#1 implies there could be follow ups. I don't know if there will be but let's be optimistic, shall we?
One of the big things we did when we first started losing weight was to chew our food thoroughly. Sounds pretty simple eh? In this rushed, go go go pace of life, we tend to be a nation of 3-5 chews per bite and swallow. We make our systems work twice as hard to break things down when we're swallowing chunks of unchewed food.
I've started making sure to consciously chew each bite about 15 times not only to help my system out but to, you know, actually savor what I'm eating? I know it seems like a small thing but I think most people underestimate how many chews they actually take before swallowing their food. Give it a try.
What one basic weight loss component have you slacked on?
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It's funny you mention this because I'm trying to do this.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing the "Naturally Slim" program (for free) through my work and honestly, I'm not listening to most of what she says (her accent is annoying). But I'm trying to chew slower and on both sides of my mouth plus take breaks.
I'm slacking on actually hitting my calorie goal, I'm typically under it before doing exercise and way under my net after exercise. Damn it for liking fruit and veggies so much lol
Preparing and plating meals properly...
ReplyDeleteChewing is something I need to be more conscious of. I'm going to try the 15 chew-thing. I think it might also help your brain catch up with your stomach. You know how they say you don't know you're full until 20 minutes after you finish eating? Well this should slow it down enough that maybe you would realize you're sated sooner, and STOP EATING before you hit STUFFED. Although I haven't been stuffed in a while, I know now to stop before I get to that point, but chewing longer might help with that realization.
ReplyDeleteI've slacked off on weighing and measuring my food and I think I notice my portions are getting a bit bigger. Time to fire up the scale again! And I need to make myself drink more water - although I don't really like plain water and I don't get thirsty. I will drink more if I put "stuff" in it like Crystal Light or Mio, but then I think why am I putting chemicals in my water!!! SIGH! Wouldn't it be nice just to be able to eat or drink whatever without having to THINK about it?
ReplyDeleteAdd a squeeze of lemon or orange to it. Or a few ounces of a fruit juice like diet cranberry or some orange juice. There are far too many unpronounceable chemicals in MiO for my taste (even though I can pronounce them all lol)
Deletesmoothies!
ReplyDeletethat is my answer LOL
You mentioned the chewing thing the other day so if I think about it, I try to remember to do that. 15 chews is a lot compared to what I was doing!! It really slows you down.
ReplyDeleteOther back to basics...hmmm...once in awhile I'll go back on my food tracker and see what I was eating when I was having the most success.
I been slacking on water - especially bad in hot weather.
ReplyDeletePlus I haven't been weighing/measuring the way I should.
I really like how you are sharing your "basics" with us. I am in awe of the amount of weight you and the Mr. have lost, and I often find myself thinking, "Well, they are extraordinary people and they accomplished this because they have amazing willpower/stamina/etc. But I could never do what they have done." But when I read the simple steps you guys took to get started, it seems waaaay more doable for me. I CAN make myself chew each bite 20 times. I can DO that. And later, I can add another step.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I'm trying to say is...thank you for breaking it down into manageable chunks so it seems like a more realistic goal for me!
Thanks Jennifer! I honestly don't feel like willpower has had anything to do with it; I think I'm just stubborn as hell! Anyone can do what we've done (and still have to do) and small changes make a big difference. You can DO this!
DeleteI really love this topic and seeing what other folks are doing. I think it really helps to have a place to start from. For me, it's tracking calories. There are a lot of things that go with that (meal prep, planning, incorporating veggies and fruit, drinking a lot of water) but I just need to keep myself accountable.
ReplyDeleteLike I said previously, there are so many things to start doing that it gets overwhelming and I think that's why a lot of folks quit. You want to do more because you're motivated but then you burn out. One step at a time....
Well, chewing is one thing I'm slacking on. I've always wolfed my food, and it got worse when I worked for someone else and had only a little time to eat. It's even worse now, because I don't actually have a lunch break...just have to snatch bites between customers. But I, too, made note that it was the first step in your current journey, and what an amazing result you had. For the person above who commented on your doable, simple steps, I offer one of my favorite quotes: "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did
ReplyDeletenothing because he could do only a little."
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Edmund Burke
That seems like an appropriate quote for how you guys started--doing a little--and look what you can do now!!!
Water. I brought my Bubba keg to work to ensure I drink the recommended amount each day. It's easy to get lots of water at home, but I tend to slack at work because I get busy. I realized I was slacking when I started getting hungry for "no reason", and my feet were getting puffy again. Now that I have the Bubba keg (52 ounces), I can set a goal to finish it by the end of my shift.
ReplyDeleteChewing is one of the things I've been working on myself, along with Savoring the food, I think it also helps give your stomach time to register that it's had enough. Can't count the times I've scarfed a meal only to find in 10 minutes that it had been WAY TOO MUCH food and I was now stuffed to the point of popping buttons...ick. Chewing, something I'm still working on mastering.
ReplyDeletePut your fork down between each bite. My mom was a fanatic about this because she thought it was proper table manners. It works for weight loss because you will slow down and not be able to shovel food in your mouth as fast as you can.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a hard one. Food is such an on-the-go thing nowadays. We DON'T savor our food at all. So we don't even register when we're full! This is totally something that I need to work on...
ReplyDeleteMeasuring/weighing. Every so often I slack off on it and end up eating more than I think I am, so I basically have to remind myself every couple of weeks what a portion actually looks like.
ReplyDelete