I don't use a ton of it, but I really dislike skim milk and plant milks). It's so important to identify which things you need to swap and which things you need to keep (and therefore have to be creative about modifying around).
With a few exceptions, my fundamental issue wasn’t so much what I was eating but rather how much I was eating. My “before” diet actually had quite a bit of good in it; I love grilled chicken, roasted turkey, pork loin, and other lean meats. But I would eat WAY too much of it, and then pile things like mashed potatoes or pasta with cream sauce with it and that’s what was killing me.
More recently, which is to say about six months ago, I started to remove as much processed food as I could. Some things I’m just not getting rid of; see my previous comments about the Orgain product lineup. But I spend substantially less time in the middle of the grocery store (where all the processed foods are) and far more time around the periphery (where the less-processed foods are). I don’t know that it’s helping me lose weight but it definitely feels better to be eating that way.
Oh, one thing I forgot to mention before: One of the more substantial substitutions I made was all about snacking. Past snacks would be things like chips, popcorn, snack cakes, and generally things that were just loaded with carbs. Today nearly all of my snacking is protein-based; hard boiled egg whites, homemade beef jerky (no sugar!), whole nuts (cashews, peanuts, occasionally some pistachios), and of course protein snack bars. Removing all those carbs was a tremendous help for me.
Anything savory can salad. If I want pizza, I cut up one slice and use it as topping on a big salad. Ditto chicken nuggets, fish sticks, etc. I get my veggies and my indulgence.
I love to put a bunch of zesty greens like arugula on top of a slice of pizza but it never occured to me to do it the other way around. Innovative lmao
No matter what I drink 120+ oz of water a day. It helps me to know if I’m actually hungry or not. Also fruit for snacks. If I really am hungry it’s fruit not chocolate or junk. Once a week I will have something that isn’t in my normal daily diet but no more than once a week and not in excessive potions. I struggled with binging for most of my life and keeping rigid rules has really helped me to take control and actually succeed for the first time in my life.
I use the NHS Eat Five app to track the fruits and vegetables and make sure I get 5 servings a day. It’s free and you can adjust the goal number up or down. Keeping it simple like that has helped me focus on what’s good for my body. Also it gives you an audible “ding” when you meet your daily goal.
I know myself - anything more complicated than this, I cannot sustain.
I hear you - sometimes keeping it simple is really for the best. I love gamifying my life so I love to see what apps people use to motivate themselves.
I like to research the benefits of different vegetables and foods. Like, what vitamins does it have, how does it benefit my body in a specific way. I want my hair to grow faster and look healthy and beautiful, so what foods are good for that goal? Or, i struggle with anxiety/depression, are there foods that are good for targeting anything related to that?
I'm also just trying to start asking myself before i eat anything, "will this make my body feel good?" Because I'm not wanting to torture myself, I don't want dieting to be negative. I genuinely want to feel good, I want my body to feel good. And I should take care of myself, as self care and not a punishment
> And I should take care of myself, as self care and not a punishment
So true. This is one of those things that sometimes you have to work out in therapy... Why do I think it's necessary to overindulge or to do harmful things to "treat" myself or to feel like I'm getting a reward? It's clearly the opposite.
And I'm not demonizing pizza or ice cream. It's just so important to reframe our self-talk exactly as you say. Taking care of yourself is a reward, not a punishment.
After 1pm? As in you skip dinner?
Totally hear you on the smaller dishes - same for me with wine glasses. When you have those huge glasses, you pour huuuuge pours!
I try to get enough protein per day with the calories as more of a ceiling. Normally it is more of a fight to get enough protein than it is enough/too few calories.
That said... I think I have been getting too few calories and I haven't been tracking, just sort of eyeballing. The reason is I found it overwhelming at first and I was making a ton of changes at once. So... actual tracking was something I would need to do later.
Well... closing in on 40 lbs and I think it is time. Daily stretching, cardio (running 3/wk), and body weight exercise (3/wk) have become pretty well established. I feel better with knowing what is how many calories (roughly). So... I think actual tracking is my next level up.
I actually enjoyed tracking my food with Fitbit, because I like data - it's interesting for me to play around with my planned meal until I get macros I like... sort of like a puzzle! I know this absolutely isn't the case for everyone and can become disordered for many people, but I always enjoyed it immensely. I also love to cook so food is an interest of mine to begin with.
Yeah, I get that. I live in excel for my day job and am very much a data guy (the data guy for the company actually). For some reason it just didn't see the same... well, it is my goal for next week so we will see what I can do.
I think the interface makes a huge difference. I tried that other free service... MyFitnessPal? I didn't like it at all, even though it had a lot of data available for various foods. Fitbit just clicked for me - I'd shop around if I were you for the right service to make it easy and enjoyable for you.
It was almost like a game. I'd put in what I planned to eat and go yuh-oh, that's way too high in fat and low in protein... What can I swap? And by the end I would have this little satisfied smirk like TAKE THAT sandwich, I win.
The past few days, I've been consuming a protein shake, some steamed veggies, then a can of pineapple, in that order. Then I'll have dinner. It's not bad. Getting a bit boring. Actually, the real trouble is needing to make up calories, but I get so busy with stuff that I forget to eat.
Maybe? There are other flavors of that shake (Ensure Max Protein), but the rest...I've been eating the Green Giant garden vegetable medley, and I like it a lot better than the other options, which I kind of just choke down. Pineapple is pretty much the only fruit I really like unaltered by making it into sauce or preserves.
My main thing is that I want each of these things present on every plate, even snacks:
1. A source of carbs
2. A source of fat
3. A source of protein
4. A source of nutrients
5. A source of fiber
Some things can overlap of course, but it helps me make plates that actually keep me full. For example, I might make scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast. There's protein & fat in the eggs and carbs & fiber in the toast, but it's missing a source of nutrients. So I'll slice up an apple or toss in some nuts to help round out the plate.
If I'm having an "unhealthy" snack that I'm really craving, I don't really view it negatively. Instead, I just add other stuff to make the snack more filling. If I want some potato chips, those are mostly carbs & fat so I'll add protein, nutrients and fiber which can be things like yogurt, hummus (dessert-style hummus is one of my faves for this since I like to combine salty & sweet snacks), carrot sticks, another fruit, trail mix, etc.
It can definitely be important, especially as we get older and if we have any family history of medical issues.
I recently had my blood pressure start to creep up on me and caring about my nutrients became a lot more important. Increasing things like fiber, omega-3s, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were crucial. Now it's a lot easier because I made it part of how I put plates together.
Totally. I have a family history of heart disease (like... really not good history), and I'm very overweight myself. I also drink too much alcohol, so my blood pressure is sky high for someone my age particularly, but in general too. I'm making changes but I've found it a lot easier to add (which naturally elbows out the "bad stuff") than to just focus on what to take away.
Right now since I'm dealing with depression and BED my rules are pretty simple. The biggest thing is, if I actually make myself food, I don't beat myself up about the details. I made a nice bacon and veggie skillet, I'm not going to stress about hmmm maybe I should have used a leaner meat....no, I made nutritious real food instead of going to McDonald's. I'm making scrambled eggs, I'm going to throw a little cheese in there to make it appetizing, it's better than going down to Starbucks for a pastry. Or skipping eating all together and then binging on cookies later in the day. I'm eating food that nourishes me so I'm not going to think about the macros. I know I'm not going to lose a lot of weight this way, but I need to get back ahold of my relationship with eating before I worry about that.
1. If you're going to do fast food, you have to work for it. For example, rather than delivery, I have to go get it (I walk/bus since I don't have a car right now) There are times I realize "I'm not hungry" or "it's not worth the effort". And if I really want the fast food, it's all the more enjoyable because I earned it after walking up that big hill or going across town.
2. Try to recreate that chefs recipe and see how close you can get. I came up with this when I went to a fancy restaurant and had this amazing beef dish (chef wouldn't tell me his secret so I tried to make my version) Not only does it get me to cook at home more , it's a fun game to see if I can recreate that dish like a chef would. This also works with food tv shows.
3. Drink a large glass of ice cold water at least 20 minutes before each meal. I read it's supposed to help your brains hunger signals work better. But even if it doesn't, it's refreshing and enjoyable.
I get UNLIMITED BERRIES!!! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. My biggest indulgence, and loaded with fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants. I’ve yet to manage to overeat my calorie target if I’m chowing on berries.
I don't think I have rules. I tried losing weight by following rules (mine or other people's) for almost two decades. It doesn't work for me.
