15 Tips To Lose Weight Frugally: Improve Your Eating Habits

by Silicon Valley Blogger on 2012-03-3078

Can’t we all lose weight and do what some determined people have done without having to stretch our budgets in the process? Sure we can.

Why am I harping so much about health? It’s because health problems can spiral into huge financial nightmares quite easily. Leading causes of bankruptcy are the twin demons of poor health and chronic illness, and just like we need to maintain our homes, cars and other possessions, we also need to ensure we’re doing what we can to keep ourselves in shape. Can you imagine how much money a long term sickness can suck out of your savings? The sum is usually pretty steep.

The fact is, our best investment is in ourselves and our health.

There are things you can do without having to spend too much on a sports club membership, personal trainers or expensive nutritionists. For instance, the people you see in the following images have done a wonderful job by losing the weight all on their own. I find photos like these very inspiring. This shows that no matter how heavy you feel you are, it can be done!

Weight Loss and Better Health: Before & After

Weight Loss 1

Weight Loss 2

Weight Loss 3

Weight Loss 4

Image Credit: BBC News, In Pictures: Your Weight Loss

Here’s what we can do to keep trim, stay healthy and preserve our money at the same time. Our focus here is on improving our eating habits:

How To Lose Weight On A Budget: Develop Healthy Eating Habits

I’m investing more on my health by turning to higher quality food. Some of the food my family consumes these days is arguably pricier than what we used to have in the past. This is in part because I’ve recently discovered that I am gluten sensitive. This means that most grains are now eliminated from my diet, causing me to have to shop at more health conscious (or gluten free) grocery stores. Such specialty stores generally tend to be more expensive. But I’m counteracting the expense by adopting these money saving tips that should also cut down on my calories!

#1 Don’t buy diet pills or diet drinks.

Well, you can… but you shouldn’t have to — they’re but a quick and temporary solution. Here’s a piece on why you shouldn’t depend on them to lose the weight:

  • Diet pills can be pricey. Some of these pills that are advertised in infomercials can cost you $150 monthly. Even getting rid of a mere 20 pounds can cost you a steep $300 (assuming you lose 10 lbs a month) and that doesn’t include shipping!
  • Diet pills yield short term, temporary results. Much like with anti-aging creams, the results are temporary and as soon as you quit taking them, you risk piling on the weight again.
  • Diet pills encourage dependence. They’re a quick fix and may discourage people from developing good eating habits and more long-term weight management strategies. It’s always better to rely on a good diet and regular exercise to keep the weight off.

#2 Don’t buy what you won’t eat.

Seems simple enough advice, but it’s harder to follow than you think. Though food wastage is unavoidable to some degree, there is room here for improvement. How much improvement? Well check out the numbers reported in this MSNBC video.

We waste 96 billion pounds of food in a year, which comes to one pound of food everyday for every American.

Some tips to help manage our food budget:

  • Sometimes we buy much more food than we need, thinking that by buying in volume, we’ll save money. But that’s not always the case. You’ll need to check the per unit value of what you’re buying to ensure that you are saving money on a purchase.
  • Don’t buy stuff just because it’s on sale. Many foods are perishable and you may be tempted to buy items because they’re discounted. Then you’ll want to consume them to avoid the waste, but that could add inches to your midline!
  • Use a leftover calendar.

Check this site called Wasted Food for more tips on avoiding food waste.

#3 Eat your heaviest meal in the morning and your lightest at night.

I have a friend who does it backwards β€” eats his heaviest meals at night, even skipping meals during the day. And he doesn’t look like the healthiest bloke on the block either. To improve your metabolism and keep the weight off, it’s best to “front load” your meals by taking most of your calories earlier in the day.

#4 Eat smaller portions.

It’s actually better for your body to consume smaller quantities of food, more frequently throughout the day. There may be some adjustments you’ll go through in the beginning but it should get easier over time as your body gets used to the new schedule. It may also not be as practical to do this when you have a job that doesn’t allow you this sort of flexibility. Still, you may be able to control your portions better if you select higher quality foods that are rich in fiber and if you balance each meal with all the major food groups represented. Doing so will aid your digestion and fill you up better.

#5 Chew slowly and carefully.

Slow chewing will allow you to stop eating sooner. Your body will get a chance to register the “full” signal as you’re eating, and will do so on less bites if you slow down your eating. Less food eaten equates to less food needed, and perhaps a smaller bite out of your budget?

