Common sense 'rules' to get me started...?

[Bibithree]

I'm in desperate need of losing definitely 2 stone, probably more like 3 to be a healthy weight for my height but cannot stick to a diet longer than a fortnight.
I'm trying to compile a list of rules for my daily intake, to try and at least maintain my weight and hopefully lose a little too.

I'm aiming so far to:

• restrict alcohol intake to Fri or Sat nights only (I usually have a glass of wine or a bottle of beer most evenings, but only the one)
  
• only eat bread once a day (I can eat it at every meal, I lurve bread SO much!)
  
• cut caffeine intake to just 2 cups of tea/coffee a day, don't know why, it just seems healthier.
  
  If anyone else has any good ideas/tips, please post and help kick my flabby butt into getting a little healthier.
  
  Thank you

[Bibithree]

Also, exercise is difficult for me as I have chondromalacia patella, so anything that involves using my knees is too painful, although I can swim and given the time I would swim every day.

[throckenholt]

eat before you go shopping - then you aren't tempted to buy rubbish.

don't buy rubbish - if it isn't at home you can't eat it.

work out when your danger times are and find ways to distract yourself then.

wean yourself off sugary and fatty things - just keep them for occasional treats.

smaller portion sizes.

[muddleduck]

These worked for me.

Main meals - no more than half of it to be meat/carbohydrate, the other half to be veg/salad. Whenever you serve up your meal, put back a little of everything to cut the portion size.

Never eat at the same time as doing something else (e.g., wathcing telly, mn-ing etc)

Make sure you always have low cal drinks and snacks available. fruit teas etc can be good for a bit of variety.

perhaps try a site like WeightLossResources for a while to find out what foods are "worth their calories" for you.

[thighsmadeofcheddar]

Drink loads of water.

I used to refill a 2 litre bottle and try and drink that during the day. Flushed me out and made my skin look much better. Also filled me up.

Agree, don't buy rubbish. Put the whole family on a healthy eating kick with you.

[Mousey84]

Drink a large glass of water about half an hour before you eat. I sip water while preparing meals. It helps you to feel fuller.

Consider a starter to meals - small salad or low cal soup - same effect as above.

Eat slowly and stop when you start to feel full.

Try not to eat after 7pm - brush your teeth at this time and only drink water.

Apparently, eating an egg for breakfast ups your calories burning by 64% for the day. Exercise also has this effect (though I dont know percentage)

I started doing this and have lost just over 1lb a week with no exercise (though I know I need to exercise, I havent found time with kids off school-Im a CM) I do try to be more energetic when doing housework though.