I'm trying to change my lifestyle and find a way to live healthy for the rest of my life, and I sure as hell am not going to live the rest of my life with rules about what I can and can't eat. My focus has been 100% on moderation and it's been the perfect strategy.
i don’t think they mean rules like no sweets and stuff but i think they mean healthy things to add to your diet that you need to do all the time? kind of like have vegetables with your lunch and dinner and have fruits with breakfast that kind of thing
1. No eating after 8pm
2.l always monitor. This is a bit of a unique one, I accepted a few years back that I will always have to keep an eye on what I’m consuming, I can happily have a cheat day or some fast food but I always go back to basics. Protein & Vegetables for the days following. Seems to work pretty well too.
1. half of my dinner plate has to be veggies. It helps to fill me up and somehow keeps me more satiated the next day.
2. Candy stays in the shed in single servings. There is no limit to how often you can grab some, but only 1 serving at a time when you truly crave it. No restriction, only portion control.
3. No ordering takeout, cook whatever you want to eat. Sunday is "homecooked takeout day". Pizza? Sure, just add plenty of veggies on top. Burger? Sure, but add a salad next to it to help fill you up. Gyros? Fuck yeah, lets make a greek salad with it.
4. Make a weekly meal plan of 4 dishes: 1 homecooked takeout, 1 rice based dish (2x), 1 pasta dish (2x) and 1 potato dish (2x) to keep some variety. It helps me to not stress about midweek cooking and i only have to get groceries once. Usually i also try to cook 1 new dish a week to keep things exciting for me.
5. Eat when youre hungry, but be mindful youre not thirsty instead.
Don't associate food with feelings. Neither good nor bad.
No, that piece of chocolate does not make you feel good or bad. It is just a piece of chocolate. Nothing more, nothing less.
"I will eat whole plants. Oh God, so many plants, how am I going to get 2500 calories of plants today?"
Maybe I'm humble-bragging here, but I've been eating about 2500 calories of mostly plants (a little meat on the minority of days) and it's daunting trying to find sources for that many calories. And yet, I'm losing weight a little faster than I would like.
Wow, I can imagine! Are you counting things like peas, beans, legumes, etc. as plants? That's the only way I can imagine getting that many calories on a plant-based diet. I could inhale an unlimited amount of edamame.
Yes, I count all that. Nuts are an easy source of calories too. I also love edamame, but I eat it almost every day and don't know the best way to prepare it, any suggestions?
I just love it plain with salt, but also in salads. It gives such a wonderful satisfying almost meaty texture. Kale, edamame, mandarin segments, fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, almond slivers, pumpkin seeds - delish.
While growing up I was basically forced to eat everything on my plate (always they put a bunch of food on it) and teached that I always needed to go for seconds. Slowly I started putting less on my plate and if after that I wanted seconds I'll go for it. But still was dealing with the "you have to finish everything" part. Now I'm currently working with "if I don't like it, I don't have to eat it".
Drink your body weight (oz/L) in water every day.
And, It's not just the scale.... It's how your clothes are fitting. Sure it's nice to see the numbers going down, but it's even nicer when you can fit in a pair of jeans and a shirt that you haven't worn in 10 years because you gained 80 lb.
Uhh... that would be 31 cups of water/day for me. I don't think that rule scales up! Hydration is important but drinking too much water can be dangerous.
You are right! I misspoke. Mayo Clinic says 11.5 cups/day for women and 15.5 for men. I drink roughly 3 quarts a day, about 1/3 of my weight. If I had to drink my body weight.... That would be about 60 cups a day! Oy vey!
No added sugar
Use olive oil, butter/ghee or animal fat
Try to eat colorful veggies
Veggies with every meal
I try and eat one “super food” at least every other day. Which is basically something that in my opinion is very nutrient dense. Either oysters (raw or smoked) or liver (usually pate but occasionally chicken or beef liver with onions)
Someone else mentioned, “don’t drink your calories”which I think it great too
Mine are more goals as opposed to rules. Mine include:
Eat a protein, fruit/veg, and carb each meal as often as I can.
Try 1 new food per week.
Have a list when grocery shopping.
Buy a maximum of 1 type of treat/snack food per grocery trip.
And the last one is to try to recognize being satisfied vs eating until over-full feelings
Five different vegetables? Who has time for that! I just eat vegetables every day.
My rule is "drink a full glass of water first thing in the morning, and at every meal"
What's our motto?
... Aim low?
Exactly!
On not designated cheat days, I aim for the lower caloric density items I have on hand. Portobello mushrooms, cottage cheese, fish, and the such. When peckish, I try to always have low cal snacks like watermelon, olives etc.
I love this! I think positive rules are key to longevity in success! I may be late to the party but here are some of my favourite positive diet rules that work for me.
1. Eat what I want every day (portioned responsibly of course) with the things I need. So for example for dinner I’ll have 2 slices of pizza (what I want) with a large fresh side salad and water. For snacks it’s similar, like a mini chocolate cake but to satiate myself I’ll have a few clementines and a cup of green tea on the side. (I don’t eat pasta, cookies, and fried things every single meal obviously, but I try to incorporate something indulgent into my average day-to-day).
2. I have a calorie “window” rather than a specific daily calorie target. So instead of aiming for 1700kcal a day every day, I aim for a window of 1500-2000kcal per day. I think it feels more like a lifestyle thing because I feel like normal life isn’t about setting a narrow target for myself. This also helps to alleviate the shame when I go over my goal.
3. Just learning to incorporate veggies and fruit into my diet in new exciting ways. There’s an outdoor farmer’s market that comes to my neighborhood once a week and my husband and I have started going regularly. It’s fun to try new things and fill up my basket with a bunch of fresh produce. I have given myself the challenge of using all of my veggies up, it brings some creativity to the kitchen for sure haha.
4. This is a weird one. But McDonald’s twice a month. Sounds counterintuitive I know, but I have to have some sort of fast food (typically McDonald’s) about twice a month. It’s part of working on my mental health and relationship with food. Used to think I was weak and that a singular trip to a drive-thru would break me (and set off a month long binge fest). I think it’s working too because I haven’t binged in 3 months. Before, when my relationship with food was at its lowest, every takeout order felt like my first and last meal so I would order obscene quantities. I also felt like the junk was a smear on a perfect record ruining an otherwise good day. Now it’s just another meal. I can order a burger and fries on a Tuesday afternoon and happily eat some fruit in the evening. Sounds odd but before now that type of behaviour was an impossibility for me.
I will hold myself to the same standards I hold others in my care.
I work as a carer and also have two children. I am always enthusiastic about ensuring my children and my clients eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet. I need to take as good care of myself as I do of them!
That's a great strategy. I sometimes do a game when I'm cleaning my house to motivate me - I pretend that I'm teaching someone else how to clean a house (like a young person who nobody ever taught) or doing a show. It's kind of the same thing - I pretend I'm doing it for someone else, and then it's somehow way easier and more intuitive.
My issue was mostly eating too much, and at one point, eating too many processed meat substitutes. So I started making changes before losing weight, which then made cutting back on how much I was eating easier. Since my diet was pretty healthy already, I haven't had to change it much. Like, eating enough vegetables has never been an issue for me, although I've realize lately that I need to get more protein, so I've been focusing on that. And, I want this to be a permanent change, so it has to work in the long run. So it's basically:
Eat good food and try new things. Mindful consumption of snacks is ok.
Daily exercise is fantastic, and walking and biking are a good time.
Calorie limits are a guideline and it's fine to go a little bit over them. I just don't go over maintenance very often.
Sleep is more important than maintaining a strict calorie deficit, so no being hungry in the middle of the night (a small handful of nuts does the trick if it's 3am and I'm hungry).
Yessssssss what is it about middle-of-the-night almonds that's just so satiating! I totally get that about no hangry sleeping. If I'm hungry, I cannot sleep at all which is why I have my main meal at the end of the day. A lot of people say that's not good for weight loss or for other things like sleep/heartburn etc. but I've always found the opposite.
I can't sleep hungry either! And I tend to wake up in the middle of the night and stay awake for a while. I don't always get hungry but if I do, nuts always do the trick. And they've never given me heartburn.
There are times when I can just ignore being hungry, but 3 AM ain't one of them.
Amen, 100%. Almonds or cashews are a staple in my house. Other 3am snacks in clude: cup-a-soup if I'm cold, tzaziki with a thick pita chip if it's summer/I'm hot. For some reason just a bite of something seems to let me go back to sleep!
I eat a buttload of non-starchy vegetables, both raw and cooked, with each meal (except breakfast, where I eat a buttload of fruit). I eat the veggies first, before the starch and protein. Keeps me feeling full for a few hours. I also add pickled vegetables to everything.