#6 Control your appetite with more physical activity.

Exercising gets your juices flowing and helps speed up your metabolism. Interestingly, studies suggest that exercise may increase your appetite at first since you are burning more calories. But over time, your body will respond to regular physical activity by decreasing your appetite for up to several hours after the activity.

#7 Dilute your fruit juices.

I’ve always found fruit juices to be overly sweet so I’ve gotten into the habit of diluting my drinks. Doing so has helped us cut down on juice purchases because we make them last longer. Plus we’re doing ourselves a favor by ingesting less sugar! This could be a useful trick if you can’t avoid the soda.

#8 Drink more water.

Many times, we think we’re hungry when we’re not. We’re actually dehydrated. It’s been said that we’d be able to curb our appetite by drinking more water. Although we’re told to drink 8 full glasses of water daily, the amount we actually should be drinking depends on our specific circumstances.

You can get more accurate information on the recommended amount of water you need to consume daily by trying out this cool hydration calculator.

#9 Avoid or control the consumption of processed and junk food.

Trim the fat from your pantry and your food budget! I’m referring to those sources of empty calories that your body doesn’t really need. This is actually tough advice for me to follow as I’ve always been a junk food addict. I’ve continually waged a war against my sweet tooth and my cravings for the munchies. I read somewhere that though this is partly genetic, it can also be a sign of imbalances in one’s system, which should be remedied by β€” you guessed it β€” better diet and improved physical activity.

#10 Consider vitamin supplementation.

If you’re not a good eater, you’ll be on your way to depleting your body of required vitamins and minerals. Supplements — especially the important ones — are a necessity to help replenish your body’s stores. Certain vitamins and minerals are important to prevent certain diseases from occurring and if you’re not getting them from your diet, consider taking a boost from other nutritional sources. Check out your local health food store or reputable health food sites like Swanson Health Products or The Vitamin Shoppe for the items you need.

I’ve gotten into debates about this with colleagues who believe that you should get all you need from the food you eat, and that would be true if you eat a healthy diet. Unfortunately, too many people I know don’t follow healthy diets, and probably have nutritional deficiencies. Supplements are there to hopefully help such people get back on track by addressing those gaps. The key here is moderation and appropriate treatment.

#11 Think twice about joining weight loss programs.

They could be a waste of time AND money. How do I know? Well because there are much cheaper alternatives. Not to say that such programs couldn’t work for some people, especially if they’ve already tried everything. For those who truly need the extra help, sites like Medifast and eDiets may be helpful.

#12 Eat more vegetables, cut down on red meat, caffeine, sugar and salt.

Yeah, yeah, yeah….boring. You’ve heard this advice before I’m sure — maybe too often. And these are some of the hardest things to do, if I say so myself. But I am practicing what I’m preaching here. How many times have I heard that we should consume several servings of vegetables a day consistently? Yech. And reduce the amount of red meat we eat? Dang. What about my favorite foods: coffee, sweets, junk/processed food and french fries? Well, I have now reached middle age and I’m now seeing people in my life falling into the clutches of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Things are getting too close to home, so I’m changing my diet before I really pay for the junk I consume. You can expect it to be a gradual process but by staying disciplined, you should make strides. Don’t forget too that by cutting out the junk, you’re saving money.

#13 Never skip breakfast.

I used to be one of those breakfast skippers who would pile it on heavily in the evening. This is because I wasn’t hungry in the morning but terribly so at night. I thought it was just the way some of us were, that it was a natural cycle for some people. But in reality, these are bad habits that your body has become accustomed to doing and that needs to be broken. For instance, imagine if you don’t have breakfast but decide to eat non-stop when you get home from work and continue to snack all the way till bedtime. Let’s just say this whacks out a body’s rhythm and does a number on glucose levels. But you may be surprised to learn how actually easy it is to retrain yourself into breaking those bad eating habits, such that your eating cycles are better regulated resulting in less food consumed each day and overall improved health. You just have to start somewhere.

#14 Never eat an incomplete meal.

I’ve actually made an investment in my health by seeing a nutritionist on occasion to correct my lifelong wrongs when it came to food and diet. Among the simplest, yet most valuable information I picked up (which I’m sure you can learn from other sources) is this: never eat an incomplete meal. What does this mean? This means that each meal we take should always contain all three basic food groups: carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein, because your body needs all three food elements to absorb properly and most efficiently in your body. In fact, I’ve learned that you can eat anything you want and still lose weight — just as long as you eat less of the things you want (and therefore, ingest fewer calories).

