What's helped you eat healthier?

[Food Lady]

I can relate to tech_monkey. I went on prednisone and it made me so hungry and I had terrible cravings. I gaind just under 10 lbs, and I was only on it 5 weeks (though it was a high dose). If I had handled the salt cravings with cups of broth and not fatty foods, that would've been better, had I been drinking enough water to offset it. But I gave in and ate stuff I don't normally eat, like Doritos. A "small" bag has 3 servings and is around 500 calories. So, I could've handled it better. But I'm sure there are meds that put weight on via other avenues; it's not always under the patient's control. It just was in my case.

[tech_monkey]

Maybe i should clarify, I used to overeat often, just didn't feel full until i was over and uncomfortable. Started taking this supplement to help me quit smoking, and had the great side-effect of trimming my appetite and making me feel full sooner (about a third of the time needed). I don't think i have overeaten since i started taking it. It is also helping me not smoke as much (trimming from a pack a day to a cigar a day in a year) though it is making me smell things more, like other smokers in the wild... phew... I hope it is a side effect of the supplement and my nose goes back to normal or is not as sensitive as it is now, cause yeah... standing in the grocery store trying not to gag is bad. Trying to explain it to Steele, without informing the person, was fun. He didn't smell it at all.

[Andara Bledin]

The ability to smell is actually your natural ability returning, now that your nose isn't clogged with smoke. Welcome to what most of the rest of the world smells around smokers all the time.

Another side effect of the same thing should be that the food you do eat tastes fuller, as smell is actually a contributing component of taste.

^-.-^

[blas]

I found a way to somewhat cheat, but I don't recommend it to anyone who has a problem with self control. I've just only found that it helps if you're the type of person who simply cannot avoid sweets or sugary foods.

I tried for a few days, something different. Now, I am a backwards person, working nights, so my breakfast is actually what a normal person eats for dinner, but bear with me. Instead of having sweets or snacks with lunch or dinner time, I had it with my first meal of the day. Not anything too exciting, though one day it was a piece of cheesecake, but I mean, a couple of small fun size chocolates or leftover chocolates from V day.

Eating them before I went about my day made it easier to say no as the day went on.

[Der Cute]

I got started exercising in December. For a date. A guy friend and I were going to hook up and go out one night, and I said, well, it's 3 weeks away, why not try something?
So I did start some exercise. Those exercises were built on previous experience of PE as a kid, and some PE stuff in college. Stretching, 3 sets of 10 (whatever I did, arm or leg stuff), and that I KNEW I needed abs.
A buddy of mine is an exercise freak, and as I told him about my stuff, he gave me pointers on what to do, how much, and little things to add to my routine. He DID keep in mind that I was super noob at this.
*disclaimer I DID NOT go to a doc and I should have*
I started out in December exercising 2x a day (I start projects too hard and make myself fail) but it ironed out to once a day. As I did my routine, with my pointers from Simon, I could feel a difference. That change took about 3 months. That's my choice there.
Now I have joined the Y, and am doing some more of my routine, just expanded to machines and treadmills. (The college stuff showed me how to shape up with weights/weight machines, so I knew that there)

I weighed 200, 201 ( ) in December. Right now I weigh 192. And have been that way for a couple of weeks. At the same time, my muscles are increasing. So the muscles are building, my weight's staying the same = fat is burning somewhere. My clothes do reflect it.

December. Choice to exercise. Started doing that. Had pointers from friend. Expanded to Y as I felt more comfortable, bored, unchallenged. Can see difference. Am NOW going to the food tweak.

I decided to not jump in with both feet, because I have a problem with failure. "Don't do it right first time, you screwed up, skip it. " is what I do.
Both exercise and food are VERY important to weight loss and health. I decided to go with the exercise part FIRST because I know that pretty well, and tbh I'm lazy about cooking. But when I started exercising, I made sure to keep a cup of water with me. And try to down that at least twice during my little round. As the water got better and better tasting, I switched to that. (my sweet tooth owns me pretty much).

