I'm working on another book project. It includes tips, tips, tips! Because you guys come up with some REALLY GREAT ones, I'd love to weave in some of yours.

If you're interested in having your tip appear in the book, post one here with your "handle" underneath it - not your real name - just a nickname (legalities, legalities).

The kind of tips I'm looking for:

"If you can get to a farmers market in the last hour - you can get some real bargains. They slash the prices and throw in extra free pieces of fruit and vegs so that they don't have to bring it home." Eh hum, goingskiing, can we use it? It's really great!

The tips can be about anything we discuss here.
The editors have the final say but I lobby hard

Travel, I actually got this one off of the board & changed it a little. I find out how far it is from my house to a destination. I plot it out on a map, then I start off. I have a pedomiter that I wear all day long as I walk around work. I tally that along with my Cardio work or my laps that I do & highlight each day on a map. I have also been adding money to an account, for every mile I walk I add $5. Now when I get to each destination I treat my self to something. (A new hair cut, A new peace of clothing, etc.) Using the money from this account. Right now I am traveling around to my favorite places in europe. This time though when I finish, my reward will be to actually go and see them. I have been building the money over my last 2 destinations spending a little of it but never very much. Now it will buy me a trip to Europe. I really find it is a motivational tool for me right now. With every step I get more excited.

1. When you begin to feel like giving up, ask for help. Call out to your friends, family, and those here on the board. We all go through periods of frustration and we need a support system for those times that are inevitable.

2. It's o.k. to not finish everything you put on your plate. It will take a while for your eyes to catch up with your new resolve for portion control. Until you learn how much to put on your plate, know that its ok if you dont finish it.

3. Learn your weakest moments to endulge so you can better prepare yourself when you get into those situations. For me the buffets are out!!! I cannot control myself in a buffet situation. Hungry or not I'm going to eat 3 full plates of food and then dessert. So I need to keep myself away from that situation as much as possible.

4. Don't waste calories on foods that aren't the best you've ever had! Why waste your calories on macaroni & cheese that isn't the creamiest, cheesiest, most comforting you've ever had? Skip it and wait until you visit grandma and then really enjoy it.

5. Every day is a new day! As I feel like I've failed in my resolve to eat healthier and live healthier, I know that tomorrow is another day with a brand new sunrise and brand new opportunity to make the choices I so want to make. Each day is a gift. Live it to its fullest. Serve others, share yourself with others, and make a difference in someone's life. It will make a difference in your own!

I've had some wind down time, finally, and realized that this is the best tip i have to offer:

There is nothing wrong with setting aside a portion of the day, even if only 15 minutes, for yourself. We spend so much time doing for others, we tend to neglect yourself. It doesn't matter if its a bubble bath, meditation, or just reading a good book. We need to allow our minds to refocus on whats truly important. It gets so lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

Now if I can only get myself to follow it.

Laurie

When thinking about portion control I like to remember to use "hand signals".....
1 serving of meat = the size of the palm of your hand
1 oz cheese = approx. the size of your thumb
1 serving starch (mashed potatoes, rice) = approx. the size of your fist
100 cal serving of fat (dollop of oil, pat of butter) = make the "OK" sign with your index finger and thumb

These aren't my inventions, but they do help me out every single day. I also like to remember that whenever you are in a situation with no or few healthy choices, there is ALWAYS portion control.

BE sure to read ALL the label on the back of your food. It gives you all the clues you need to a GREAT meal. Use there portions so you don't over do it.

The best way to have a great meal is to fill those plates with veggies first! That is if you like them.

To make sure that I get my water in, I have certain containers which I have previously measured to see how much they hold. After I finish 2 bottles or 3 glasses, I know I've had enough water. (That doesn't mean I necessarily stop there.)

With exercise, I started very slowly because of some physical problems I have. The first time on my stationary bicycle, I quickly said, "O.K. 5 minutes" - this after I realized I wasn't going to go 30. After that 5, I said another 5. I moved my way up to 20 minutes before my body "told" me it had enough.

lmj

Find quick healthy meals that work for you and your family.

I live by boneless skinless chicken breasts. I buy them when they are on sale, place them individually into snack size baggies, and them freeze in a freezer bag. That way, you can thaw as many as you need.

They cook quickly and are versatile. You can use different marinades, dice and toss w/veggies for stir-fry, use in pasta dishes, make tacos and fajitas, in curries...

I keep other kit meals on hand, because I work full-time, so fast nutritious meals are a must.

Staying away from fast-food on a regular basis, has made a huge difference in my weight loss.

Tayhudson

Measure once, serve ad infinitum

If portion sizes are a mystery, read how much a serving is on the package, and find a container that matches it. Whenever you eat that food, use the same container.