#15 Don’t let yourself go hungry.

It’s weird but I also learned that if you can be proactive and anticipate when you’ll be hungry, and actually eat something before you do, you’ll eat less, and better. If you eat right after you find yourself starving, you’ll end up devouring more than you need to. By the same token, if you eat slowly and chew your food well, you’ll be able to control your food consumption better.

In Conclusion

Who wouldn’t want to get healthier, lose the extra pounds and feel better? After all, our health is our most important asset and these days, health care costs are among those things that are rising faster than inflation. The secret to paying less for medical costs is to simply become healthier. Remember the adage: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

For those who are interested in before and after images — here are a few more.

More Examples of People Who’ve Lost Weight

Weight loss, before and after: photos of Jennifer

Before and after, weight loss photos of Ginger

photos of Cindy, when she lost weight

Created July 2, 2008. Updated March 30, 2012. Copyright © 2012 The Digerati Life. All Rights Reserved.

{ 78 comments… read them below or add one }

Coach Julio July 7, 1010 at 10:56 am

At the very basic level, it really is amazing how simple weight loss can be because all that’s really needed is to watch what you eat. Exercise can be optional. Recommended but not needed to lose weight.

I’ve known people who easily lost several pounds just by giving up soda. So, at the beginning it can be pretty easy to lose weight and get healthier.

Matt July 2, 2008 at 5:45 pm

I don’t know if you’ve read it or not but lately, there have been studies conducted which show that taking vitamin pills actually decreases a person’s lifespan, and people recovering from cancer who had vitamin supplements as part of their treatment had a lower life expectancy.

Silicon Valley Blogger July 2, 2008 at 5:50 pm

You may be talking about this study: Vitamins may reduce lifespan: Study

It is true that the indiscriminate use of anything can lead to harmful results. However, the key here, along with anything else, is appropriate use of supplements, especially if one is known to be nutritionally deficient. Supplementation is not aimed to replace a good, balanced diet. It is there to balance out deficiencies that one may be experiencing.

I’ll give you another example where supplements can help: there are certain illnesses that can actually be helped by supplementation instead of (or along with) medications. Of course, it is highly imperative that you discuss your treatments and health care with your physicians to ensure that you are dosing properly.

By the way, I’m not a doctor, so to anyone whom this may apply to: please make sure you get advice for any health issues you’re experiencing from a good doctor with a solid reputation.

mh July 2, 2008 at 6:09 pm

I take a daily women’s vitamin because I know that while I eat okay, I don’t eat great. And I really notice if I miss one – I’m dragging my feet by the end of my work day. they definitely help with my energy and metabolism. It also helps me in my overall diet/daily regiment because it’s something that I’m doing proactively every day as a reminder that I’m trying to be healthier which kind of keeps me on track for the rest of the day.

Kelly Dawson July 2, 2008 at 6:22 pm

I only have to say: wow. Excellent article. It really hit home. I am not doing enough with my eating regime. And of course, I miss breakfast almost every day.

I will try to change today.

Thanks for the article,
Kelly (creditsolutions)

Calorie Shifting July 3, 2008 at 1:13 am

I like this post, all is true and put in a simple way. Not sure I agree about the vitamins; if you eat healthy food it should give you all the vitamins your body needs.

Illa July 3, 2008 at 7:29 am

There is no need to spend money in order to lose weight. In fact vegetables are cheaper than lets say a chocolate cake or a steak so you should spend less on food. Then its just cardio. Jogging is free.

Christian July 3, 2008 at 9:23 am

All very good points. I might add one more point about #12 – Eat more “fresh” vegetables. The difference is very noticeable in energy levels.. and just overall well being. Thanks for the very informative and thought provoking post.

Veronica (lifewithnature) July 3, 2008 at 10:30 am

Great post! I think it would complement well my post about 10 tips to save money on healthy eating. Might add your article as a recommended reading. Thanks for sharing the info!

Silicon Valley Blogger July 3, 2008 at 11:09 am

I’m really focusing on the exercise right now. I discovered that I am one of those people who just has a huge appetite πŸ˜€ . Actually, I eat about 50% more than my husband it seems! Thank goodness I’m not exactly 50% bigger than my husband (yet). LOL.

