Tips to decrease calories

[Aundrea1234]

Please share your tips for how you curb cravings. I got my FitBit yesterday and am very excited. Logging my food helps me stay accountable, but I still need help with keeping myself from snacking a lot. I tend to graze throughout the day. Any great tips? These are the tricks I'm going to try to keep myself from eating/snacking too much:

-Brush my teeth after eating. Since eating after brushing my teeth makes to food taste bad I tend to not eat for a bit after brushing. It also helps keep my teeth clean 🙂

-Chewing sugar free gum.

-Before I eat a snack I have to drink 8 oz water.

I am going to make a list for my fridge door. I have 25 lbs to lose and want to be at least halfway there for summer. Thanks 🙂

[whome]

Not sure that sugar-free gum is good, it may stimulate gastric juices and without anything to digest it might cause problems. Others may know more than I do about this.

Snack on natural foods - filling and low carb - apples, carrots, etc. 

You want to lose 12.5 lbs by summer?? -Summer being June 1?? Bad idea, trying to lose too much too fast - will probably just lead to yo-yo weight loss/gain back - Summer being June 21 - not quite as bad but still  - good luck, you will need it. 

Hope this isn't too discouraging - 

Craig

[BarbarianDiva]

I eat something every 3 hours or so to keep from getting hungry. I try to push the protein, too. For breakfast I will eat half a PBJ sandwich, and at mid morning I'll grab some fruit. Lunch is a pouch of tuna or a sandwich (weighing the meat slices). Mid afternoon snack is a low fat, low calorie greek yogurt. 

That makes it possible to ignore my snacking coworkers and their unhealthy choices 

My twelve hour days make it tough to stay on track, so not taking any money for vending machines helps, too.

[pinky227]

Grazing could be a sign of emotional eating. I tend to add a little protein to at least one of my snacks eating less protien at reg meals.

[msteacher34]

I agree that you are probably trying to lose weight too quickly.  It can be really fun to see the pounds drop that quickly, but for me, it never lasts.  Try setting a more reasonable maintainable goal, like one-half or one pound per week.  Brushing your teeth and drinking water before snacks definitely sound like great tips.  I'll have to try those!  More tips:  Eat as many veggies as possible.  They are astonishingly low in calories.  You could eat veggies all day long and be fine (probably an exaggeration).  Also, eat protein first thing in the morning.  I go for an egg or two.  It will keep you much fuller, much longer and you won't want to snack until lunch time.  I also notice that sipping on an iced coffe (no sugar, just skim milk) not only keeps me energized and moving, but also keeps me full!  Maybe good as an afternoon pick-me-up.  

Good luck!!

[Aundrea1234]

I'm not trying to lose 12 pounds in a few weeks! That would be crazy. I am aiming for 1 lb to 1.5 lbs a week. I have a 2 month old, so I get get the bonus breastfeeding calories and have time to take nice long walks every day. I also am on maternity leave, so I eat more just sitting around the house. Luckily I'm a fruit addict, so I snack a lot on fruit, but I'm still over my calories daily and need to work on that. I love the advice and tips. Thanks 🙂

[whome]

@Aundrea1234 - Glad to hear it. Guess I was confused by the phrasing about being 1/2 way there for summer - 

Good luck

Craig