Growing up, I never had to worry about weight-loss. I was too skinny. I ate five to seven meals a day just trying to gain weight. Then I hit my thirties. And thought the clothing companies were purposely making clothes smaller. I was dumbfounded when stepped on the scale years later. Oh, so that's why my clothes kept getting tight. So I made changes and lost 40lbs in less than eight months.
How did I do it? First, I had to convince myself that I wasn't young and growing. And if I ate like I was, I would only continue to grow sideways. So I didn't need that second or third helping (esp. at dinner).
I ate off of small plates - so that if I had to have another helping- it wasn't as much as I used to eat. And the smaller plate really will trick your mind that you have lots of food. And for those who have been hardwired to 'clean your plate', it will work too and less food to 'clean'. For dessert I drank a chocolate slimfast, then cut it down to 3/4 of a cup, then 1/2 a cup over several weeks until I could go without a dessert. And if the need got too strong, I would go back to the 1/2 cup.
If I got the munchies and just wanted to eat everything in sight, I tried to start with raw veggies first. Then if my sweet tooth got in the way, I chewed gum. My favorite is the 'tastes like dessert' gum.
Dropped the sodas and stuck with mostly water. I drank at least a full glass before every meal.
When we would eat out, I would check the menu online first. Find out what I could eat - i.e. which was the lowest calorie & the lowest sodium. Sometimes the lowest calorie foods have the highest sodium. Then when at the restraunt, I wouldn't even look at the menu in case I was tempted to get something else - those pictures are made for drooling over.
Eggs or some other protein was my breakfast. Lunch was usually a sandwich with healthy choices. For example on peanut butter & jelly sandwich I use an all natural fruit spread. It's lower calorie, usually lower sugar, and healthier. Added in lots of veggies or fruit. Just before dinner was my worse time. I would go for the gum or have a handful of nuts. Trying to stay busy during this time helped me the most.
Other simple things worked like holding the butter on bread, waffles, pankcakes, etc. After awhile, you don't miss it. Having dressing on the side and dipping the fork in it without any salad on it. And since my weakness is sweets, I use a low fat/low sugar berry vinaigrette. It makes me think I'm getting a dessert salad. Trading whole milk for 2%, then 1% or even switching to Almond or Rice milk. Using light sour cream. Mixing pureed veggies in spaghetti sauce (here's another high calorie / sugar food - check the lables). Even as simple as adding pureed butternut squash mixed with cheese into quesadilla or using it in a cheese pasta. One day a week would be vegitarian day - found some really good recipes this way.
Sometimes if the food is just too tempting, I have a small portion, then walk away. I do something else. The dishes, getting the kids ready for bed, writing, workingout, or anything. I tell myself if I'm still hungry in thirty mins, then I can have that second helping. Majority of the time, I get so busy trying to avoid the extra food that before I know it it's been an hour and I'm not nearly as famished as I was before.
Since sweets are my kryptonite, I have to tell myself candy is poision. When I go grocery shopping (never on an empty stomach, and stick to the outside aisles), I have to say that mantra anytime I see candy. That it has no value. That it's made to make me want it. That it's poision. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Instead of ice cream, I use frozen yogurt. Or make a fruit smoothie. Or just freeze cherries or blueberries and have them plain.
If I absolutely have to have a real dessert. I try the minis that many restraunts have. Seeing that tiny cup filled with yumminess makes me feel good when I've eaten it all, yet am satisfied. On the subject of restraunts again, skip the appetizer - it's way too many calories. If you do order one, don't order a meal, just consider that your food.
When ordering a high calorie meal, box up half of it before eating anything. Pride yourself that you'll have a yummy meal for tomorrow. Then, if feesible, add veggies to the leftovers.
Finally, look up the calories of any food that you eat out. I was shocked to find out my typical breakfast out (eggs, gravy, sausage, hashbrowns, and pancakes) was over 2,000 calories. That's a whole day's worth. I didn't have to starve myself. You don't have to do all the changes at once. Start with one, then after a few days add another, and so on.
In Part 2 I will take about what I did workout wise to help me loose the weight.
