More Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Weight Loss with Real Food
Six more tips, tricks, and techniques for weight loss to help you lose more weight than ever while eating real, whole foods.
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If you missed it, see the first six tips here. Find links to all the other parts of this series below.
I hope you found something in the first six tips I shared to help you towards your food goals, whether that means losing weight or just eating intentionally for health.
Regulating and caring about the food we put in our bodies should actually be a goal of ours no matter what we weigh, shouldn’t it?
Are you ready for more? This group of techniques ends with probably my favorite tip of all!
More Tips, Tricks, And Techniques For Weight Loss
Here are 7 through 12 of the things I’ve learned that have helped me lose weight while eating real, whole foods:
7. Weigh Yourself at Least Weekly
(I like scales like this shown, or a digital one to try and get an accurate number.)
While some people may feel they don’t need to weigh, there are many studies (too many to link to – a quick search will pull up a lot) that show that weighing regularly is a key component to losing weight and keeping it off.
Some suggest daily, but I find there is too much fluctuation for me- I think weekly or a couple times a week is sufficient.
I know for me, when I didn’t weigh myself and I just let my clothes tell me if I’d gained pounds, it was too late. Meaning, ten pounds is a lot harder to think about getting off than two or three…or even five. Who knew clothes could hold so much extra poundage?
Bottom line for me- yes it’s “just a number” but I need the reminder to think about what I’m eating (back to that “unthinking” eating that always plagues me…), and to get back on track if I see a couple of pounds creep back on.
8. Eat Favorite Foods First (really!) Stop When Full and Save Leftovers
Food that tastes so good you don’t want to stop eating? I’ve been there and still go there often.
The answer? Cut things in half and put them in containers for lunch the next day. Using glass containers means you can just heat them up easily and enjoy that food again – without overstuffing.
I’ve been known to put a post-it with my name on containers in the fridge for lunch the next day. Knowing I can eat a favorite food again the next day helps me to eat a small portion and not feel deprived, so you do what you have to when you live with others, right?
What about eating your favorite foods first? Doesn’t the thought of it go against the grain?
As a kid of course it wouldn’t have worked, because all our meals would’ve consisted of bread, meat, and desserts, ha! But now it means that I first eat whatever I like best on the plate – which is often roasted or grilled vegetables (yum.) or meat. I’m not as big on potatoes and rice, so that usually gets left for the last.
What we have to get away from is filling up with all the foods we think we “have” to eat, then eating what we want to eat (and which we now “deserve,” because we ate all the other stuff…), even if it’s past full.
This includes a meal with dessert. If a dessert is part of a meal, plan for it and eat accordingly (that means less) so there is room for a small portion.
9. Limit Eating (i.e., “Tasting”) While Cooking
Ah…what we eat in the name of tasting. More of that unthinking eating.
I’ve realized through writing this and Part One that I can see the change I’ve made towards being intentional about what I eat. Really thinking about it. And yet, to be honest, there were many years I didn’t want to think about what I ate – I was so tired of it.
What’s different now? I think it’s that my food isn’t “diet food” or different from what everyone else eats.
I don’t feel like I’m thinking about it all the time. I don’t keep a food journal (I know it helps people and there are studies to prove it, but it isn’t for me), I don’t buy special foods or eat other things, and I don’t measure and weigh all my food (that’s what I like about using the measuring prep bowls – they seem like regular bowls) – just some snack items.
10. Change the “Don’t Waste Food” Mindset
Especially when it comes to cleaning your kids plates. The little bit of food is not going to be wasted if we don’t eat it. In fact, it will be wasted by going to extra, unneeded pounds on us!
If it’s a large portion left, go ahead and save it for a leftover. Otherwise, feel free to toss it – just try to reduce waste at the other end in the future by giving less on the plates if you’re plating up.
11. Break Bad Food Habits Like Eating When Alone or Reading
Oh, this was (and still is!) the hardest thing for me to get over. I started these bad habits in elementary school by eating after school when I was alone, often with a book in hand. Then it became eating bad-for-me foods when I was alone.
Even now, when my family leaves and I’m alone, one of my first thoughts is, “what is there to eat?” Doesn’t matter if I’m hungry or not.
And munching on something while reading a book has always seemed comforting to me. So I really try to not eat while reading.
About the only exception is on days I work, I use my lunch time to read the mail. But it’s at a table and the food is on a plate, so it’s pretty safe. A book and a bag or container on the couch, though? Double no-no…that bag will be empty before I know it!
I have found that chewing mint gum or eating a mint will help me to get past the desire to eat in these situations, so I keep mints in a couple of desks at home and in my purse.
My favorite were Newman’s Wintergreen Mints – no weird ingredients with just the perfect amount of minty-ness, but they don’t make them anymore, sadly. Now I use Simply Mints.
And last, but definitely not least, my favorite tip:
12. Use Dark Chocolate to Ward Off Sweet Cravings
I love chocolate. LOVE it. And I’m so glad I discovered this trick and overcame the guilty feeling of eating chocolate every day.
Yep, every day. Years ago I read a book called The Fat Fallacy (which I loved- it’s about how the author moved to France and lost weight eating full-fat, real foods!) and learned it was OK – and even beneficial – to eat a small piece of dark chocolate after dinner.
And you know what? The more I eat dark chocolate, the less I crave the candy with milk chocolate that I used to like so much.
Another case of a more basic, real food (dark chocolate isn’t diluted with milk and has less sugar) being more satisfying. I never thought I would be the person to refuse a Snickers or M&M, but if they aren’t dark, they taste bland and sweet and it’s not worth it. #whoknew
It’s also one of the reasons our family is OK with having dessert only occasionally – we don’t feel deprived at all. It’s amazing how a little square of dark chocolate makes us feel decadent. It’s like…”shhh, don’t tell anyone, but we eat chocolate after every dinner!
Well, there you have it – the 12 tips and tricks I’ve used (at least all I can think of right now!) through the last few years to lose weight, keep it off, and be healthier.
What about you- what are some of the things you do that help you to lose, maintain, and feel satisfied?
READ THE OTHER ARTICLES IN THE SERIES ON LOSING WEIGHT WITH REAL, WHOLE FOODS:
- A Weighty Issue – My history with weight and body image
- How I Lost Weight Eating Real Food {More Than Ever!}
- Tips, Tricks, and Techniques For Weight Loss
- Portion Control: Real Life, Real Food
- Is Exercise Necessary For Weight Loss?
- A Simple, Easy Workout {+ Printable}