I also noticed that exercise gets me “hungrier” although I have read and have heard from people that it suppresses appetite. Maybe I need to do it much more often πŸ˜‰ .

So far, I’ve been on a daily workout schedule of 1 hour and 15 minutes daily of aerobics and light weight training. This should get me slimmer in no time.

T.J. July 5, 2008 at 10:23 pm

Really convincing photos you’ve got there. If they can do it, we can do it (lose weight that is)! I’m a bit overweight myself and like everyone else, could lose a few. Problem is, I end up gaining it all back usually over the holidays.

Adeel Raza July 9, 2008 at 6:25 am

Good health tips and great results shown in the pics. Actually, I identify with these pics because I have lost some amount of weight by eating less and drinking more water…simple.

Fred July 9, 2008 at 7:18 am

I just love how you showed the before and after pictures of a few individuals who used to be fat before. It keeps one inspired and motivated. If they can do it, we can do it also. I will surely keep tabs on the tips and when I become successful, I will show you my before and after pics too.

Kim July 9, 2008 at 7:20 am

Very comprehensive post. I am so with you when it comes to vitamin supplementation. The JAMA recommends that all people should be taking a multivitamin because most of us do not get the correct levels of vitamins by diet alone.

Joseph Mercola July 17, 2008 at 8:17 pm

Love the last pic πŸ™‚
Great tips here. WastedFood sounds like a good read. Will check it out soon.. Thanks!

AndyS July 22, 2008 at 9:12 am

Great post as usual. I had written something similar last month and it is amazing how many frugal ways to get in shape there are. So not having enough money is no reason to not get in shape and lose some pounds. Motivation, now that is another thing altogether.

Emily July 22, 2008 at 12:27 pm

Love this post! But I wanted to mention some additional reasons not to take diet pills: Most are NOT FDA approved and they are dangerous! There have been many lawsuits over people dying from diet pills containing ingredients like ephedra. In high school I started using lots of diet pills and they would make my heart race and make me feel dizzy. I lost weight but I was unhealthy and not eating enough, and eventually my body became tolerant to them and they stopped working, even when I switched brands. So glad that happened, because I stopped polluting my body with that junk.

There’s also that new pill, Alli, which is FDA approved (very rare for a diet pill) and helps reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs. The catch? It can cause “bowel changes” as part of the treatment. And if you eat too much fat while on the diet pill (you’re not supposed to exceed 15g of fat a day, which is a small amount) you may get “gas with oily spotting, loose stools, more frequent stools that may be hard to control.” That does not sound like fun!

Moving Costs July 28, 2008 at 10:10 am

Number 3 and 4, I usually follow when I am on a diet. But what I believe (I think it works for me) is to stand up after every meal I have for at least 30 minutes.

Jenny August 7, 2008 at 11:06 pm

Being sensible about what we eat can have a big impact on weight loss and overall health. Thanks for the article.
Jenny.

Atkins Advisor August 22, 2008 at 9:55 am

Anyone still interested in the Atkins diet? I found a great site on this controversial diet. I’d love to hear what you think of that diet.

Scheols September 24, 2008 at 6:02 am

I think I’ll have to agree on points 1 & 2 the most, some stuff is just a waste of money.

Isabelle Newton November 25, 2008 at 7:54 am

I think weight loss is all about vigilance. Especially when you’re first starting out and aren’t used to your new regime yet. It’s easy to have ‘just one biscuit’ with your tea. Or a couple of cups of coffee with sugar on a cold day instead of water, but ALL these calories count. As well as simple things like trying not to eat after 6pm or getting enough sleep/vitamins etc… simple and FREE ways to boost your metabolism, and therefore your weight loss, and yet these are the things that people aren’t doing. Really great article.

skf December 15, 2008 at 9:14 pm

Atkins sure works no doubt about it, I’m not sure about recent study that says it causes mental impairment. The Ornish diet is excellent to but very very hard to stick to, but the weight will come off if you can.

Bill Caralluma February 3, 2009 at 5:21 am

Yep spend less on food and become thinner, and have more resources for other things!
Exercise and long term diet strategies can’t hurt either πŸ˜€

Bill

guide to bulking up February 3, 2009 at 3:46 pm

Some great tips here, most of them people dont realise, like eating the largest meal in the morning and smallest at night. Most people I know who are trying to lose weight just skip out breakfast thinking its going to make them thin, if only they could realise this is the opposite of what you need!

john February 11, 2009 at 10:58 am

i lost weight by playing playstation 3 and eating cheetos.

