everyone has alittle tip...pass it on!

good morning,

just wondering if anyone would like to share their little "tip" on weight loss that they do or eat ritually.I have afew...  I incorporate lemon juice into each meal, I hold my baby when I vaccum , and I make sure to always run up my stairs instead of walk, whats your secrets?

I never park close to the store. I park back a ways and walk-every little bit helps!

I always take the stairs - it's very annoying to my co-workers when they are with me because then they feel guilty and walk the stairs too. Hee, hee!

When walking on the tredmill, for people who have trouble running or walking fast (and even for those that don't) you don't have to walk much faster too loose more, instead of speeding it up raise the incline, there is a big difference in calorie loss per hr. with every incline level increase.

I use lots of herbs and spices to make my low cal meals more satisfying.

Chew sugarfree gum when you get sugar cravings.

Eat a hersey kiss (25 cals) to satisfy chocolate cravings.

When I NEED pizza, I have a lean cuisine or healthy choice pizza - very satisfying.

Eat small meals at my desk throughout the day and excersize on my lunch break.  That way I avoid the after lunch slump and am not famished when I get home from work.

Get  rid of your large dinner plates. 

Buy a plate 7 inches in diameter and  use that plate for your meals, better yet have your whole family switch to 7 inch plates.  This will hopefully prevent you from over eating or the feeling of having to eat everything on your plate (if it is a large plate you tend to fill it up).

Maintain good posture - walking up my stairs, I make sure I am standing erect which really works my legs.  Good posture also makes you hold your stomach in - which works those muscles.  So, your mother was right - stand up straight!  Shoulders back, stomach in...

That small plate concept may work for lots of people but for me, I tend to feel deprived because I know it's a small plate.  I use a large dinner plate and arrange my food artistically on it - keeping in mind proper portions.  In fact, a Lean Cruisine meal on the plate with a salad on the same plate makes "a lot of food" to fool the eye. 

i never wear pants with elastic waist, except pyjamas.  im always in jeans, and it keeps me in line with my waist line (you know what to do if they're getting alittle snug, haha!!!)...tony taught me that little trick... 

I do like a couple of you wrote, take the stairs, park far away but one little something else I do (a whole calorie worth maybe) is go through the doors I have to open myself (not the ones with the sensors) if a store has them. I also try and set out carrots or other veggies to snack on while I cook dinner (the whole family eats them so we eat less dinner plus get our veggies). I always say to the kids "you wont ruin dinner by eating fruits and veggies" I dont eat parts of food I dont like...ie crust of bread. Why waste the calories on things I dont like? (but I still count the whole piece of bread in my diary as I have no idea how many calories just the crust has and I am not weighing it to find out) Go from flat footed to my toes as many times as I can while brushing my teeth or waiting for my microwave popcorn. Hmm, that's about all I can think of...I know I have more. :)

My snacking time seems to be in the evening when I watching tv. Instead of snacking I polish my nails. It is something I can do to pamper myself, it puts my mind on a task, and it guarantees that I can't put my hand in a bag of anything for at least an hour! It works great if I feel like cheating. It may sound silly, but it works for me!

Keeping yourself busy in the evening rather than just vegging out in front of the tube is always good to keep from grabbing those evening snacks.  When I do watch TV I always crochet or cross stitch to keep my hands busy.  I'm going to try polishing my nails too!  Thanks for the tip.

When i'm bored at home I tend to eat but when that happens I will clean the house so i'm not bored and still getting things done :) I have to say my house never looked so nice!

I weigh most snacks out into individual portions (or buy them that way) so that I know exactly how much I am eating.  I always eat breakfast.  I love varying the incline on the treadmill during the exercise to increase the intensity.  I vary my exercises or routines (ie do different DVD's, do the elliptical instead of the treadmill or change the course I walk).  The variety keeps me from getting bored.  And finally I schedule exercise into my calendar.  I'm a ministry student so I need to schedule everything and i write my exercise times into the calendar of events.

Hope all the little tricks add up to big losses.

I walk nearly every day with my wife. I got a set of resistance bands and we also do that together three times a week. Having someone else with you really helps keep you motivated. I take the band that I am currently using with me as well as a copy of the DVD on my laptop and work out even while out of town.

I like having a glass of grapefruit juice every morning. Try eating "heavier" meals in the morning to mid afternoon and lighter meals in the evening. Drink lots and lots of water. I normally drink 120 fl oz (3.55 l) of water while at work, usually getting around 144 to 168 fl oz (4.26 to 4.97 l) per day. Really helps my body do what its supposed to :). I always keep an eye on my sodium intake in a day and when I hit those 5000 mg sodium days, I up my water intake even more :P. Snack on fruits and veggies throughout the day, I like an orange for two morning snacks, and carrots and peas in the pod as an afternoon snack.

DANCE! (like no bodies watching)
no, i'm kidding. but wiggling, fiddling and twitching works all those little muscles all day long. =D

 I threw together this post a while back with all the little things I learned when I first started. You are more than welcome to check it out.
http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/8532 .html

When I'm watching tv and feel the urge to snack, I'll munch on unshelled sunflower seeds. They are a healthy snack that take forever to eat. Sometimes it takes me an hour to even eat a handfull. I also keep my knitting needles nearby.

You guys are awesome! 

When I am craving something sweet like chocolate, I go for an orange.  It stops my craving in a snap! And Before every meal, I drink a class of water to fill up my stomach, that way I wont over eat.  Also, if you are a student like me, while I am sitting at my desk, instead of sitting on a chair, I sit on a medicine ball to keep my core working to stay balanced.

Keep the tips coming!

I cross stitch at night when I?m in front of the Box. But I love the Idea of doing my nails... I will definitely give that a go.

When i feel like eating in the evenings or even on weekends, I put my MP3 Player on and crank out the tunes, and clean up. By listening to music, my body just wants to keep moving on its own accord.

Thanks for all your suggestions

When I eat, I give food my full attention.

No more snacking mindlessly in front of the TV or at the computer.