Weight loss tips?

[Mairte]

I know "I" accept people of all shapes and sizes but for my health lately I have been working on weight loss.
Any good tips?
I am also pampering myself today and intend on watching a sappy chick movie. Got to do that sometimes!!

[Ferret]

Too many years ago the best advice I ever heard was from a doctor.

"The best exercise in the world is pushing yourself away from the dinner table."

Ferret

[Jade Sapphire Emerald]

I hate to suggest something that costs money, but many times buying smaller plates and bowls will alter the mental image of a full plate. On average, our plate sizes have gotten bigger, causing our portions to get larger just to make the plates look full...find a smaller plate and the amount of food you use to fill the plate will decrease...

[Mairte]

Yeah, I have been at this for a while now and have seen improvement, just trying to keep motivated.
I do use smaller plates, great advice and lol, Ferret, that doctor was very wise! 

[auntiegiggles]

I like to set small goals...for example...I like to buy the next size smaller in jeans to keep me motivated 

[Eric the Ugly]

+1 on the small goals thing.

Smaller portions. Eat more often.
More water. Lots more water.

Not just regular exercise, but also any excuse for more activity... stairs instead of elevators and escalators...parking further away from the store entrance, etc.

Don't ever do the same exercises in the same way in the same amounts on the same day. You'll plateau, and quickly. Thus making the efforts essentially in vain. So for example, if you're walking, walk 20 mins one day, and 25 the next, take a break the next day and walk 15 the following day, followed by 25 mins, and so on. Slower on the longer walks, quicker on the shorter. Keep 'mixing it up' like that, all the while increasing the overall average time.
Do the same with other exercises/activities.

[Jade Sapphire Emerald]

Eric the Ugly reminded me of something.

Stand as often as possible. Get a standing desk or something...you burn more calories by standing.

When I was in karate, the instructor said that we can strengthen our stomach muscles by, while stopped at a red light, clenching our abs, holding for five to ten seconds, then release. Do this regularly and the muscles will come out. Same can be done for the buttocks.

[Eric the Ugly]

...and Jade's reminded me of something! -lol- 

You may not be interested in building muscle, but don't dismiss the value in terms of weight loss (or fat loss, rather). Having muscles in your body helps you lose weight. Due to the way the body works, you lose fat just by the mere existence of muscles in your body.
In other words, the more and the more healthy the muscles, the more fat you burn.

[Rowan MacD]

  The single most effective thing you can do....don't have fattening foods in the house anywhere. If you live alone this will be easy, but even if you have kids in the house...well, they can do without that crap too.   Children quickly adjust to eating whatever is available and I have never seen a single child die for lack of cookies, cake, candy or chips of any sort.   Sugared cereals should not be in the cupboard at all; they are no better than candy disguised as food.
 Other tips:
 Keep a glass bowl of chilled water with celery and baby carrots in the fridge, and take a baggie-full to work to snack on.
 Make your own soups if you can, if not, then read the labels on the canned and dry varieties.   For weight loss, a rule of thumb is 'if it has more than 90 calories a serving (most cans have 2+ servings), don't buy it'.  That eliminates just about everything creamed, chunky or containing noodles (ouch).
 Write down everything you eat, you will be surprised at how quickly you reach your max calorie allowance for the day.
 There is no such thing as a 'low calorie' restaurant meal.   Even the 'light' entrees contain 500+ calories.  If you are dieting, that's almost 1/2 your allowance for the entire day.   The best you can do here is split the entree with someone else.

[Jade Sapphire Emerald]

On the topic of eating: when you take a bite, put your fork/spoon/roll down and finish chewing before you take another bite. When the food remains in your hand, or the fork, you'll keep biting/nibbling/scooping/shovelling...

The momentary break gives the food a digestive moment which will simulate a fuller feeling sooner rather than after you've eaten all of grandma's turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, candied yam, those sweet rolls, and five apple pies... the food you've just pushed through. Imagine it like a queue of people...the faster you push everyone through the more annoyed you, as customer service, will get. The more you work one person at a time, the more satisfying the job is when they leave smiling...(I know, it sounds like a strange comparison, but it came to mind and makes sense in my head....)

[Eric the Ugly]

Also, apparently, we as modern humans, mistake our bodies needing water for being hungry. This physiological 'misunderstanding' likely exacerbates the problem. So, much of the time you feel hungry, it's actually your body wanting/needing go ol' H2O.

[Mairte]

I love all of the replies because things were brought up I truly DID NOT know!! I am going to do as much as I can.
I live alone now so keeping the bad foods out of the house SHOULD be easier.
And I have already been building up muscle so that should help.
I also do Yoga every day, I am just a beginner but it feels really good.
As far as water, I drink a lot but I have heard you have to drink another glass for every 10 pounds you are overweight?

[Jade Sapphire Emerald]

I read a long time ago when I was in grade school about a trick to stave off hunger and to help keep focus. Chewing gum. The motion of chewing and the taste from gum helps start a process that ends up causing the body to think it's getting food when it's not and it helps focus since the body thinks it's being fed.

I don't know how well it would work for loosing weight, and I know some people can't stand chewing gum (such as myself) but I thought I'd throw that in there.

[Becky10]

I was reading something the other day that was talking about cravings and how if you visualize eating the food you crave it can stop the cravings. You have to like picture eating it though. Like actually chewing it, the texture, swallowing it, if you just think of the taste it will make cravings worse.

[Mairte]

Jade Sapphire Emerald and Becky, good ones!
I dont mind chewing gum so that might work. LOL, maybe I have to visualize the other while chewing the gum.