Silicon Valley Blogger February 11, 2009 at 11:00 am

John,

Pics or it didn’t happen. πŸ˜‰

dr. MANISH GROVER February 13, 2009 at 7:00 pm

I M A dietician & i know the value of fruit & salad. eat more than 50% fruits & salad in total day diet.

Robyno March 19, 2009 at 8:56 am

I couldn’t agree with you more on the diet pills. So many people spend their hard earned cash on diet pills and other fad diets, it is just a waste of money. The only way to lose weight and get fit is to eat healthier foods and exercise on a regular basis. Make it your lifestyle and you will be lean and keen and healthy too.

Mandi March 25, 2009 at 6:12 pm

These are all great weight loss tips and tricks to making the weight come off and stay off. I just wish I could stick to all of this.

helse June 4, 2009 at 5:55 am

Thanks for the shout concerning the pills. It just unethical and it doesn’t lead you anywhere.. The solution is not taking pills! It’s not eating.

Vanessa June 4, 2009 at 6:38 pm

You can save money if you’ll make your exercise on your own. Many tips are coming out, from magazines, there are also online tips available and a lot more. I’m wondering why my tummy is big, and my cousin told me not to drink more water? What is your idea about this.. Drink more water or not?

Chris July 4, 2009 at 2:03 pm

I thought the before and after pics were truely inspirational. Amazing what determination can acheive!

charlie July 24, 2009 at 2:01 pm

Any activity that stimulates the heart can be good for you, I run on a regular basis, it burns but it’s great. I also weight train to gain muscle and strip fat, and i’ve never felt better

Eating correctly is the key for either weight gain or weight loss. Getting that correct can be cheaper then people realize. Buying raw ingredients, preparing the food yourself, and buying good fresh vegetables can save a lot of money, you pay for the convenience of pre package food plus there usually have more salt and fat contents.

One way of losing belly flab is to eat more protein and less carbs in the daily diet.

Janet Albanese August 9, 2009 at 12:18 pm

These pics look great and they are very inspirational for those who want to eliminate belly fat. I like to see pictures like these because people who need to lose some extra pounds can really see that the hard work and dedication pays off.

Brandi October 20, 2009 at 11:16 am

I myself would like to lose at least fifty pounds. I am having trouble getting to my goal. I have tried everything to try and lose weight, but I am not having any results. If there is someone out there that actually has tried this diet and it worked please let me know on here.

I know how easy it is to just post anything on the internet and you photoshop pictures and make people look skinny. So I am just trying to find out if this really true diet. Thanks for posting this on here.

Jamie October 23, 2009 at 3:25 pm

All of ya’ll are wrong. I am a seventh grader doing a project on weight loss. I used to weigh 194 lbs. Now I weigh 102. That’s right. All you do is not eat anything. It really works!!!
It works for everyone. I dare you guys to not eat anything but drink water for 2 days. It really super duperly works!!! TRY IT, YOU HOPELESS PEOPLE!!!!

Silicon Valley Blogger October 23, 2009 at 5:06 pm

If you don’t eat anything, you’ll slow down your metabolism, which will make things worse for your body… this can cause yo-yo dieting. What’s best is to eat a balanced diet and exercise. No magic bullet, here, but you can look and feel your best by just being balanced about how you eat, work, rest and exercise.

shavonni November 17, 2009 at 7:18 pm

When u eat nothing, your body proceeds to defend itself by going into “starvation mode”. Essentially, this is your body’s way of coping with the sudden and severe deprivation of food. Your metabolism slows down drastically to ensure that it retains enough energy and fat to sustain itself in this time of what the body interprets as “famine”.
Initially, you will in fact lose wait. But be warned that most of this is merely water weight. Your body is simply being dehydrated, but most of the fat remains. Some fat will also be shed, but eventually your body will seek to preserve itself by slowing down your metabolism in order to hold on to fat. Hence although your body in fact appears to be lighter after two days of consuming nothing but water, it’s just because your body has lost fluid.
Additionally, not eating can lead to serious health issues, including gastritis. Google it and you’ll see the damage that can be done when your stomach remains empty for too long.
I suggest eating a balanced diet, snack on fruits instead of junk, reduce your sugar intake, eat less fried foods, increase your fibre intake, drink sufficient fluids and exercise (even a little walking will help). Give it a try and I guarantee that you’ll see a difference…And you’ll definitely feel better! Take care and God bless u!

