# Diet tips that actually work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 16, 2012, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860 "2012-09-16T08:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/41 "2012-09-17T01:55:27Z")
Ladies, don’t be afraid to lift weights and lift heavy! It’s beneficial for weight loss, bone health and a ton of other stuff that I don’t even know about. You will not get bulky (unless you want to). Women who bulk up put in more time and effort into their lifting and diet than anyone could ever imagine. They weren’t one day trying to lose a few pounds then became world-class bodybuilders against their will. You don’t have to be relegated to the treadmill floor or the zumba room - get in there and lift! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/42 "2012-09-17T02:29:51Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Ladies, don’t be afraid to lift weights and lift heavy! It’s beneficial for weight loss, bone health and a ton of other stuff that I don’t even know about. > > You will not get bulky (unless you want to). Women who bulk up put in more time and effort into their lifting and diet than anyone could ever imagine. They weren’t one day trying to lose a few pounds then became world-class bodybuilders against their will. > > You don’t have to be relegated to the treadmill floor or the zumba room - get in there and lift! This entire post should be bolded and reposted on every even partially woman-populated board out there. Yes! Wise words! ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/43 "2012-09-17T03:40:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t exercise to look better. Exercise for other reasons instead. I do it because it helps me stay sane. It’s the only time I get to myself from when I wake up at 5:30 until I fall asleep at 11:30. Most other times, so many people are talking to me (whether it’s kids, husband or co-workers) that I feel like I can’t even finish a thought. Exercise has become my haven, which makes me want to do it as often as I can find time to do so. > > Oh, and when you try to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, take one day a week to do the “heavy planning” so you don’t have to spend as much time thinking about food later. If you’re having willpower issues, you’re probably already obsessing about food anyway. Putting yourself in a position where you’re always planning for the next meal makes obsession an even easier trap to fall into. This is wonderful advise, IMHO, and exactly why I love my hour at the gym, I can literally feel the stress fallling away. And the prep tip is why Weight Watchers etc. never worked for me, when I have to think about food, I want food!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/44 "2012-09-17T04:15:28Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > \ > Another thing is just don’t buy junk snack food. Period. Again, I have poor impulse control, so if there are Doritos in my home, I am going to eat the shit out of them. I cannot control myself; I will just eat every fucking chip in that bag, and then lick the cheese dust off my fingers after. So I just don’t do it. I have zero junk snacks in my home at all. Doing this has reprogrammed my mind to not even want to eat just because. Eating in my mind is now a process that involves doing a lot of shit, so I don’t even bother unless I actually want to eat.\ I think this is one of those things where you have to know your own tendencies - if I have junk food in the house, I can have a bite and put it back in the cupboard. If I don’t have junk food in the house, I’ll eat everything in the house until I satisfy whatever craving it is that I’m currently having. My husband is an “eat it until it’s gone” kind of guy - I hide junk food from him. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/45 "2012-09-17T04:24:22Z")
Reduce your carb intake. Not saying go on the Atkins diet but cut out white breads, fries etc. walk everywhere you can. At least a mile a day. Let yourself splurge once in a whole but them go back to the healthy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/46 "2012-09-17T04:27:16Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Ditto on the smaller plats thing. Also, it can be useful to weigh your portions. To see just how much you’re putting on your plate. I’ve been on a weight loss plan for a year now, and I still weigh my meat portions. Pasta and rice should always be cooked by weight; specially pasta. Apportioning small pasta “by eye” when you’re used to eyeing 60g of penne can easily lead to 300g+ portions :eek: ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/47 "2012-09-17T04:33:56Z")
Many great tips here. For me, what works is reducing carbs, exercising daily (or at least 5x/wk), letting myself feel hungry at times. I’m not talking about starving yourself - what I mean is not feeling like you have to be snacking on something every 2 hours. The one thing that I have yet to be able to do with consistency is what **Ambivalid** said – drink a lot of water. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/48 "2012-09-17T04:38:15Z")
Oh and portion control - using smaller plates helps. I am currently trying to get to my ultimate weight goal. It’s going to be hard as hell. It will take real commitment, but when I get there, it will be unbelievably gratifying. Wish me luck. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/49 "2012-09-17T04:59:19Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I think this is one of those things where you have to know your own tendencies - if I have junk food in the house, I can have a bite and put it back in the cupboard. If I don’t have junk food in the house, I’ll eat everything in the house until I satisfy whatever craving it is that I’m currently having. My husband is an “eat it until it’s gone” kind of guy - I hide junk food from him. 🙂 Def. I know people who can have Doritos in their home and not eat all of them. I do not understand these people at all, but they do exist. I’ve seen them. But I reckon that for a lot of people, mindless snacking on bad food is all too easy, so a solution to that is to keep the junk food away. I do have some snack food in my place, but it’s light yogurt and carrot sticks and stuff like that, so even if I go to town on them, meh. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/50 "2012-09-17T12:35:49Z")
> [@](#): > > I know people who can have Doritos in their home and not eat all of them. I do not understand these people at all, but they do exist. exactly. I do not understand these people!! **know yourself** , there is it. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/51 "2012-09-17T13:02:17Z")