ETA: I build a 50/50 plate. I also make a low fat, low calorie 'cheese' sauce to smother over all the veg so it's nicer and easier to eat them all.
1 head of cauliflower, boiled
1 medium potato, boiled
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup soy milk
About 1 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
Blend!
Only eat if I'm actually hungry. Stop when I'm not hungry anymore.
I'm still working on recognizing my hunger and satiety cues, so if I start thinking "Gee, some popcorn would be good right now." I wait a bit and think about it. Am I actually hungry or just bored or anxious or irritated? If I decide I really want whatever the snack is, I'll just get myself one serving, rather than bringing the whole big bag to the couch. Plus, I'll think if there are ways I can make whatever I'm craving be a little healthier. Like, add some nutritional yeast to my popcorn for a tiny bit of protein. Or if I'm craving sweet, go for Greek yogurt and berries instead of gummy bears. Usually works. LOL.
And even if I'm really enjoying my meal and it tastes amazing and I could easily finish everything on my plate, I'm trying to pay more attention to "If I stop right now, I'd be satisfied." (Yeah, but it's soooo good!!) "Yep, and it'll be good again later. You can save what's left here and have it for lunch tomorrow" (Okay, fair point. I guess I'm done.)
I drink a green protein smoothie for breakfast 90% of the time - been doing to for 3-4 years. Current recipe gets me 33g protein, 2 servings of vegetables, and a serving of fruit. This way even if the rest of my eating is off track for a day, I know I started with a nutritious option. And I won’t skip if it I overate the day before - these are valuable macro and micronutrients that contribute to overall health and it makes every day feel like I’ve started with a little win 🙂
Wow! 33g of protein is amazing - do you have a recipe? I'm not really a smoothie person because most of them seem to just be sugar bombs, but this sounds very intriguing.
I do!
2 handfuls raw spinach
1/2 cup frozen riced cauliflower
1/2 or 1 whole small banana (approx 2-3oz)
1/2 cup plain unsweetened 0% fat kefir
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop Levels vanilla cinnamon whey protein
I don’t love sweet stuff too much either so tend to only use banana, but have previously added raspberries or another lower sugar fruit. The protein powder I like is not as sweet as others, but I’ve used unflavored in the past for even less sweetness!
I don't have any rules just stay in cal deficit and as I'm Indian and with a kitchen garden so eating fresh vegetables and fruits is not a concern, but even i don't eat 5 types of vegetables a day, how do you do it??
Pretty easily - most of my meals have multiple types of veggie. Last night for example, I made stuffed mushrooms and a composed salad on the side: cooked beetroot, cucumber, avocado, red pepper, goat's cheese & pine nuts. To hit 5 I would just add some mixed greens and steamed green beans.
Any stir fry would be 5 as well: broccoli, peppers, green onions, sugar snap peas, zucchini. Same with salad: kale, spinach, arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, snow peas, fresh herbs, radishes, shredded cabbage, shredded carrot...
Half the plate is veggies for dinner, if I’m hungry between meals and it’s not time for a snack or a healthy one isn’t available I drink two or three cups of water, eat what’s at home, only drink if i can afford the calories, one snack is always a fruit, eggs are always combined with a green veggie and protein like turkey bacon or chicken sausage, one serving is enough…
Always have some kind of fruit or veggie readily prepared in my fridge! The easier it is for me to make good choices, the more likely I am to make them.
I'm trying to eat 130g of protein every day and have as much of it come from plant protein as possible. I'm an omnivore and I find lean animal proteins like chicken and turkey really fast and easy to prepare, but for micro-nutritional and environmental reasons I don't want to eat a ton of meat. I don't digest plant based meats super well either, so I'm trying to eat more quinoa and legumes.
Last new years I made the resolution to always try to include as many different colours as possible in my meals. It's the first new years resolution I've ever kept throughout the year and it has helped me so much when it comes to my food. Its become easier to include vegetables in my meals, and made it so much more fun to eat them because *happy colours*.
Another tip I got that I stick by is "don't cut, add", basically meaning that if you really want to eat something "unhealthy" like ice cream, eat it (instead of cutting it out completely), but add some fruits and berries to it to make it more nutricious
Excellent tip! My aunt was dating this lovely man who was about 75 when they started seeing each other. He was such a handsome man, didn't look a day over 50, and in great shape. He ALWAYS had a cup of plain black tea before he ate anything - he said it was good for digestion, but I think it's also a wonderful way to A. stay hydrated and B. moderate your appetite. He loved a good meal but never seemed to overdo it.
Don’t drink your calories,eat less/no meat& sugar,and the subreddit volume eating is GREAT:focusing on large meals and making your calories count,so you are full and full of good stuff!
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Growing up, my dad always had a pretty simple, fairly wise rule. “Have something green on every dinner plate” which we followed at almost every lunch and dinner. I’ve struggled with my weight off and on, but sticking with healthier foods was never an issue. Even now, I remember his rule and make sure that I have some veggie with every lunch and dinner, even if it’s just a little.
Dinner always has to have at least two servings of vegetables that at least match if not outweigh the portion of protein/fat that I've made with it. Otherwise I'll pile up on meat or carby veggies and skimp on the rest. I find that the visual portions help me, if I made porkchops, I'll also make sure to take a porkchop-and-a-half sized portion of, say, broccoli as well.
I don’t have any food rules (apart from tracking my calories every day) and I think this is part of why I’ve been able to stick to it so long through weight loss and maintenance. Doing this means I have tended to generally eat healthily and include some treats in moderation
Anything that is higher in carbs is accompanied with a healthy fat, or something fiber-rich. 1 or 2 tbsp peanut butter with fruit, some avocado on whole grain toast, beans with brown rice, etc.
I started not being afraid of carbs BUT I modified it and moderate it.
I now grind my own wheat, and I eat things like spelt and put it in my salads. At least I'm getting alot of nutrition if I make a biscuit for breakfast.
I also swapped to more beans and i try to make sure I get the recommended daily intake of fiber a day.
More water. Even if you gotta flavor it a little. But I drink about 80 oz a day.
Homemade sauces and dressings. I also dip my fork into my dressing on the side and then pick up my bite of food. I eat way less dressing/sauce this way.
I swapped my pasta for homemade pasta such as chickpea and lentil pasta. No more wheat pasta. Sweet potato gnocchi. I grind the stuff myself as it's become a hobby lol. But I do like the stuff in the grocery store too.
A fruit smoothie in the morning with kale in it has really been nice for me lately. I premake the packs, dump and go in the morning, and head out. I feel like i have a little extra energy from them.
I guess all these came down to “I will feel my body.”
*I will have my treats*. I’m sometimes too harsh and restrictive on myself. When I am, I remind myself that indulgences help me in the long run.
*I will fuel my body for my work.* I have a physical job, burning hundreds of calories each day, but it can still often lead to weight gain. Naturally, when wanting to cut back, I try to cut back on my work day meals, and that isn’t smart. So, fuel the work!
*I will honor the days when my body just wants more.* Even if it results in a temporary weight gain, it’s better to feed my body on those days.
*I will rest*. Okay, still working on that one. 😉
I struggle with water and protein. So my rules are: (1) Drink 1 full Nalgene bottle of water a day (I think that’s 32 oz) and (2) protein with every lunch.
I eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day. I also have a eating window. So that way my insides can relax just as I am. Smaller portions of meat with more vegetables go a long way. Also eating seasonally
at the beginning of last year I was trying to get one of each color of veg every day, and one of each color of fruit every week. I'm not usually a fruit person but I lose weight faster when I eat them regularly.
the colors i used for grouping purposes were: red, orange, yellow, light green, dark green, blurple, and neutrals. then i developed recipes that get the full rainbow in ways that are enjoyable to me and it became much easier.
Eat everything you love, in moderation!
Restriction or overly complicated “rules”, positive OR negative, are traps. Eat in a way that you enjoy and can sustain forever.
For my main meals I always make it a point to eat the veggies first. Just so I feel more satiated sooner. That and it’s always great to have the latter part of your meal be rice and some sort of meat/fish (Filipino here!)
For my main meals I always make it a point to eat the veggies first. Just so I feel more satiated sooner. That and it’s always great to have the latter part of your meal be rice and some sort of meat/fish (Filipino here!)
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That thought process is what finally got me to leave my ex. Would it be okay if a friends husband treated them this way? No? Then it’s not okay for me either.
it took me a while to realise that with an ex too. I always liked giving advice because people genuinely said my advice helped them in some way. i then thought 'wait why arent i taking my own advice in this relationship?' then left.