Jo

Katy November 26, 2009 at 8:34 am

I agree, not eating is not a good way to reduce weight. I belief that knowing what makes you fat is essential because so many people have no idea. Therefore nutrition knowledge is the key to success especially if you sustainably want to lose weight.

Katy November 26, 2009 at 8:35 am

I totally agree with your statements. I have tried different diets too, but it never worked out for me since the yo-yo effect hit back every time. In my opinion the only way to lose weight sustainably is to learn about nutrition and this actually helps you to lose weight. You can easily create a weight loss meal plan that is healthy.

All the best to you…

Carol January 17, 2010 at 12:32 am

Great Blog. I think the key to losing weight, is sticking to a plan and watch what you eat. When I made the decision to lose weight, my downfall has been jumping back and forth with different methods. I finally decided to stick with one and stay with it.

Boot Camp February 8, 2010 at 7:14 am

Great post! I loved your idea of diluting fruit juices; I’ve never heard that one before. Thanks!

Romoel Cano February 21, 2010 at 9:40 am

Wooahhh…. really nice post. I’ll attest to the “more water” thing. A friend of mine tried a water diet, he was peeing so many times per day and a lot less food (I guess the water fills him up). And the result was pretty awesome.

Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny February 26, 2010 at 7:44 pm

OK – I took the water test you suggested in #8. I need 82 oz of water a day. When I’m good, I get 64oz. That extra couple of glasses is going to require discipline. Drinking enough water is my goal until it becomes habit and I just do it because it works. More water. I start tomorrow with 82 oz. It’s funny because I still feel thirsty even when I’ve drunk 64 oz. So, maybe, just maybe – they’re right about me needing more.

The Water Challenge has begun! Thanks!

Nick March 17, 2010 at 4:52 am

Two things: Will power and the passion to succeed with losing weight got me through!

Sue March 17, 2010 at 6:27 am

It’s a really fantastic article on losing weight. I think the most important thing about losing fat is to know what to eat and follow a step-by-step fat loss program to be able to keep what you achieve. You can lose weight with the right nutrition and fat loss plan.

Alan March 21, 2010 at 2:22 am

I have been eating a lot of junk food recently over the last year and have been surprised by how large my food bill has been. It’s a lot cheaper to buy vegetables and some form of vegetarian protein than it is to buy meat and processed junk foods like fries, burgers etc. These are all good tips.

Jane May 10, 2010 at 5:07 am

Great article, i think that it is important for people to have some sort of a diet plan because it can be very easy to start eating too many calories if you don’t keep an eye on things.

Jenny June 8, 2010 at 11:17 pm

Making a plan is so important. It makes all the difference if you set realistic goals and then make your plan in order to achieve them. Those pictures are great!

john June 30, 2010 at 12:30 pm

Lots of this points makes sense, especially exercise, more vegetables, less sugar and junk foods. Drink water when you feel hungry!

Ala...tried em all July 11, 2010 at 3:54 pm

The “don’t buy diet drinks” part is so true. Ten pounds for me just eliminating diet drinks. I’m glad to be a part of the weight loss community and I’ve completely re-shaped myself.

cheyenne yordy August 20, 2010 at 4:53 pm

im not that fat but i wanna lose some more weight i tryed exersizes and diet pills and foods . If u r reading this can u help me with some tips.

Jenifer August 24, 2010 at 10:47 am

This might not work for everyone, but I find that it helps to meet weight loss targets when I focus on my success at maintaining a healthy eating plan for a period of time.

Massey September 5, 2010 at 9:44 am

All good suggestions. The main problem I see is people these days don’t take the time to prepare their food. They don’t want to cook. They just want to buy it ready made and pop it in the microwave. That type of food has no nutrients.

Marla September 8, 2010 at 7:23 pm

I also LOVE before and after pictures, they’re so motivational.

I like your tip about eating your heaviest meal in the morning and then decreasing the amount of calories throughout the day. This would seem like a common sense approach to dieting, but most of us have been trained to have our heaviest meal at night . . . when you have less time to burn it off before you go to bed. I think I’ll be taking this reverse approach with my next dieting attempt.

Kyle September 16, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Wow great transformation! What was your main motivation to get skinny?

