Day 4: Tweak Your Diet | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
Here we are at Day 4 of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon. Today we turn to that dreaded downfall of wannabe-weight-losers everywhere – the diet.
Read the steps first, then take 10 minutes to complete them.
We only have 10 minutes, so move fast, act quickly and stop over-thinking. Just throw yourself in. Ready?
What You Need:
- Blank stickers, or post-its, or paper and sticky tape
- A pen.
Step 1
Most people with weight to lose are eating more food than they need. Or more of certain types of food.
So our first step is to choose a couple of ways we’re going to eat a bit less for the rest of the month.
You don’t need a strict diet that makes you crazy and is ultimately counter-productive in order to eat less. There are many smarter, saner and more achievable ways to do it – ways that don’t require psychological self-abuse.
For instance, you could:
- Reduce your portions by, say 10%
- Reduce your portions by using smaller plates
- Switch to low-fat milk/dairy
- Halve or cut out the sugar in your tea and coffee
- Skip the syrup in your coffee
- Cut down on desserts – skip it, skip on alternate days, share dessert, halve dessert
- Drink fewer alcoholic beverages – alternate with water, dilute with ice, substitute with lime and soda
- Find something you eat most days but could do without, and stop eating it
- Stop putting butter on sandwiches
- Add less (or no) mayonnaise, gravy and sauces to your food
- Cut down on snacks – skip them, skip on alternate days, share snacks, halve snacks
- Use less fat when you cook
- Switch to lower-fat cooking methods like baking and roasting versus frying
- Use less butter or a lower fat spread.
For some people, just giving up alcohol or desserts could make a huge difference to your daily calorie intake – and your weight.
For others, several smaller changes – like switching to low-fat dairy, cutting down on sugar and reducing portion sizes by just 10% – could combine to pack quite a weight-loss punch.
You need to find actions that you can make for the long term – so don’t go too drastic. Better to aim low, have some success and then use that to bolster your efforts, than to aim too high and give up because it’s too great a sacrifice. Pace yourself – you will get there.
So choose a couple of tweaks to your diet that you can live with for a month – tweaks that won’t drive you or the people you live with crazy.
Step 2
Depending on the tweaks you’ve chosen, now take whatever action you need to take to cement these tweaks in place.
For example:
- Find smaller plates and put the larger ones away
- Put a ‘10% Less’ sign in your kitchen
- Go buy low-fat dairy products
- Put ‘Use less’ stickers on your sugar, oil, butter, alcohol or whatever
- Find smaller bowls for your snacks or desserts and put them in front of the bigger bowls
- Cut your treats in half or portion them into baggies.
Check in!
And you’re done!
Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.
See you tomorrow!
evening snacks (eaten on a full stomach usually) are not happening this month. if I’m not hungry, I don’t need to eat!
I am cutting down on the diet soda I am drinking and not stopping at the coffee shop every morning for a second coffee. Also continue to pass by the candy dishes at work
I have taken my time today to think this one over. This is where the rubber meets the road for me…Yesterday’s assignment is a new discipline, but didn’t require a decision about FOOD. I know I eat WAY too much sweet stuff. So, can I go without it for a month? I can’t have “just a little”, so I’m going to say I will go without desserts (candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream, etc.)…no matter what time of day I eat them 😀 The only exception might be my daughter’s wedding the end of this month! I also won’t eat after 7:00 at night. I know if I eat regular, healthy meals, this will be easier!
Hello to everyone:
Terry Tips:
1. Your portion size should be the size of your fist.
2. Drinking a glass of red wine per day will keep your arteries cleared out.
3. After 12 Noon switch to decaffeinated coffee, etc. You will be able to sleep at night.
4. Continue to add healthy foods to your diet.
5. If your eating unhealthy food cut it back and then cut it back again until you can eliminate these food(s) all together.
You are all doing a great job. Continue to be accountable each day. In time you will reach your desired weight and you will be eating healthier foods for a healthier you. Good Luck to all.
Note: Should you be on medical diets by a licensed physician please continue them and let him/her know any changes you are making to your diet for a healthier you.
My challenge is stopping eating after dinner. I am a huge night time nibbler. I can’t even imagine the number of calories I can and will save by not having my after dinner sweets followed by whatever else is easy to eat.
I am going to cut back on the sweets and had a few healthier options especially for breakfast. I am going to put sticky notes on the cookies and chocolate.
I’ve done most of these things to cut my intake, but this post gave me some encouragement to enforce my own rules!
I have fallen almost 5 day behind. 🙁
But today is Monday and its a new week. I’m going to commit to the following tweaks:
No fried foods,
No wine
and no Pork or Lamb.
Just got to stop yoyoing…time to be sensible (again) the only thing that does work! Better to be a little more relaxed than obsessive – it gets me into trouble everytime! Yesterday’s task has got me thinking!
I am going to give up all sodas – I drink mainly diet, but the sodium isn’t good for me. I will return to using smaller plates and when I eat out, I will immediately ask for a to-go box and put 1/2 of my food in it before I take a bite.
Todays Actions: 1. Cut down on Portion Sizes. 2. Make dinner early, ( I work from home) I found that most days I am not starting dinner until 7 or after and I am picking while dinner is cooking. 3. Eat most meals at the dinner table. My partner and I do a lot of dinners while watching TV.
Portion control – my measuring cup will become very tired. I may be eating a few more leftovers as I will stop eating when I get to the ahhh fullness. No more syrup in my iced coffee – just 1% milk. These are going to make huge differences. Knowing what I am eating, and stopping when I am actually full instead of when my plate is clean. HUGE!
Can live without chocolate (sadly) and I don’t need the between meal junk. I’ll eat when I’m hungry, real hunger that is.
I’ve never thought of putting sticky notes on my food to remind me about portions, and maybe use less. What a great visual reminder!
Portion sizes and the amount of sugar in drinks are the things I have left. I haven’t given up my sodas completely yet 🙁 and even my sweet tea though we’ve cut back still has too much sugar in it. I don’t eat near as much in one sitting as I used to, but I know there is still room to decrease. I don’t put sauces, condiments, or gravies on anything and we don’t fry any of our foods either. Everything is grilled or baked in the oven. I don’t use vegetable oil anymore we use canola or olive oil and I sneak in coconut oil where I can. Desserts are minimal and I am avoiding them as much as possible b/c once I get that first bite of sweetness I can’t stop :(. I also did another little 10min workout last night and I”m proud to say I’m down 1.2lbs so far 🙂
Actions for today – 1. Dilute my scotch with with ice and use a measure! 2. Alternate with lime and soda? Will try!
Done, the red wine glass is now a thimble this will be the biggest challenge!
I am going to skip the vending machine and bring a morning snack from home. I will also reduce my portion sizes, particularly when I am eating away from home.
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