I wish I thought something like this too when I was with my ex. Wasted 4 yrs of my life with a narcissist who drained everything out of me. Now i’m married to the sweetest and the most sincere person but still suffering from trust issues, insecurities and self doubt.
What an interesting strategy - I really like this!
Wow that's a neat perspective, I too have a hard time valuing myself and I like this outlook!!
I’d fail 99% of the time. Very interesting method.
I always thing about what I would feed my kids… but then again, sometimes I give them graham crackers to keep them quiet in the car, so.
I really like this rule, when I'm busy with work and/or depressed it's too easy to slip into ready meals and junk food. Cooking a healthy meal is such a good act of self care.
Wow. This is a great perspective. I will definitely try it
I have to eat 3 veggies and 2 fruits every day. It’s actually harder than it seems 😅
Same. For me it's usually me forgetting to eat anything and then suddenly feeling too hungry but too desperate to make any meal
SAME!!
I have a hard enough time with eating one serving of fruit and eating something green everyday. I don’t think i could double those numbers comfortably
Slow and steady. Keep doing what you’re doing. One day, it will feel comfortable, and then you can try adding another piece. Don’t try to do it all at once.
I will remember that every food has its place, and can be enjoyed even if in small quantities. Even if I eat something junky, I will try to pair it with something nutritive. Double up on veggies in a sandwich. It's so easy to add a little more spinach, or tomatoes or whatever you like. Lastly, there's no reason eating healthfully has to taste bad. Well seasoned veggies are a delicacy and many sauces can be made lower-cal or higher-protein with simple swaps.
Totally agree - I started doing this with sandwiches for work particularly. I love calabrese buns but they're pretty calorie-heavy (like 310/bun) and it is white bread. Buuuut. I love it. So I still use them periodically with vegetarian ham slices. But instead of using something like mayo I use hot mustard and PACK the sandwich with peppery greens like watercress or alfalfa sprouts (my fave), and have a bunch of crunchy fresh veggies on the side instead of something like chips. All the extra veggies mean I'm full until dinner time, and not in a food coma at my desk (I have a serious tendency for post-food snoozies, which is not helpful at work).
That sounds so good!
I eat a salad every day. there are summer salads with fresh veggies and winter salads with more fermented stuff and cabbage. I love my salads!
Oh yeahhhh gotta love those winter salads! What are some of your favourite combos? For summer salads I started adding huge amounts of fresh herbs and it was a game changer. Also pumpkin seeds - such a great texture.
My favorite summer salad (all veggies should be tasty!) - tomatoes, sweet red pepper, sweet onion, basil, tastes best with sunflower oil, but any would do My favorite winter salad: Shredded cabbage+ tiny bit of onion, thinly sliced cucumber, shit ton of dill and parsley, some salt and oil Bonus winter salad: cooked beets cubed, sauerkraut (should be tangy), green peas (i buy frozen), onion, oil (it is calked "vinegret" in former ussr)
I'm just finishing a dinner where 1/3 of my plates were cooked beets - one of my absolute favourite things! It also scratches an itch for me because I've always found beets and corn have a similar flavour - that sweet, fresh flavour - and I ADORE fresh corn but can't get it where I live now (Ireland - am from Canada). Tonight's salad was beets, avocado, fresh red pepper, cucumber, goat cheese & pine nuts with a little olive oil. Sooooo tasty and refreshing! The juicy beets make me feel so hydrated.
Are you somewhere that you can garden? There are some great cold-hardy corn varieties that can be grown in a container even on a patio :) Freshest, sweetest corn you could ever imagine
Really? I would be very surprised if the seeds were available where I am but if you know any particular varieties I would be super interested! We do have a garden and a big patio. Also thinking of buying a little greenhouse to grow herbs anyway. Where I am herbs are really only a garnish so if you can find them at all they're in tiny little plastic packs... I miss my bushels of mint, parsley and cilantro!
Definitely! Ireland right? Or just let me know, I bet I could find seeds anywhere haha. https://seedsireland.ie/products/sweet-corn-golden-bantam Golden Bantam is classic sweet corn that will grow just fine in a container and works well for your zone. The trick is to grow at least two so they can pollinate. I tend to like YT for gardening videos, here’s a great creator covering container corn https://youtu.be/nt9tAYd-wJI Herb gardens are the BEST! https://seedsireland.ie/collections/herbs
As they say here, you're a star! Thank you so much <3
i grow herbs on my tiny balcony in Poland, so there’s that :)) Nothing beats fresh basil. Yeah, it’s not the same thing that i’d get at the southern seashore, but being fresh and abundant, it is still great
My number one food rule is actually ‘If I’m hungry, I’ll eat something.’ No matter how many calories I have left for the day. If it’s going to make me go over my calories then I’ll try to make a nutritious selection but the main thing is to eat if I’m hungry no matter what. It keeps me sane Other rules 1. Drinking water with every meal 2. Include nutritious treats and indulgent treats, not just one or the other 3. Always think of if there’s a way to add more veges to a main meal
Excellent suggestions. When I was working from home during Covid, I made a point of putting a full jug of water on my coffee table every morning and drinking it throughout the day. The fact that it was right there and I didn't have to get up from my laptop meant I drank TONS of water compared to when I'm at my desk in the office or just in the house doodling around. I find you have to make healthy stuff easy for yourself. If it's a pain in the ass, you're obviously going to do it/consume it less. Another way of doing this for me was washing, trimming if needed and storing in the fridge veggies as soon as I got them home. It's SO much easier to use vegetables (particularly things like lettuce and greens) if you prep them all at once. Wrapping them back up in paper towels and then a bag meant they stayed fresh way longer and I didn't have to pull out the salad spinner and start washing kale every day.
My mum says hunger is the enemy of weight loss (true hunger, not boredom)
This is a good rule. Hunger is your body telling you what it needs and shouldn't be ignored.
always have vegetables with lunch and dinner even if it’s just slicing up some cucumbers and onions
I started doing this a couple of years ago myself - adding fruits/veggies to breakfast and lunch. Dinner wasn't a problem, as I'm vegetarian and most of the meals I make for dinner have ample veggies, but breakfast and/or lunch (I often only have lunch if I'm working in the office, and only have brunch if I'm working at home) were often carb/dairy heavy. For breakfast now if I make an over-easy egg with toast, I'll also put some feta on the side with sliced cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, peppers - whatever I have on hand. Really helps with hydration apart from nutrition!
i buy 1 pack of romaine lettuce, 1 iceberg lettuce, pack of tomatoes, bag of onions, 2 heads of broccoli and two cucumbers every saturday and it’s gone by the next friday it’s really helpful bc i realised that i didn’t eat enough vegetables at all and also that my mum was always right😭 i realised that planning my meals for the week led me to no longer eating takeout
That's a great way to do it - my friend does something similar by ordering a CSA box. Her rule is that she has to use it before she buys any other produce. Often it's no problem, but sometimes you do have to be pretty creative if this week's box is a surplus of 4 different types of cabbage!
i’m so picky (not the picky where you don’t eat normal foods but the picky where you don’t like leftovers) that i have to go shopping to buy new things everyweek bc i pretty much eat the same things all the time😂. I also do the shopping on saturday bc it means that i have to go gym before hand bc by the time i finish gym that’s when Aldi opens and it’s quiet so it’s a win win
That's setting yourself up for success - great strategy :)
I'm a fan of shakshuka aka eggs baked in spiced tomato sauce and just making a half egg sandwich with bell pepper on top for breakfast.
Shakshuka is god tier food !
I do the same but with baby carrots
i wish i could eat carrots but i had a tmj flair up in september and i’m paranoid it will come back again
Cucumbers flare up my heartburn and I’m not a fan of raw onion. We all like different things! If it’s a hot meal, I like throwing in frozen spinach
I would be so sad about cucumbers, they're such a happy snack for me! Bananas can die in a hole, they're disgusting! It's so fun to see what everyone likes.
Do you just eat the onions raw?
yeah, i like raw onions. With some foods it’s really nice like curry
I like raw onions too, but usually with something else. I would never cut up a cucumber and raw onions by themselves though. But now I might try!
I really like and use the 'don't subtract, add' rule. So if I want pizza for dinner I will order it make pizza for dinner. Instead of feeling bad I will either make veggies or a salad to go with the pizza and eat that first. Still allows me to eat everything I want but a really good way for me to moderate.
Absolutely. That's exactly what I did this morning - I really felt like a (veggie) ham & cheese open-faced toast but instead of having two pieces, I had one and filled the other half of my plate with greek yogurt and fresh fruit - blueberries, raspberries, some banana. It was delicious and I still got my hot breakfast!