Osolean September 19, 2010 at 8:58 pm

Fantastic, the before and after pics are amazing, great job!!

Eliken September 20, 2010 at 1:46 pm

I agree, not eating is not a good way to reduce weight. I belief that knowing what makes you fat is essential because so many people have no idea. I think I’ll be taking this reverse approach with my next dieting attempt. I think that it is important for people to have some sort of a diet plan because it can be very easy to start eating too many calories if you don’t keep an eye on things.

Ryan October 19, 2010 at 1:07 pm

I like your insight and methods on weight loss. Especially the section to eat your heaviest meal in the morning and lightest at night. Not a lot of people do that and don’t realize that’s the worst possible time to eat a heavy meal. I enjoyed your article!

Silicon Valley Blogger October 19, 2010 at 5:58 pm

Want my favorite weight loss trick? It’s this: I am a rice eater. So what have I done? Stop eating so much rice! It goes with any type of carbohydrates though — once you eat less of it, you may just find yourself painlessly losing the pounds. You don’t even have to do much else! Anyway, I have been using this trick and it works.

Also, if I get sugar cravings, I drink white or green tea. It does away with the cravings and helps me avoid the sugar!

Indika November 22, 2010 at 11:57 pm

This is a great blog and I love the ‘before and after’ pics.
To add my 2 cents worth I would advocate the following too:

* Interval training – adding short bursts of intense activity to the routine workout;
* Addressing the mental element of weight loss – using visualization and affirmations;
* Managing stress – cortisol promotes weight gain / fat storage.

I hope this helps. Good luck everyone and may you all reach your goals.
Love and peace.

Cristian December 6, 2010 at 7:24 pm

I had struggled with weight problems all my life. I used some weight suppressants pills but the effect was for a short period of time. Exercise and healthy eating, together, is the key.

Get Slim December 10, 2010 at 10:08 am

Great postings. I think it all comes down to our habits. If we can develop good eating habits — and enjoy them, we’ll lose the weight and get fitter. Thanks for the sensible advice.

Aaron December 29, 2010 at 5:07 pm

Great article with tons of great advice. I think the key to losing weight is turning the decision to lose weight into a lifestyle choice. Thanks again for the article, very motivational.

Aaron

Natascha January 7, 2011 at 5:31 pm

number #13 is hard for me cause my medicine doesnt like mixing with breakfast so it all comes back up again (if you get what i mean).

so i’m always like hungry when i am at school before break time it is so annoying; trying to eat my breakfast just don’t seem to work much.

Jon Jones February 16, 2011 at 4:04 pm

Great Post Guys, I can’t believe those pictures — those are some transformations! I love the pictures, they really tell the story of how important it is to keep to a normal weight for your body size.

Mike February 22, 2011 at 1:59 am

Eating smaller portions will help you stay out of hunger and also reduces the amount of food you eat during meals.

Gisle Waaden February 27, 2011 at 11:27 am

Great blog with some great tips. I work as a chef and started to gain weight pretty fast. It was hard not to gain weight since you move around with food on all sides all the time and it is hard to not taste a bit here and there. I found out that if i stopped tasting everything (often more than tasting) and stuck to regular meals my weight gain stopped and finally started to go down.

Chase April 3, 2011 at 11:02 pm

I agree with #6, #8 and #9. Junk food should be taken out of the diet. Drink more water and being active would help one reach the goal of losing weight in no time.

Willie Turpin April 17, 2011 at 9:46 pm

I truly believe water plays a much bigger role when it comes to weight loss than most people seem to realize. As a matter of fact, when the subject is brought up, water is not even mentioned, and when you bring it up, it is quickly replaced with talks of sports drinks.

CB April 1, 2012 at 8:22 am

I’ve lost 30 pounds easily by focusing on a plant based, low oil, low sugar diet. Lots more energy. Nothing is forbidden, I just eat 90% of my focus food. For someone who doesn’t exercise already, focus on the diet first, then add exercise. When one is lighter, one moves more. Add some vit. B12 when eating mostly plants.

Silicon Valley Blogger April 1, 2012 at 9:37 am

Thanks CB! Great story! I love hearing about success stories and what people have done to manage their health successfully (as they say, “health is wealth”).

