Little motivational tips and tricks for those dealing with weight control issues

[Jingthing]

This thread is to share the little things, tips and tricks as it were, that you have used to keep you on the path of either weight loss or the lifetime struggle to MAINTAIN previous weight loss.

I was inspired to start this because of an accidental recent purchase.

I needed some new underwear so saw some on sale that wasn't sized with a number so I took a chance and bought five of them. They were only 100 baht each at one of those shops that sell export rejects so no biggie if they didn't fit. I knew they might be a little tight just based on the look of them but it turned out they were more than a little tight.

But not so tight that I can't wear them at all. I can wear them. Just barely though!

So here is my tip and trick.

I think I will wear them as they are so tight if I gain even a pound or two they will become very uncomfortable, even totally unwearable. I think this is a pretty good motivational scheme. If they become unwearable I'll know I've gained that and on the other hand if I lost just a little they'll start to become more comfortable. I'm not sure how this is going to work out but I'm motivated to keep them wearable.

I don't think I will let them become unwearable and I do think the small discomfort will motivate me to make them more comfortable.

This happened by accident and I'll try it out. Do you have such tips and tricks to share that have either worked or not worked for you?

Edited January 4, 2016 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Update ... well they do stretch out a bit when I wear them so at least I didn't waste 500 baht.

Speaking of underwear, you really got to watch out buying clothes in Thailand.

I still need more new underwear so I thought I'd try a pack of 3 of those cheap kinds you see in packs, 3 for 179. Based on the size chart the INCHES was going to definitely be big enough and I know when they are sized accurately based on the inches what will fit.

So I did the POLITE thing and didn't break open the plastic to actually LOOK at them, got them home, and what do you know, they aren't even CLOSE to being the inch size on the packages. Totally unwearable and never will be. Yeah, sure, you try to return "used" underwear ... not my idea of fun. I got some expensive RAGS anyway.

[NoshowJones]

What happens if they shrink in the wash? You will have to go on a crash diet, and start walking instead of always using the baht buses.

Edited January 7, 2016 by possum1931

[Jingthing]

What happens if they shrink in the wash? You will have to go on a crash diet, and start walking instead of always using the baht buses.

Dude, as I don't have a vehicle I walk quite a lot already. The buses don't go everywhere, you know.

[Nilz]

This is how I lost weight and kept it:

Stop eating junk food, start eating natural food.

Stop eating

Bread

Real beer

Sugar

Potatoes

Eat

Fat food (bacon, sausages, pure fat, double cream)

Meat (all kinds)

Vegetables

Drink

San miguel light

Dry Red wine

Pure whiskey or with soda

No heavy excersize needed to loose weight.

You'll never need to go hungry if you eat enough fat.

It's all about keeping the blood sugar level at a constant low level.

This has worked for me.

It's not a diet but more of a lifestyle.

If you go back to eating processed food and fast carbs, you will gain weight again.

[Suradit69]

I think I will wear them as they are so tight if I gain even a pound or two they will become very uncomfortable

Same thing could apply to tee shirts or other things you wear around the house. If I'm wearing something snug, not necessarily uncomfortable, it seems to make me more likely to think twice before hitting the fridge for second helpings than if I'm wearing something loose-fitting

[koo]

A cheap old trick is to drink half a liter of water before meals. This goes especially if you have access to "unlimited" food, as in buffets or dining at home. In Thailand this is even easy to accomplish, "naam paw" is available everywhere and the serving size is just right. With that extra water in your stomach you will feel full sooner and thus eat less.

[botfly]

That all protein diet is dangerous, I read that somewhere, it has a name.

You wear underwear in this heat? Better go commando.

Tips: replace one meal with a juice. There is a whole juice brigade who swear by the benefits of juicing. www.rebootwithjoe.com

Drink a big glass of water before a meal.

Don't give up carbs that's for models who want to be stick insects. Moderation in everything and good eating habits. Cut down on alcohol.

[Shiver]

There are any number of ways, but the advice from Nilz I think is sensible and sound unless you really want to go hardcore and give up your preferred lifestyle.

As for Export shop, I bought 2 pairs of jeans there a while back - one said 32", the other said 34", but I tried them on in the shop and they were both 34". I have a belt though so no drama. That was in Phuket. The GF bought me some from Export in Udon which were identical design, but when that said 32" it meant 32" (still haven't found the flaw that makes them seconds yet).

This is how I lost weight and kept it:

Stop eating junk food, start eating natural food.

Stop eating

Bread

Real beer

Sugar

Potatoes

Eat

Fat food (bacon, sausages, pure fat, double cream)

Meat (all kinds)

Vegetables

Drink

San miguel light

Dry Red wine

Pure whiskey or with soda

No heavy excersize needed to loose weight.