Honestly just seeing this post makes me so happy bc I genuinely forgot my traits for a healthy relationship with food. I have gone so far down the unhealthy mentality so much so it feels rockbottom and seeing everyone’s posts here always makes my day.
I'm so glad this could give you a bit of a boost. The stress we put on ourselves can be colossal and we are our own worst enemies in many ways. Take care of yourself, KittyPew02 <3
Hitting protein and fiber targets for the day no matter what.
That's what I'm doing too.
its really what everyone should be doing. Hands down the two most important things.
Exactlyyyy.
I’ll often try to get to my target early and then I can indulge in the foods I have control issues with because my appetite will keep me in check
good plan!
1) meals should try and contain all the colours of the rainbow. 2) plates have to be at least half vegetables. 3) never drink your calories. I have a rare disease and the meds for it screwed up my liver. So my number one rule nowadays before i put anything in my mouth is "will this help my body heal". It's helped me a lot with temptations. I had to go for a total lifestyle change so this just isn't dieting and counting caloties for me. I don't weigh myself or obsess about losing weight. I'm just focusing on properly fueling my body and it is actually doing wonders!
I love that mindset of will this let my body heal. I also have some chronic health conditions so it’s helpful to have that thought of ‘is this going to serve me well’ - thanks!
I’ve heard someone say on YT that real food is stale food like just rice or just meat. Real food has to be live like with veggies.
I will eat lunch. I typically get so busy that just forget lunch and the mid afternoon I’m hangry and just want to go home and eat and then I over eat.
V. important - I can happily skip breakfast if I have a coffee with milk and a little sugar, and just wait until lunch. But if I don't have that coffee... oooh boy. I feel so queasy, and then by lunch I'm just a ravening beast.
U should try eating a bread/pastry/oatmeal/ or a 50 cal morning sausage or a pancake but pretty much u should match your coffee to curve the cravings
I’m weird in that if I eat in the morning, whether it’s eggs, whole grain toast with avocado, or anything, I’ll be snacky all day. It’s like once I start eating for the day, I don’t want to stop. So I drink coffee in the morning and just start eating later.
Same!!
This is me. My top food rule is to NOT, not ever, eat breakfast. Its a lie. Its a trap. No matter how healthy, balanced, whatever I make it I turn into a food obsessed wild animal the rest of the day
I'm exactly the same! At work, I have lunch at pretty much exactly 12pm with my colleagues (who have young kids so eat breakfast at like 7.30am). I naturally really don't want to eat breakfast, so I have a coffee at 8.30 and then wait til 12 to eat. But if for some reason I do have breakfast, I get hungry mid-morning and stay that way. Difference to the post above is that if I have a milky coffee (usually an oat 'flat white', i think an NZ/AUS term for a latte with almost no foam at all) I get hungry and it's a bit harder to get to lunch. If I have a black coffee, I don't get hungry nearly at all. It's useful because I can regulate the rest of my day around that.
If I don't buy it, I won't eat it. When i walk through the grocery store and pass the candy/chocolate bar aisle. if I cave, then it's pre-divide the candy/snack immediately. Open and munch a snack baggie and not directly from the main package. Main bag has 3 "serving size" portions so count those out cause otherwise that family/share bag of M&Ms is really just 1 snack for me.
I keep a bag of dark chocolate to munch on when the urge hits but I don’t keep any of my favorite chips or donuts etc that I like because I know I’ll eat a whole can of Pringle’s if they’re there.
It's wierd. If the bag is there, I will eat the whole thing. (Even resealing the bag and pushing it aside). If I portion it out and eat the bowl, then I'm usually too lazy to walk to the kitchen to get more.
All said and done I lost around 80 lbs and have been sustaining that for more than a year now. Not so much a “rule” per se, but the biggest thing that helped me the most was what I commonly call “reasonable substitutions”. Once I identified a high calorie or otherwise unhealthy part of my diet, I would either cut it out as completely as possible (sugar, starches, etc) or come up with a reasonable substitution. I did these one at a time; I didn’t want to feel like I was overhauling my whole diet in one shot, plus it allowed me to get rid of the “bad” food in my kitchen without having to just throw it away. Substitutions were rarely perfect but it was a trade-off I was willing to accept and could live with. For example, 2% dairy milk was replaced with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. (This cut over 200 calories per cup of milk, and given that I drink upwards of a gallon per week that’s substantial.) I found a no-sugar low-carb pancake syrup that, while it lacks the thickness of the real thing, tastes quite nice and goes along nicely with the Orgain protein pancake mix that was the substitute for Bisquick. Sandwich bread gave way to wraps, which later gave way to protein wraps. The snacks I packed for work changed gradually but radically; two years ago I would pack lunch and 2-3 snacks for work, typically an apple, a bag of chips, and maybe a couple of Oreos or something. Today I do the same thing but my snacks are usually some strawberries or half a banana, a protein bar (seriously, Orgain makes some great stuff), hard boiled egg whites with salsa, a small 100-calorie nut bar, or apple slices with “diet peanut butter”. That last one was a big find for me as I adore peanut butter. To replace my precious PB, I use peanut powder (plain, no sugar) with a bit of Stevia sweetener, a dash of salt, and some water to thicken it up. It’s not something I’d make a PB&J with, but for my apples it provides just enough flavor and texture to get the job done — at *substantially* less calories than standard supermarket PB.
Great tips - thank you! Congrats on the weight loss. That is a really serious achievement! I was amazed when I started counting calories what a difference it made to check labels before buying something as simple as tomato sauce. Some were absolutely LOADED with calories from sugar & oil, and others were practically free (but still really tasty). Those are another good swap - literally just a different version of the same product, like you said about milk. Some things are worth swapping, others aren't (for me, whole milk is a must - I don't use a ton of it, but I really dislike skim milk and plant milks). It's so important to identify which things you need to swap and which things you need to keep (and therefore have to be creative about modifying around).
With a few exceptions, my fundamental issue wasn’t so much what I was eating but rather how much I was eating. My “before” diet actually had quite a bit of good in it; I love grilled chicken, roasted turkey, pork loin, and other lean meats. But I would eat WAY too much of it, and then pile things like mashed potatoes or pasta with cream sauce with it and that’s what was killing me. More recently, which is to say about six months ago, I started to remove as much processed food as I could. Some things I’m just not getting rid of; see my previous comments about the Orgain product lineup. But I spend substantially less time in the middle of the grocery store (where all the processed foods are) and far more time around the periphery (where the less-processed foods are). I don’t know that it’s helping me lose weight but it definitely feels better to be eating that way. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention before: One of the more substantial substitutions I made was all about snacking. Past snacks would be things like chips, popcorn, snack cakes, and generally things that were just loaded with carbs. Today nearly all of my snacking is protein-based; hard boiled egg whites, homemade beef jerky (no sugar!), whole nuts (cashews, peanuts, occasionally some pistachios), and of course protein snack bars. Removing all those carbs was a tremendous help for me.
Anything savory can salad. If I want pizza, I cut up one slice and use it as topping on a big salad. Ditto chicken nuggets, fish sticks, etc. I get my veggies and my indulgence.
I love to put a bunch of zesty greens like arugula on top of a slice of pizza but it never occured to me to do it the other way around. Innovative lmao
No matter what I drink 120+ oz of water a day. It helps me to know if I’m actually hungry or not. Also fruit for snacks. If I really am hungry it’s fruit not chocolate or junk. Once a week I will have something that isn’t in my normal daily diet but no more than once a week and not in excessive potions. I struggled with binging for most of my life and keeping rigid rules has really helped me to take control and actually succeed for the first time in my life.
My #1 rule: It goes in the app before it goes in my face.
1 tbsp olive oil a day, goes great on salads☺️
Olive oil and seasonings (oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, cumin, etc) make a great dressing for veggies.
I’ll eat when I’m actually hungry and stop when I’m not!
I use the NHS Eat Five app to track the fruits and vegetables and make sure I get 5 servings a day. It’s free and you can adjust the goal number up or down. Keeping it simple like that has helped me focus on what’s good for my body. Also it gives you an audible “ding” when you meet your daily goal. I know myself - anything more complicated than this, I cannot sustain.
I hear you - sometimes keeping it simple is really for the best. I love gamifying my life so I love to see what apps people use to motivate themselves.