I will advocate for oatmeal in the morning. It expands like all get out and I feel FULL after eating part of my portion. This is NOT the Quaker instant flavored oatmeal. This is the straight oats only in the canister. Quick oats, but no flavor on them. I cook with a pinch of salt, and eat my portion only (I stick to what the container says). Even less of the portion since I get full. For sweetening I use straight white sugar OR Agave (less carbs/cal and still sweet). That's up to you. And I drink 1% milk while eating this, eating it all slowly. About halfway through my own portion I'm full. Or the "I'm not hungry now" light is on. Not the "omg I'm stuffed like turkey" light.

Please go see a nutritionist, that's really important and they'll give you pointers and possibly help shape your food intake.
As for exercise, I started with something I KNEW I could do, and not fail at. But once I got "Yeah I sure can do this" I kicked it up a notch. When I could do my routine and not be so out of breath, I extended time on one part of it.
But if you are starting with nothing and have no idea, get a trainer. Check out the YMCA, and the prices are pretty good. Is there anything on Youtube? Ask the nutritionist about exercise trainers?

I would suggest starting at one end and changing that slowly. Either exercise or food, your call, and once you're feeling pretty good /comfortable, work on the other one. Don't say X #s by May 31st. Train your thinking/habits and go with that, instead of impending deadlines of doom.
myfitnesspal.com and an app on iPod/pad/phone. I use those to record my food intake, and to show me my nutrition stuff. Plus I record my exercise on that, and it tells me calories I've burned. I use it for the food diary.

[Divra]

My dietary plan now essentially looks like this:

If you can explain, off the top of your head, how something is made, and you can do it in 45 seconds or less, it's OK. Just getting off processed foods does wonders.

Start every meal with a course of fruit and/or vegetables. Doesn't have to be anything fancy. I start breakfast with an apple and an orange, and lunch and dinner with some lettuce, a tomato and a piece of cucumber, or a couple of grated carrots. You can substitute for whatever you like and what's in season. The point is to fill up at least partially on dietary fibre, before you hit the fat and carbs.

Don't forget to snack during the day. A piece of fruit in the morning and the afternoon helps keep your metabolism up, and makes you less likely to pig out at lunch and dinner.

Drink plenty of water. Regular water, from the tap. Being less thirsty will make you crave beer and soft drinks less.

Lay off the happysauce, if you haven't already. Pure alcohol contains as many calories as lard, and most alcoholic beverages are high in sugars as well. If you find it hard to abstain from beer, there are non-alcoholic substitutes that are well worth drinking. In mixed drinks, you can use artificially sweetened mixers, if you don't want to give up altogether. Rum and diet coke is a perfectly acceptable beverage.

Eat when you're hungry, stop eating when you're full. Never starve yourself, never eat until you feel like a force-fed python.

Eat proper sit-down meals at every meal. Even if you ordered chinese take-away, get out proper plates and glasses. No eating in front of the telly. No just stuffing your face with nutrients. Make every meal the little Christmas dinner it's supposed to be, and take your time to enjoy your food.

Exercise:

Every morning, I take 10 minutes between breakfast and shower and do the morning calisthenics routine we did in the Army, push-ups, sit-ups, squats and back raises. Start by doing one, and always try to do one more than you did yesterday.

Apart from that, I try to make exercise a natural part of life. I don't own a car, and I haven't renewed my bus pass. I walk everywhere instead. It's helped me discover lots of great little places in my hometown. I help to walk my friend's dog. The dog needs to be walked, the weather and my mood don't matter.

Plan your TV-time. Decide, one week at a time, what's on TV that you don't want to miss. Watch that. Nothing else. If it didn't seem interesting when you looked it up, it's not interesting when it's on either. Spend your newfound time playing catch, mucking about in the garden, if you have one, taking walks, et.c.