You'll never need to go hungry if you eat enough fat.

It's all about keeping the blood sugar level at a constant low level.

This has worked for me.

It's not a diet but more of a lifestyle.

If you go back to eating processed food and fast carbs, you will gain weight again.

[UPDEHSOI]

This is how I lost weight and kept it:

Stop eating junk food, start eating natural food.

Stop eating

Bread

Real beer

Sugar

Potatoes

Eat

Fat food (bacon, sausages, pure fat, double cream)

Meat (all kinds)

Vegetables

Drink

San miguel light

Dry Red wine

Pure whiskey or with soda

No heavy excersize needed to loose weight.

You'll never need to go hungry if you eat enough fat.

It's all about keeping the blood sugar level at a constant low level.

This has worked for me.

It's not a diet but more of a lifestyle.

If you go back to eating processed food and fast carbs, you will gain weight again.

Umm, eat bacon, sausages and pure fat, but DON'T eat processed food!!? Call me sometime after you have had the first stent installed. ( I guess you have never had the 'golden' opportunity to watch a sausage being proces....made )

[clasship]

I lost 38 kilos last year; I now weight 76 kilos and am keeping it at this level. My tips that worked for me are as follows:

Educate oneself on the calorie content of foods you eat, that exercise alone was enough to put me off many foods I normally indulged in. I had no idea a two foot baguette contained 1275 calories, and a slice of bread 75, add butter, add another 75. Even a tin of baked beans is 375. In no time I found I could do without many of my old favourites, they just weren’t worth the calories, and still aren’t. http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/CaloriesIn/

If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it, so simply only buy food that will enable you to reach your goal and lose weight. My kitchen cupboards looked desperately sad, but I no longer do.

Weigh oneself every morning before eating or drinking anything, and record that weight on graph paper. Stick to the diet and you will see that by miracle the weight comes off. Don’t expect to lose more than one kilo a week, and that’s if you really give your diet everything you can. Please note I am disabled so I cannot do exercise. There will be days your weight goes up, but in a few days I found I had big drops, so never, ever become disheartened and give in.

I used smaller plates and bowls; it does help one cut down the portion size. On the portion size front, I found within a few weeks I had adjusted to eating smaller portions, and even now don’t want bigger portions as I certainly once did.

I mainly had fruit for breakfast and vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes for lunch. For dinner I made my own mainly vegetable soups, but you need some protein so I occasionally added some meat. I found an OXO cube at 7 calories made many soups even tastier and better still add some marmite.

I changed to not drinking any alcohol for six days a week; it was not a problem for me to change to drinking soda water. When you keep losing weight, it’s worth it.

I can only say last year I was not spending much money at all, I watched more IPTV than usual. I avoided going to bars every night as I once did, albeit I was probably drinking less than most do. The result is that when I meet people I have not seen for a year they don’t know what to say, but it’s usually “is that (add your name)?” Everything about life has improved and that certainly includes the nocturnal activities in the bedroom.

If you have the discipline, dieting works 100% of the time, it certainly did for everyone leaving concentration camps.

[Nilz]

This is how I lost weight and kept it:

Stop eating junk food, start eating natural food.

Stop eating

Bread

Real beer

Sugar

Potatoes

Eat

Fat food (bacon, sausages, pure fat, double cream)

Meat (all kinds)

Vegetables

Drink

San miguel light

Dry Red wine

Pure whiskey or with soda

No heavy excersize needed to loose weight.

You'll never need to go hungry if you eat enough fat.

It's all about keeping the blood sugar level at a constant low level.

This has worked for me.

It's not a diet but more of a lifestyle.

If you go back to eating processed food and fast carbs, you will gain weight again.

Umm, eat bacon, sausages and pure fat, but DON'T eat processed food!!? Call me sometime after you have had the first stent installed. ( I guess you have never had the 'golden' opportunity to watch a sausage being proces....made )

OK, you can allow yourself to eat processed meat sometimes, meaning sausages and other meat/fat produce.

Pure fat is not processed food and this is actually what we have been eating for thousands of years. However NOT in combination with quick carbs (processed food) like pure sugar and wheat.

Try and you'll see for yourself.