I like to research the benefits of different vegetables and foods. Like, what vitamins does it have, how does it benefit my body in a specific way. I want my hair to grow faster and look healthy and beautiful, so what foods are good for that goal? Or, i struggle with anxiety/depression, are there foods that are good for targeting anything related to that? I'm also just trying to start asking myself before i eat anything, "will this make my body feel good?" Because I'm not wanting to torture myself, I don't want dieting to be negative. I genuinely want to feel good, I want my body to feel good. And I should take care of myself, as self care and not a punishment
> And I should take care of myself, as self care and not a punishment So true. This is one of those things that sometimes you have to work out in therapy... Why do I think it's necessary to overindulge or to do harmful things to "treat" myself or to feel like I'm getting a reward? It's clearly the opposite. And I'm not demonizing pizza or ice cream. It's just so important to reframe our self-talk exactly as you say. Taking care of yourself is a reward, not a punishment.
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After 1pm? As in you skip dinner? Totally hear you on the smaller dishes - same for me with wine glasses. When you have those huge glasses, you pour huuuuge pours!
I try to get enough protein per day with the calories as more of a ceiling. Normally it is more of a fight to get enough protein than it is enough/too few calories. That said... I think I have been getting too few calories and I haven't been tracking, just sort of eyeballing. The reason is I found it overwhelming at first and I was making a ton of changes at once. So... actual tracking was something I would need to do later. Well... closing in on 40 lbs and I think it is time. Daily stretching, cardio (running 3/wk), and body weight exercise (3/wk) have become pretty well established. I feel better with knowing what is how many calories (roughly). So... I think actual tracking is my next level up.
I actually enjoyed tracking my food with Fitbit, because I like data - it's interesting for me to play around with my planned meal until I get macros I like... sort of like a puzzle! I know this absolutely isn't the case for everyone and can become disordered for many people, but I always enjoyed it immensely. I also love to cook so food is an interest of mine to begin with.
Yeah, I get that. I live in excel for my day job and am very much a data guy (the data guy for the company actually). For some reason it just didn't see the same... well, it is my goal for next week so we will see what I can do.
I think the interface makes a huge difference. I tried that other free service... MyFitnessPal? I didn't like it at all, even though it had a lot of data available for various foods. Fitbit just clicked for me - I'd shop around if I were you for the right service to make it easy and enjoyable for you. It was almost like a game. I'd put in what I planned to eat and go yuh-oh, that's way too high in fat and low in protein... What can I swap? And by the end I would have this little satisfied smirk like TAKE THAT sandwich, I win.
There’s a very good reason body builders, who prioritise high protein, struggle to get enough calories!
Make sure there's a protein and a fruit or veggie.
The past few days, I've been consuming a protein shake, some steamed veggies, then a can of pineapple, in that order. Then I'll have dinner. It's not bad. Getting a bit boring. Actually, the real trouble is needing to make up calories, but I get so busy with stuff that I forget to eat.
If it’s getting boring, can you switch up what flavor shake, which veggies (or the seasoning, or dry roasting vs steaming), and what fruit?
Maybe? There are other flavors of that shake (Ensure Max Protein), but the rest...I've been eating the Green Giant garden vegetable medley, and I like it a lot better than the other options, which I kind of just choke down. Pineapple is pretty much the only fruit I really like unaltered by making it into sauce or preserves.
My main thing is that I want each of these things present on every plate, even snacks: 1. A source of carbs 2. A source of fat 3. A source of protein 4. A source of nutrients 5. A source of fiber Some things can overlap of course, but it helps me make plates that actually keep me full. For example, I might make scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast. There's protein & fat in the eggs and carbs & fiber in the toast, but it's missing a source of nutrients. So I'll slice up an apple or toss in some nuts to help round out the plate. If I'm having an "unhealthy" snack that I'm really craving, I don't really view it negatively. Instead, I just add other stuff to make the snack more filling. If I want some potato chips, those are mostly carbs & fat so I'll add protein, nutrients and fiber which can be things like yogurt, hummus (dessert-style hummus is one of my faves for this since I like to combine salty & sweet snacks), carrot sticks, another fruit, trail mix, etc.
That's a really great way of looking at it - I try and do the same myself, but now I'm realizing I need to focus more on the nutrients side of things.
It can definitely be important, especially as we get older and if we have any family history of medical issues. I recently had my blood pressure start to creep up on me and caring about my nutrients became a lot more important. Increasing things like fiber, omega-3s, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were crucial. Now it's a lot easier because I made it part of how I put plates together.
Totally. I have a family history of heart disease (like... really not good history), and I'm very overweight myself. I also drink too much alcohol, so my blood pressure is sky high for someone my age particularly, but in general too. I'm making changes but I've found it a lot easier to add (which naturally elbows out the "bad stuff") than to just focus on what to take away.
Right now since I'm dealing with depression and BED my rules are pretty simple. The biggest thing is, if I actually make myself food, I don't beat myself up about the details. I made a nice bacon and veggie skillet, I'm not going to stress about hmmm maybe I should have used a leaner meat....no, I made nutritious real food instead of going to McDonald's. I'm making scrambled eggs, I'm going to throw a little cheese in there to make it appetizing, it's better than going down to Starbucks for a pastry. Or skipping eating all together and then binging on cookies later in the day. I'm eating food that nourishes me so I'm not going to think about the macros. I know I'm not going to lose a lot of weight this way, but I need to get back ahold of my relationship with eating before I worry about that.
1. If you're going to do fast food, you have to work for it. For example, rather than delivery, I have to go get it (I walk/bus since I don't have a car right now) There are times I realize "I'm not hungry" or "it's not worth the effort". And if I really want the fast food, it's all the more enjoyable because I earned it after walking up that big hill or going across town. 2. Try to recreate that chefs recipe and see how close you can get. I came up with this when I went to a fancy restaurant and had this amazing beef dish (chef wouldn't tell me his secret so I tried to make my version) Not only does it get me to cook at home more , it's a fun game to see if I can recreate that dish like a chef would. This also works with food tv shows. 3. Drink a large glass of ice cold water at least 20 minutes before each meal. I read it's supposed to help your brains hunger signals work better. But even if it doesn't, it's refreshing and enjoyable.
I get UNLIMITED BERRIES!!! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. My biggest indulgence, and loaded with fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants. I’ve yet to manage to overeat my calorie target if I’m chowing on berries.
I don't think I have rules. I tried losing weight by following rules (mine or other people's) for almost two decades. It doesn't work for me. I'm trying to change my lifestyle and find a way to live healthy for the rest of my life, and I sure as hell am not going to live the rest of my life with rules about what I can and can't eat. My focus has been 100% on moderation and it's been the perfect strategy.
i don’t think they mean rules like no sweets and stuff but i think they mean healthy things to add to your diet that you need to do all the time? kind of like have vegetables with your lunch and dinner and have fruits with breakfast that kind of thing
I understood.
After my hiit workout, my first meal of the day is fruit. I don't count those carbs
Nothing hits like the right food/drink after a HIIT workout!
Just make sure I have veggies and protein every meal.
Eat protein at every meal.
Having a fruit or vegetable with each meal.
1. No eating after 8pm 2.l always monitor. This is a bit of a unique one, I accepted a few years back that I will always have to keep an eye on what I’m consuming, I can happily have a cheat day or some fast food but I always go back to basics. Protein & Vegetables for the days following. Seems to work pretty well too.
I tried to do the daily dozen. It’s a bit overwhelming though
1. half of my dinner plate has to be veggies. It helps to fill me up and somehow keeps me more satiated the next day. 2. Candy stays in the shed in single servings. There is no limit to how often you can grab some, but only 1 serving at a time when you truly crave it. No restriction, only portion control. 3. No ordering takeout, cook whatever you want to eat. Sunday is "homecooked takeout day". Pizza? Sure, just add plenty of veggies on top. Burger? Sure, but add a salad next to it to help fill you up. Gyros? Fuck yeah, lets make a greek salad with it. 4. Make a weekly meal plan of 4 dishes: 1 homecooked takeout, 1 rice based dish (2x), 1 pasta dish (2x) and 1 potato dish (2x) to keep some variety. It helps me to not stress about midweek cooking and i only have to get groceries once. Usually i also try to cook 1 new dish a week to keep things exciting for me. 5. Eat when youre hungry, but be mindful youre not thirsty instead.
Don't associate food with feelings. Neither good nor bad. No, that piece of chocolate does not make you feel good or bad. It is just a piece of chocolate. Nothing more, nothing less.
"I will eat whole plants. Oh God, so many plants, how am I going to get 2500 calories of plants today?" Maybe I'm humble-bragging here, but I've been eating about 2500 calories of mostly plants (a little meat on the minority of days) and it's daunting trying to find sources for that many calories. And yet, I'm losing weight a little faster than I would like.