I can also provide an update on my personal weight loss program. I was actually somewhat overweight for 10 years due to having kids, a shot thyroid and hormonal shifts. In September 2011, I resolved to make changes (and usually, these changes would be good for a month at most, then I was back to old habits). Well, this time, I stuck to my plan and have now returned to very close to my original weight in 2001! That makes me the leanest I’ve been in over 10 years, and I did it in 5 to 6 months’ time.

How did I manage to do this? I just ate less. I read somewhere that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. I used to exercise a lot more in the past, with no results in terms of weight loss. This time around, I kept with my normal physical regimen but tossed out junk food, went lighter on desserts/sugar, cut down on carbs (do not eliminate, just reduce) and went for lighter calorie alternatives to what I would used to ingest. By just being more conscious of what I eat, the pounds dropped off.

Some of my basic changes:
– cut down on red meat: I only eat red meat on special occasions (limited to once a week).
– replace soda with a light drink like “Honest Tea”
– drink lots of water first before succumbing to cravings
– reduce intake of carbohydrates such as rice (a favorite staple), bread, starch
– now eat a lot more greens, seafood, fish and chicken
– limit intake of high glucose fruits like bananas and instead, switched to pears or apples.

Once I developed these habits, things got easier. And any mild, vague chronic aches and pains I used to have that I would attribute to food allergies or strange conditions like auto-immunity have pretty much vanished. I no longer spend extra on expensive vitamins and over the counter health fixes. I also stopped having to visit any doctors (which cost me in copayments) for the vague maladies I would experience. Those “maladies” simply went away with the lifestyle changes I’ve adopted.

Thrifty Writer April 1, 2012 at 11:00 am

After my weight was going up and down, despite trying to track my eating habits and exercising at least 3 times per week, I finally signed on with a trainer willing to work with me at my income level. What a difference it made – I now work out 5 – 6 days per week (3 45 minute training sessions featuring a cardio-strength circuit) and 2 – 3 exercise classes per week. While I haven’t lost a lot of weight in 2 months (only about 5 pounds) I have lost many inches around my waist and my arms and stomach are more toned than they have been in years. The key was cutting back on portion sizes for grains and meats (brown rice instead of white, and the portion of rice can be no bigger than my fist, meat no bigger than a deck of cards) upping my vegetable intake, eating egg whites and not yolks and cutting back on baked goods and cheese. I also drink a lot more water. Possibly, after another 2 month course, I’ll start doing more of the training stuff on my own, but I know that I would never push myself as hard as my trainer does. Oh, and I also did the inverted meal thing, with breakfast and lunch being big and dinner being a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit.

Pamela April 2, 2012 at 12:27 pm

I think it’s important to have a support group. If you just go on a diet by yourself and don’t tell anyone about it, it’s too easy to cheat and even just give up. When you have other people checking in on you and supporting you, then you might cheat a little bit but you’re less likely to just give up completely. And although I agree with you that you can’t take diet pills forever, it’s great to have that little extra boost, at least at first, just to get the diet started, because just getting started on a diet and exercise plan is so difficult, speaking for myself, I want to see some real results that first couple of weeks or I won’t stick to it.

MIke April 6, 2012 at 7:31 am

Absolutely wonderful advice – down to earth and easy to follow! I don’t agree with number 11 although I do understand where it is coming from. I have been on Jenny, Nutri and Weight Watchers and to me they are nothing more than money suckers that get you started off good, and I really think they rely on you gaining the weight back so you can become a repeat customer! I recently started barosolutions and so far so good. They are focused on the long-term results I am looking for, aren’t super pushy and I never really liked pills, but I am on the NutriPex (all natural or I would not even think about it!) and they really are giving me a good boost!

Anyways… LOVE the before and after pictures too, very inspiring! Wish Me Luck!

Arthur April 8, 2012 at 9:01 am

Great examples of eating health and no fad diets. Eating right and at the right times is very important; and don’t skip meals. I lost weight in a very short amount of time by cutting my carbs considerably (but still eating healthy) and low impact exercise.

Cathi April 12, 2012 at 11:51 am

As stated by previous comments, this is a wonderful article full of good tips.
Everyone assumes that weight loss and health are rocket science – they aren’t, they are just common sense.

Another factor that a lot of people over look is that getting in to shape actually helps reduce your eating habits and calorie consumption – as does drinking more water, and both aid in the speeding up of your metabolism and both are free.

Another great tip is to cut out wheat from your diet – that one trick alone will help you lose weight quickly.

All the best

Cathi

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