[Emster23]

Here's a little tip or trick:

Stop eating so much you fat pig

Stop drinking all that booze you screwed up lush

Get off your lard ass and get out for some exercise you blob of useless flesh

Remind ourselves each day with these gentle suggestions and perhaps a change will come about

[AlfonsV]

Smaller cups & plates, jump one meal per day, your stomach will adapt after quite a short time by shrinking. Less alcohol & sweets including chocolate, low fat, avoid pasta, pizza & pastry. Drink instead raw vegetables in a self-made smoothie, 1 litre per day. It is "liquid salad" without dip. You can mix salad, cucumber, celery, beetroot, green (red, yellow) peppers, ginger, garlic (if you like), all kind of herbs, in daily variation. 1 apple, some water melon, passion fruit or another fruit makes the taste more "smooth". No bananas and not too many sweet fruits. Raw vegetables (specially carrots) without oil or salad sauce burn you own belly fat to be digested. And do not give up after the rather easy beginning of the first 2 months and / or the first 5 kg. Make some exception for relax, 1 small bottle of beer or 1 glass of wine and a nice cake per week will not interrupt the process.

Edited January 7, 2016 by AlfonsV

[Jingthing]

Here's a little tip or trick:

Stop eating so much you fat pig

Stop drinking all that booze you screwed up lush

Get off your lard ass and get out for some exercise you blob of useless flesh

Remind ourselves each day with these gentle suggestions and perhaps a change will come about

Fat shaming abuse as above is not welcome on this health forum.

[Orac]

I found using a Fitbit along with its website/app useful when I lost 25kg a few years back as the exercise tracker pushed me to hit targets and the food calorie counter made me more aware of what I was eating - did wonders for my blood pressure and cholesterol count as well.

[botfly]

Here's a little tip or trick:

Stop eating so much you fat pig

Stop drinking all that booze you screwed up lush

Get off your lard ass and get out for some exercise you blob of useless flesh

Remind ourselves each day with these gentle suggestions and perhaps a change will come about

Beautiful. Hahahahahaha that is indeed a mantra. Lolness.

[botfly]

Here's a little tip or trick:

Stop eating so much you fat pig

Stop drinking all that booze you screwed up lush

Get off your lard ass and get out for some exercise you blob of useless flesh

Remind ourselves each day with these gentle suggestions and perhaps a change will come about

Fat shaming abuse as above is not welcome on this health forum.

No abuse but he does make a good point.

I had a friend in high school who was obese , morbidly so by the age of nine. The poor girl was mercilessly teased.

The whole family's diet revolved around take away food, cakes for snacks, huge greasy fried dinners, I know because I was invited often.

I'm not in any way knocking large people but self control and good habits play a major role in your weight.

The lady never had a boyfriend and suffered from very low self esteem. She really was huge in her late teens, never got the weight under control. Comfort foods, alcohol, uneducated in basically eating right and staying healthy. She ended up int know what her thirties with diabetes and heart problems.

See people have a thing that if they're a fat kid somehow that's ok to be as an adult. It's not. My suggestion is to hang in and get motivated every day to stay on track . There are support groups. All the very best.

Edited January 7, 2016 by botfly

[TheFishman1]

This is great I am trying to loss 22 kilos and got some good example to do

[chicowoodduck]

End of story....??

[sawadee1947]

that sounds funny, but it isn't. If you wear too tight clothes. especially underwear, you blood vessels could be blocked and will cause bigger problems. Think of your jammed balls....No function at all.

Wear boxer shorts....!

So if you got weight problems, take other steps: go for proteins only, have only a coffee in the morning, then your body has to work with calories coming from your fat.

But there are so many smart "advisers" around here. Decide by yourself. Good luck.

[irwinfc]

it's good to monitor what you eat, as clasship above said (post #11). the key is to know how much calories your body spends per day and match it with the calories from food that you take in. from a weight-loss perspective, the type of food won't matter as long as you keep the calorie intake in equilibrium with the needed energy. if they're balanced, you will maintain (you may even lose weight). if the you eat less than needed then you will lose weight. the opposite is the most common scenario. from a health-oriented perspective, low fat, high fiber, low carb, and high protein seems to do it for most.

but more importantly, whatever diet, exercise regime, weight-loss program, etc. you wish to implement --- make sure that you can live with it constantly. drastic measures often result to the yoyo effect.

[Liquorice]

Update ... well they do stretch out a bit when I wear them so at least I didn't waste 500 baht.

Speaking of underwear, you really got to watch out buying clothes in Thailand.

I still need more new underwear so I thought I'd try a pack of 3 of those cheap kinds you see in packs, 3 for 179. Based on the size chart the INCHES was going to definitely be big enough and I know when they are sized accurately based on the inches what will fit.

So I did the POLITE thing and didn't break open the plastic to actually LOOK at them, got them home, and what do you know, they aren't even CLOSE to being the inch size on the packages. Totally unwearable and never will be. Yeah, sure, you try to return "used" underwear ... not my idea of fun. I got some expensive RAGS anyway.