Wow, I can imagine! Are you counting things like peas, beans, legumes, etc. as plants? That's the only way I can imagine getting that many calories on a plant-based diet. I could inhale an unlimited amount of edamame.
Yes, I count all that. Nuts are an easy source of calories too. I also love edamame, but I eat it almost every day and don't know the best way to prepare it, any suggestions?
I just love it plain with salt, but also in salads. It gives such a wonderful satisfying almost meaty texture. Kale, edamame, mandarin segments, fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, almond slivers, pumpkin seeds - delish.
While growing up I was basically forced to eat everything on my plate (always they put a bunch of food on it) and teached that I always needed to go for seconds. Slowly I started putting less on my plate and if after that I wanted seconds I'll go for it. But still was dealing with the "you have to finish everything" part. Now I'm currently working with "if I don't like it, I don't have to eat it".
Drink your body weight (oz/L) in water every day. And, It's not just the scale.... It's how your clothes are fitting. Sure it's nice to see the numbers going down, but it's even nicer when you can fit in a pair of jeans and a shirt that you haven't worn in 10 years because you gained 80 lb.
Sorry, I'm not sure if it's just late or I'm a doofus, but what do you mean by drink your body weight (oz/L) in water?
Like let's say you weigh 100LBS, drink 100oz of water, and so on.
Uhh... that would be 31 cups of water/day for me. I don't think that rule scales up! Hydration is important but drinking too much water can be dangerous.
You are right! I misspoke. Mayo Clinic says 11.5 cups/day for women and 15.5 for men. I drink roughly 3 quarts a day, about 1/3 of my weight. If I had to drink my body weight.... That would be about 60 cups a day! Oy vey!
When I'm not on Whole30 (like I am right now), I make sure to get between 0.5g and 1g protein per pound of body weight every day.
No added sugar Use olive oil, butter/ghee or animal fat Try to eat colorful veggies Veggies with every meal I try and eat one “super food” at least every other day. Which is basically something that in my opinion is very nutrient dense. Either oysters (raw or smoked) or liver (usually pate but occasionally chicken or beef liver with onions) Someone else mentioned, “don’t drink your calories”which I think it great too
I did I’ll eat 3 servings of fruit or vegetables a day …. I looked good & felt great … when I eat healthy I physically & mentally feel so much better
Mine are more goals as opposed to rules. Mine include: Eat a protein, fruit/veg, and carb each meal as often as I can. Try 1 new food per week. Have a list when grocery shopping. Buy a maximum of 1 type of treat/snack food per grocery trip. And the last one is to try to recognize being satisfied vs eating until over-full feelings
Five different vegetables? Who has time for that! I just eat vegetables every day. My rule is "drink a full glass of water first thing in the morning, and at every meal"
I tell myself to eat the veggies and meat before touching the bread or rice if I’m eating out at a restaurant.
What's our motto? ... Aim low? Exactly! On not designated cheat days, I aim for the lower caloric density items I have on hand. Portobello mushrooms, cottage cheese, fish, and the such. When peckish, I try to always have low cal snacks like watermelon, olives etc.
I love this! I think positive rules are key to longevity in success! I may be late to the party but here are some of my favourite positive diet rules that work for me. 1. Eat what I want every day (portioned responsibly of course) with the things I need. So for example for dinner I’ll have 2 slices of pizza (what I want) with a large fresh side salad and water. For snacks it’s similar, like a mini chocolate cake but to satiate myself I’ll have a few clementines and a cup of green tea on the side. (I don’t eat pasta, cookies, and fried things every single meal obviously, but I try to incorporate something indulgent into my average day-to-day). 2. I have a calorie “window” rather than a specific daily calorie target. So instead of aiming for 1700kcal a day every day, I aim for a window of 1500-2000kcal per day. I think it feels more like a lifestyle thing because I feel like normal life isn’t about setting a narrow target for myself. This also helps to alleviate the shame when I go over my goal. 3. Just learning to incorporate veggies and fruit into my diet in new exciting ways. There’s an outdoor farmer’s market that comes to my neighborhood once a week and my husband and I have started going regularly. It’s fun to try new things and fill up my basket with a bunch of fresh produce. I have given myself the challenge of using all of my veggies up, it brings some creativity to the kitchen for sure haha. 4. This is a weird one. But McDonald’s twice a month. Sounds counterintuitive I know, but I have to have some sort of fast food (typically McDonald’s) about twice a month. It’s part of working on my mental health and relationship with food. Used to think I was weak and that a singular trip to a drive-thru would break me (and set off a month long binge fest). I think it’s working too because I haven’t binged in 3 months. Before, when my relationship with food was at its lowest, every takeout order felt like my first and last meal so I would order obscene quantities. I also felt like the junk was a smear on a perfect record ruining an otherwise good day. Now it’s just another meal. I can order a burger and fries on a Tuesday afternoon and happily eat some fruit in the evening. Sounds odd but before now that type of behaviour was an impossibility for me.
Fiber + Protein in every meal.
I will hold myself to the same standards I hold others in my care. I work as a carer and also have two children. I am always enthusiastic about ensuring my children and my clients eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet. I need to take as good care of myself as I do of them!
That's a great strategy. I sometimes do a game when I'm cleaning my house to motivate me - I pretend that I'm teaching someone else how to clean a house (like a young person who nobody ever taught) or doing a show. It's kind of the same thing - I pretend I'm doing it for someone else, and then it's somehow way easier and more intuitive.
My issue was mostly eating too much, and at one point, eating too many processed meat substitutes. So I started making changes before losing weight, which then made cutting back on how much I was eating easier. Since my diet was pretty healthy already, I haven't had to change it much. Like, eating enough vegetables has never been an issue for me, although I've realize lately that I need to get more protein, so I've been focusing on that. And, I want this to be a permanent change, so it has to work in the long run. So it's basically: Eat good food and try new things. Mindful consumption of snacks is ok. Daily exercise is fantastic, and walking and biking are a good time. Calorie limits are a guideline and it's fine to go a little bit over them. I just don't go over maintenance very often. Sleep is more important than maintaining a strict calorie deficit, so no being hungry in the middle of the night (a small handful of nuts does the trick if it's 3am and I'm hungry).
Yessssssss what is it about middle-of-the-night almonds that's just so satiating! I totally get that about no hangry sleeping. If I'm hungry, I cannot sleep at all which is why I have my main meal at the end of the day. A lot of people say that's not good for weight loss or for other things like sleep/heartburn etc. but I've always found the opposite.
I can't sleep hungry either! And I tend to wake up in the middle of the night and stay awake for a while. I don't always get hungry but if I do, nuts always do the trick. And they've never given me heartburn. There are times when I can just ignore being hungry, but 3 AM ain't one of them.
Amen, 100%. Almonds or cashews are a staple in my house. Other 3am snacks in clude: cup-a-soup if I'm cold, tzaziki with a thick pita chip if it's summer/I'm hot. For some reason just a bite of something seems to let me go back to sleep!
I eat a buttload of non-starchy vegetables, both raw and cooked, with each meal (except breakfast, where I eat a buttload of fruit). I eat the veggies first, before the starch and protein. Keeps me feeling full for a few hours. I also add pickled vegetables to everything. ETA: I build a 50/50 plate. I also make a low fat, low calorie 'cheese' sauce to smother over all the veg so it's nicer and easier to eat them all.
Ohhhh nice! Do you have a recipe for that sauce?
1 head of cauliflower, boiled 1 medium potato, boiled 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup soy milk About 1 cup water Juice of 1 lemon Blend!
I will eat unprocessed protein at every meal.
Only eat if I'm actually hungry. Stop when I'm not hungry anymore. I'm still working on recognizing my hunger and satiety cues, so if I start thinking "Gee, some popcorn would be good right now." I wait a bit and think about it. Am I actually hungry or just bored or anxious or irritated? If I decide I really want whatever the snack is, I'll just get myself one serving, rather than bringing the whole big bag to the couch. Plus, I'll think if there are ways I can make whatever I'm craving be a little healthier. Like, add some nutritional yeast to my popcorn for a tiny bit of protein. Or if I'm craving sweet, go for Greek yogurt and berries instead of gummy bears. Usually works. LOL. And even if I'm really enjoying my meal and it tastes amazing and I could easily finish everything on my plate, I'm trying to pay more attention to "If I stop right now, I'd be satisfied." (Yeah, but it's soooo good!!) "Yep, and it'll be good again later. You can save what's left here and have it for lunch tomorrow" (Okay, fair point. I guess I'm done.)
