What are your little changes to lose weight

[JHKE]

I'm asking this as I want to lose weight. I started thinking about what little changes I could make to help. 4 things that I have thought of are:

Halve milk in coffee, Halve sugar in teas and coffees, Have 2 Slices of bread rather than 3 for lunchtime sandwiches and try not to have margarine when I do.

I just wondered what other little changes I could make and what others do. I realise that in itself it doesn't save much calories but over the week it all helps.

Thanks

How about just not having sugar in tea and coffee? You'll stop noticing after about a week and then never want to have it again. If you drink water/herbal tea instead, you'll not be taking the milk which, if you have a lot of cups a day, will make a difference over weeks and months.

What kind of bread do you have? Have wholemeal/granary instead of white, if you don't already. And steam veg without using butter to serve. If you need something, use olive oil, which is esp easy and tasty if you roast your veg.

What do you have for breakfast? Lots of cereals are packed with sugar. Have porridge at least a couple of times a week and don't have as much toast/other bread-like items if you have those instead/as well as cereal. Start with some fruit, eg tinned pears/peaches in fruit juice, if you're not in the habint of eating fresh fruit.

It's hard to know what else to suggest without a better idea of what you eat during the day, esp what snacks you go for. Cut out a packet of crisps and have an apple instead.

I'm having philadelphia light instead of cheddar in sandwiches. Also porridge for breakfast instead of cereal and sometimes a cup of tea instead of a snack.

OK, At the moment can't cut it completely.. noticed the difference with half and that was bad enough... will get there. Don't like herbal teas.

Do try and get brown bread occasionally. Tried wraps the other day and realised that 1 wrap was eqivalent to 2 slices of bread so didn't fill me up.

I boil veg. Will be getting a steamer at some point though. We use olive oil as our fat in cooking anyway.

Cereal if I have it tends to be cornflakes, rice crispies or shredded wheat but my downfall is sugar I really don't like it without so tend to have toast (don't like brown bread for toast). Don't like porridge.

Tried Philidelphia light garlic and herb the other week, liked that. Also been trying to have tuna, cucumber and tomato in sandwiches.

My problem is that I am extremely fussy which why I was looking at little cutbacks.

Thank you

I am cutting out carbs when I can not eating biscuits,crisps, or pasta.
Be carefull with the fruit teas as they contain alot of sugar.
Am making a big effort in not finishing ds's supper and only eating when I am hungry and not just because I feel like something.
I have been eating home made veggie soups at luch time as thay are really filling.
I have done this for a couple of weeks and no longer have to lie on the bed squeezing myself into jeans, I can stand up and get dressed again!!

I eat 3 meals a day. I dont; snack at all. I stop eating at 5.30 and don;t eat after that.

I had read somewhere that having a bigger breakfast makes you less likely to snack as you are fuller so this morning had scrambled egg with mushrooms on toast. It did help as I didn't snack. So will think of more things like this.

JKHE your breakfast was also higher protein which does keep you fuller for longer IME

Lots of things people think they don't like are just about not being used to them, so if you try them for a short time, you end up liking them. I bet there were things you didn't like when you were a kid that you do like now. And it's really worth cutting out sugar in tea and coffee, really, really. Pile up all the sugar you would eat that way in a typical week and just take a look at how much it is.

Certainly true about a bigger breakfast but the point is more sustaining rather than just bigger and try not to rely on bread. Porridge really is worth getting to grips with if you're serious: add stewed fruit or fresh berries in the summer, yogurt, anything you like to jazz it up a bit.

One other thing, have you thought of having your evening meal a little bit later? That's a long time to go with no food till breakfast and it could help you reduce a carb craving in the morning.

I think your idea about having 2 slices of bread instead if 3 is a good one.

What worked for me (lost about half a stone 6 months ago and have kept it off) was to cut my portions in general ie. dish out a little bit less than you think you want.

Don't tell yourself that's it though, tell yourself that you can eat a little more in 20 minutes. 9 times out of 10 you don't want any more to eat in 20 minutes.

That way you don't have to cut out any types of food or feel like you're missing out, but you will cut your calories a little.

PS You don't need a steamer: just use a [metal] colander over a saucepan with a lid on and it does the job perfectly.

I am having breakfast.

Don't have butter on sandwiches or toast if I am having another topping already.

skimmed milk instead of semi-skimmed
porrige for breakfast at least 4 times a week
make dinner the last meal of the day, so no snacking at night
fat free yogurts
10cal jelly pots (Hartleys)
homemade veg soup, has very few calories
add lentils to casseroles, seems to fill me up more
healthy snacks, mainly fruit
and most improtant in my opinion- keep hydrated, drink plenty of water.
cut down on tea and coffee (I like a biscuit wwhen I have tea so sometimes I skip the tea all together) otherwise, it helps to have low ccal treats in

Thanks all I will take this into account. I won't be completely cutting back as I think if I cut it all out then I am less likely to stick to it which is why I was looking at little changes so although weight loss may not be be huge and may take longer, thats fine with me as it means I will be more likely to carry on with it even after losing what I want to lose.

Don't do snacks at all.

Big breakfast, hearty lunch, hearty dinner.

No snacks, not even fruit. Just water/green tea/ occasional coffee.

If i stick to it I can lose about 10 lbs in a month.