A lesson I've already learned.

Thai made clothing tends to be one or two sizes smaller.

Chinese made clothing even smaller.

Size M underwear in the UK fits 32"-34" waist (my size).

At new year my g/f bought me two new pair of underpants, size M. (Chinese made). Her 7 year old son now wears them.

She then purchased the same underwear, sizes 3XL and 6XL for me to try.

The 3XL are a perfect fit. Her Mother was gifted the 6XL which would fit both me and the g/f together.

I'm XL size in t-shirts, but often have to buy XXL or XXXL in Thailand for a comfortable fit.

I've got 8 brand new XL Thai t-shirts looking for a new home as a result.

If I can't try them for fit first, I know tend not to buy.

[Liquorice]

From observations, the Thais and Chinese tend to be mainly slim.

They eat smaller amounts more regularly, rather than the one or two main meals a day many westerners eat.

Maybe a lesson to be learnt there!

[connda]

Stand if front of a mirror naked, and repeat the following:

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

Repeat three to five times until your weak mind 'gets it.'

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

"Sweet Jesus, you are a fat slob. Now get off your buns and starting working out! Then you be hansum man!"

Ok, your cured!

[Jingthing]

that sounds funny, but it isn't. If you wear too tight clothes. especially underwear, you blood vessels could be blocked and will cause bigger problems. Think of your jammed balls....No function at all.

Wear boxer shorts....!

So if you got weight problems, take other steps: go for proteins only, have only a coffee in the morning, then your body has to work with calories coming from your fat.

But there are so many smart "advisers" around here. Decide by yourself. Good luck.

You're correct there are health issues with wearing too tight underwear. I've looked into this and frankly I don't think it's an issue with what I'm wearing. I'm talking about a more subtle tightness that I'm finding is an effective physical reminder that I need to think about everything I'm eating, every day, or there will be consequences. Of course I already know that, but this it's more at the surface. It's kind of like the custom of tying strings around fingers, I suppose. Also the way they look in the mirror is not great so that's another reinforcement to make sure they don't look even worse. I'm at a place now where my current weight is acceptable to me for both health and aesthetic purposes (my older age considered) but because of my lifetime history with weight control issues, I need to be ever vigilant of slipping back.

[mommysboy]

Main hint : don't give up foods you like, even if it is fattening. Simply forego the next meal.

[Jingthing]

Main hint : don't give up foods you like, even if it is fattening. Simply forego the next meal.

In my experience, it's important to not feel like you can NEVER have any food types, no matter what they are. You can have ANYTHING you want, in the case of high calorie foods, just not at all often, and yes, compensated with lesser intake ideally the same day. Feeling deprived that way, feeling NEVER for ANY food, can be a deal maker for many people. Demonizing some foods as good and bad is silly. Foods feed us and we all need to be fed. But obviously you can't eat high density calorie foods OFTEN if you expect to lose or maintain weight.

Often when people get into these purist black and white, good and bad foods mind sets, the minute they "go bad" and have a cookie, they are often set off on a downward spiral just triggered by that one thing. That's craziness. If you really need that cookie (personally I don't need cookies ever, not my thing, just an example) then you can have that cookie, but just compensate later (and buy one cookie, not a bag!).

Edited January 8, 2016 by Jingthing

[sawadee1947]

that sounds funny, but it isn't. If you wear too tight clothes. especially underwear, you blood vessels could be blocked and will cause bigger problems. Think of your jammed balls....No function at all.

Wear boxer shorts....!

So if you got weight problems, take other steps: go for proteins only, have only a coffee in the morning, then your body has to work with calories coming from your fat.

But there are so many smart "advisers" around here. Decide by yourself. Good luck.

You're correct there are health issues with wearing too tight underwear. I've looked into this and frankly I don't think it's an issue with what I'm wearing. I'm talking about a more subtle tightness that I'm finding is an effective physical reminder that I need to think about everything I'm eating, every day, or there will be consequences. Of course I already know that, but this it's more at the surface. It's kind of like the custom of tying strings around fingers, I suppose. Also the way they look in the mirror is not great so that's another reinforcement to make sure they don't look even worse. I'm at a place now where my current weight is acceptable to me for both health and aesthetic purposes (my older age considered) but because of my lifetime history with weight control issues, I need to be ever vigilant of slipping back.

yeah, even your BMI might show no obesity, but the miror tells the truth.....

[Jingthing]

Not everyone who is "overweight" is classified as obese. But yes BMI is of limited usefulness. It's more useful for average non-muscular types.

People dealing with weight issues should realize that even losing 10 percent of weight and keeping it off provides significant health benefits even if still bmi obese. This is a health forum.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Jingthing