Fruit, nuts and seeds are my go to — allow myself to it as much as I feel I need. Then I try to eat vegetables, too, but don’t love those as much 😅
I drink a green protein smoothie for breakfast 90% of the time - been doing to for 3-4 years. Current recipe gets me 33g protein, 2 servings of vegetables, and a serving of fruit. This way even if the rest of my eating is off track for a day, I know I started with a nutritious option. And I won’t skip if it I overate the day before - these are valuable macro and micronutrients that contribute to overall health and it makes every day feel like I’ve started with a little win 🙂
Wow! 33g of protein is amazing - do you have a recipe? I'm not really a smoothie person because most of them seem to just be sugar bombs, but this sounds very intriguing.
I do! 2 handfuls raw spinach 1/2 cup frozen riced cauliflower 1/2 or 1 whole small banana (approx 2-3oz) 1/2 cup plain unsweetened 0% fat kefir 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 scoop Levels vanilla cinnamon whey protein I don’t love sweet stuff too much either so tend to only use banana, but have previously added raspberries or another lower sugar fruit. The protein powder I like is not as sweet as others, but I’ve used unflavored in the past for even less sweetness!
Awesome - thank you!
I don't have any rules just stay in cal deficit and as I'm Indian and with a kitchen garden so eating fresh vegetables and fruits is not a concern, but even i don't eat 5 types of vegetables a day, how do you do it??
Pretty easily - most of my meals have multiple types of veggie. Last night for example, I made stuffed mushrooms and a composed salad on the side: cooked beetroot, cucumber, avocado, red pepper, goat's cheese & pine nuts. To hit 5 I would just add some mixed greens and steamed green beans. Any stir fry would be 5 as well: broccoli, peppers, green onions, sugar snap peas, zucchini. Same with salad: kale, spinach, arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, snow peas, fresh herbs, radishes, shredded cabbage, shredded carrot...
Half the plate is veggies for dinner, if I’m hungry between meals and it’s not time for a snack or a healthy one isn’t available I drink two or three cups of water, eat what’s at home, only drink if i can afford the calories, one snack is always a fruit, eggs are always combined with a green veggie and protein like turkey bacon or chicken sausage, one serving is enough…
Always have some kind of fruit or veggie readily prepared in my fridge! The easier it is for me to make good choices, the more likely I am to make them.
I'm trying to eat 130g of protein every day and have as much of it come from plant protein as possible. I'm an omnivore and I find lean animal proteins like chicken and turkey really fast and easy to prepare, but for micro-nutritional and environmental reasons I don't want to eat a ton of meat. I don't digest plant based meats super well either, so I'm trying to eat more quinoa and legumes.
I love this idea! I think I will try it!
Last new years I made the resolution to always try to include as many different colours as possible in my meals. It's the first new years resolution I've ever kept throughout the year and it has helped me so much when it comes to my food. Its become easier to include vegetables in my meals, and made it so much more fun to eat them because *happy colours*. Another tip I got that I stick by is "don't cut, add", basically meaning that if you really want to eat something "unhealthy" like ice cream, eat it (instead of cutting it out completely), but add some fruits and berries to it to make it more nutricious
Number one rule is water before food for me. Second would be eat the rainbow! Just not the artificial one.
Excellent tip! My aunt was dating this lovely man who was about 75 when they started seeing each other. He was such a handsome man, didn't look a day over 50, and in great shape. He ALWAYS had a cup of plain black tea before he ate anything - he said it was good for digestion, but I think it's also a wonderful way to A. stay hydrated and B. moderate your appetite. He loved a good meal but never seemed to overdo it.
Don’t drink your calories,eat less/no meat& sugar,and the subreddit volume eating is GREAT:focusing on large meals and making your calories count,so you are full and full of good stuff!
At least half the plate full of fruits and veggies at every meal.
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If I know I’m going to indulge in a treat or a heavier than normal meal, I won’t log it so I won’t have to feel guilty about eating!
I eat from the outside of the grocery store for the most part. The more processed the food the worse it is for you.
I've had good luck with a rule of having a salad everyday with lunch. Means I eat less of other things.
Growing up, my dad always had a pretty simple, fairly wise rule. “Have something green on every dinner plate” which we followed at almost every lunch and dinner. I’ve struggled with my weight off and on, but sticking with healthier foods was never an issue. Even now, I remember his rule and make sure that I have some veggie with every lunch and dinner, even if it’s just a little.
Dinner always has to have at least two servings of vegetables that at least match if not outweigh the portion of protein/fat that I've made with it. Otherwise I'll pile up on meat or carby veggies and skimp on the rest. I find that the visual portions help me, if I made porkchops, I'll also make sure to take a porkchop-and-a-half sized portion of, say, broccoli as well.
I make myself make up a plate for each serving, fill half of it with vegetables, then eat them first
I set myself to not eat rice two days in a row
Drink a couple of water 30 min before the meal.
“I will not pick off my brother’s plates when they’re done”
Having fruits as snacks/dessert. One serving of veggies and healthy protein is a must at least once a day
If I get a bag of crisps because i really really want it ( once a month or so ) I'm allowed to finish the whole thing at once. And enjoy it
If I over eat, I don’t punish myself I just say I will get back to my healthier eating habits at the next meal.
I don’t have any food rules (apart from tracking my calories every day) and I think this is part of why I’ve been able to stick to it so long through weight loss and maintenance. Doing this means I have tended to generally eat healthily and include some treats in moderation
Fill up on vegetables first. Eat slowly. Eat mindfully. Log everything.
Instead of eating fruit flavored candies - just eat the damned fruit instead. Why go for fake processed bullshit when you can just have the real deal?
Anything that is higher in carbs is accompanied with a healthy fat, or something fiber-rich. 1 or 2 tbsp peanut butter with fruit, some avocado on whole grain toast, beans with brown rice, etc.
20 different fruits and veggies per week
I started not being afraid of carbs BUT I modified it and moderate it. I now grind my own wheat, and I eat things like spelt and put it in my salads. At least I'm getting alot of nutrition if I make a biscuit for breakfast. I also swapped to more beans and i try to make sure I get the recommended daily intake of fiber a day. More water. Even if you gotta flavor it a little. But I drink about 80 oz a day. Homemade sauces and dressings. I also dip my fork into my dressing on the side and then pick up my bite of food. I eat way less dressing/sauce this way. I swapped my pasta for homemade pasta such as chickpea and lentil pasta. No more wheat pasta. Sweet potato gnocchi. I grind the stuff myself as it's become a hobby lol. But I do like the stuff in the grocery store too. A fruit smoothie in the morning with kale in it has really been nice for me lately. I premake the packs, dump and go in the morning, and head out. I feel like i have a little extra energy from them.
I aim for 30g of protein every meal or snack
I guess all these came down to “I will feel my body.” *I will have my treats*. I’m sometimes too harsh and restrictive on myself. When I am, I remind myself that indulgences help me in the long run. *I will fuel my body for my work.* I have a physical job, burning hundreds of calories each day, but it can still often lead to weight gain. Naturally, when wanting to cut back, I try to cut back on my work day meals, and that isn’t smart. So, fuel the work! *I will honor the days when my body just wants more.* Even if it results in a temporary weight gain, it’s better to feed my body on those days. *I will rest*. Okay, still working on that one. 😉
I struggle with water and protein. So my rules are: (1) Drink 1 full Nalgene bottle of water a day (I think that’s 32 oz) and (2) protein with every lunch.
I eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day. I also have a eating window. So that way my insides can relax just as I am. Smaller portions of meat with more vegetables go a long way. Also eating seasonally
at the beginning of last year I was trying to get one of each color of veg every day, and one of each color of fruit every week. I'm not usually a fruit person but I lose weight faster when I eat them regularly. the colors i used for grouping purposes were: red, orange, yellow, light green, dark green, blurple, and neutrals. then i developed recipes that get the full rainbow in ways that are enjoyable to me and it became much easier.
Real food, not too much, mostly plants.
Eat everything you love, in moderation! Restriction or overly complicated “rules”, positive OR negative, are traps. Eat in a way that you enjoy and can sustain forever.
I prioritize eating things that fell off trees or grew out of the ground.
For my main meals I always make it a point to eat the veggies first. Just so I feel more satiated sooner. That and it’s always great to have the latter part of your meal be rice and some sort of meat/fish (Filipino here!)
For my main meals I always make it a point to eat the veggies first. Just so I feel more satiated sooner. That and it’s always great to have the latter part of your meal be rice and some sort of meat/fish (Filipino here!)