I use this one a lot. My cereal bowl is 3/4 cup, and I use a teacup for my ice cream, or a 1/2 cup ramekin. A lot of times, Gladware and Rubbermaid containers even have the volume size printed on the bottom.

grrlscout

Treat yourself as though you're your own best friend. Before you start beating yourself up for a mistake, ask what you'd expect your best friend to say to you. Be at least as kind to yourself as you are to others.



Don't be afraid to ask for what you want. If you want dressing on the side, say so. If you want the pork chops broken into smaller packages, ask. If there aren't enough treadmills at the gym, ask for more. Be an ally to yourself.

D
(who's had to work really, really hard on these things)

Find something other than food that motivates you. Reward yourself, not just for weight loss, but also for positive behavior. For me, I love beautiful flowers, especially roses, so I would stop by a flower market close to home every time I lost ten pounds. It got to where whenever I brought flowers into work, my coworkers knew I'd hit another milestone and cheered me on! Sometimes, even they would surprise me with flowers. Talk about motivation!

kp

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GoingSkiing:
Eliminate All or Nothing thinking.

Denise,
LOVE this message. I printed it as a reminder for the next time I eat 4 pretzels and think that I might as well go buy onion dip and go all the way!

Eliminate All or Nothing thinking.

A lot of us gain weight or stay fat because of All or Nothing thinking. "I ate two cookies, so I might as well finish the package." "I blew it at lunch, so I might as well enjoy myself for the rest of the day." "Well Thrusday and Friday are shot, I might as well wait until Monday to get back on track."

Throw the cookies into your neighbors trash can. Teach yourself to get back on track at the very next meal or have a piece of fruit for a snack.

I used to have All or Nothing exercise mentality. If I couldn't do 45 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of weightlifting, and 60 minutes of yoga and stretching - I did nothing. It is no surprise that I did nothing most days. When I scaled my exercise time commitment and expectations down to 20 or 25 minutes, I actually started exercising on a regular basis. I exercise more minutes per month now.

High-fiber foods are key to losing weight, while feeling full.

When walking on a treadmill, reduce the impact by wearing running-cushioning type shoes. (I use Nike's Air Max line, with the clear air bubble heels.)

Hexagon dumbbell weights, in conjunction with a flat/incline bench, is an effective, compact, cost-effective, wonderfully unencumbered, form of home strength training. There is no need for one of those big, fancy, expensive, complicated, home gym machines.

Start by identifying (time/place/action), and eliminating, your worst food habit. (Mine was eating massive quantities of cheese and crackers after dinner.)

With a (Tanita brand) scale that includes body fat percentage, the user gets "credit" for adding new muscle. (Their absolute accuracy is subject to debate, but at least you can use them to record differences and trends.)

Be a good scout and be prepared!

Always have healthy snacks and bottled water close at hand. Have a stash at work, in your car, when you travel, and in your purse. Some dried fruit or fat free yogurt at your fingertips keeps you away from the drive thru.

grrlscout

Tip:

Drink LOTS of water, especially before, during, and after your workouts. I drink half of my body weight in ounces each day (I weigh 153 so I drink a minimum of 75 ounces per day). I measure out my MINIMUM amount of water to drink each morning when I first get up, then when I finish that, I can have iced tea, milk, coffee,etc. But ONLY after I've finished my minimum amount of water.

Lori4squaremom

quote:

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Originally posted by Maddie:
Become involved in community supported agriculture. You can sign up with a local organic farm and get a weekly subscription of produce. This will introduce you to some new fruits and vegetables AND get you produce that is at its peek!

matilda254

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Amen to this one! I tried ALL kinds of produce that I would never have tried while with the CSA farmer! Now I need to find one here where we moved to.

Turn your own kitchen into your favorite restaurant. Print your weekly meal plan up as a Weekly Specials Menu and hang it on the fridge. Fill the menu with healthy, easy, and fast meals and your fridge with healthy, tasty, and easy snacks. With the right attitude you can have your own personal spa chef--you!

alli

And a bonus:

There no such thing as left-overs, only make-aheads.

My tip and mantra is "Plan, plan, plan, if you plan your meals, your outings, your day, your snacks, you win. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail," ANd "Make the healthiest choice possible in all things in all situations" Sometimes there are no choices that fit into our plan, we are caught off guard....but in those situations, you choose the healthiest thing possilbe at the time" and then don't be labor the fact. Life is for living.

Buy yourself some great clothes that fit you NOW. Box up the ones that don't fit so that you don't have to look at them every time you get dressed. Splurge on a great new haircut. Don't put your life on hold until you lose weight. Live in and enjoy the present!

TriGirl