Track your calories. Every day, don’t skip or forget. Everything doesn’t have to be perfectly exact, a little estimating is fine, but if you’re trying to lose weight, estimate on the high side. It’s a lot harder to lie to yourself about how much you’re eating that way; there’s a big difference between 2000 and 2200 calories a day over the course of a year, but it’s really easy to wave it away each day unless you’re paying attention. Also, stop drinking so much booze. I know, it sucks, but it really helps. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/52 "2012-09-17T14:05:32Z")
Walk outside at least an hour a day. I honestly believe that being outside is essential to an overall feeling of wellness. Before you eat anything, have a no calorie drink. Often thirst is mistaken for hunger. Stop making judgements about food. NO food is “good” or bad." Learn to eat when you are hungry and eat what you want. If you really want to binge on a food, promise yourself that in exactly 24 hours you will eat as much as you want. If you still want it. Eating cures hunger. NOTHING ELSE. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/53 "2012-09-17T15:14:18Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > Track your calories. Every day, don’t skip or forget. Everything doesn’t have to be perfectly exact, a little estimating is fine, but if you’re trying to lose weight, estimate on the high side. It’s a lot harder to lie to yourself about how much you’re eating that way; there’s a big difference between 2000 and 2200 calories a day over the course of a year, but it’s really easy to wave it away each day unless you’re paying attention. This is what I’m doing, with an app called MyFitnessPal. My goal is to maintain, not lose, but just logging everything I eat has resulted in some weight loss. I feel a lot more aware of what constitutes enough. > [@Kiros](#): > > Also, stop drinking so much booze. I know, it sucks, but it really helps. ☹ Aw, hell no! :mad: Actually, when I started tracking what I eat, I realized I was going to have to cut drinking or dessert. Instead of the nightly bowl of ice cream, I’ve started eating one single square of the darkest chocolate I can stand. It goes great with a glass of wine, and really kills the sweets craving. (I got that tip recently in a BBQ Pit thread, so thanks, whoever posted it!) ---
**Author:** ![SweetiePotato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SweetiePotato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetiePotato)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/54 "2012-09-17T16:45:59Z")
Personally, I didn’t start to eat right until I got into running. And then I realized very quickly that the stuff I was eating was either going to make the running easier or make the running more difficult. I really started to feel it if I overate or ate the wrong things. Regular exercise really helps you “hear” your body better. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/55 "2012-09-17T17:37:12Z")
My biggest tip is that no tip works for everyone. I don’t like sweets so cutting those down or out would have no effect. I would rather have a couple of beers and less food TYVM. Weighing myself everyday makes it a competition for me (against me). I track everything religiously and plan all my meals in advance. If there is a special occasion with good food, I am going to eat my fill. That is what works for ME. You need to come up with your own plan that you are comfortable with. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/56 "2012-09-17T17:53:20Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > Also, stop drinking so much booze. I know, it sucks, but it really helps. ☹ Indeed. I had been exercising 5-6 days a week for about 6 months and hadn’t seen a noticeable difference in my weight, so I decided to just stop drinking alcohol for two months to see if it had any effect. I made no other changes to my diet or exercise routine. For the first five weeks, nothing happened. Then in the next two weeks I lost nine pounds, and the belly I had been battling (the only place on my body where I accumulate weight) just shrank down nice and flat. Two years later I ran the same experiment and it happened again. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/57 "2012-09-17T17:55:05Z")
Eat slowly, and like the Okinawans, only until 80% full. It may take a little while to figure out what 80% is, but it works great for me. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/58 "2012-09-17T18:17:03Z")
Get enough sleep. You wouldn’t think sleep would have anything to do with weight but when you are tired you want energy and when you want energy you eat something, which doesn’t help with the tired so you eat some more. > [@Kiros](#): > > Also, stop drinking so much booze. I know, it sucks, but it really helps. ☹ Booze (and in my case, beer) gets you two ways. Lots of calories by itself and it also lowers your abilty to make proper choices in late night snacks. I would guess that 75% of my calories on the weekend are alcohol related in some way. I know I never eat peanut butter straight from the jar unless I’ve had a few drinks. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/59 "2012-09-17T18:27:06Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Actually, when I started tracking what I eat, I realized I was going to have to cut drinking or dessert. Instead of the nightly bowl of ice cream, I’ve started eating one single square of the darkest chocolate I can stand. It goes great with a glass of wine, and really kills the sweets craving. (I got that tip recently in a BBQ Pit thread, so thanks, whoever posted it!) Assuming you read it a month or two back, I’m pretty sure I read the same thread - I’ve started keeping these little 300 calorie 72% dark chocolate bars around, and they’re a nice little treat if I’ve got sufficient room left in the ‘budget’ at the end of the night. [QUOTE=shiftless] Booze (and in my case, beer) gets you two ways. Lots of calories by itself and it also lowers your abilty to make proper choices in late night snacks. I would guess that 75% of my calories on the weekend are alcohol related in some way. I know I never eat peanut butter straight from the jar unless I’ve had a few drinks. [/QUOTE] The drinking thing is my little personal weight loss challenge. If I keep it to two nights a week I can stay even pretty easily, and I can drop a pound or two a week if I stick to Saturday nights only. That’s a lot easier to think about rationally now than at the work happy hour on Thursday, or when I’m watching football with friends on Sunday. And, same issue as you, as soon as I start drinking, the snacking judgment goes out the window. I consumed literally four thousand calories between when we ordered the first round of beer on Saturday evening around 6 and when we went to sleep around 1. I’m still down a pound over the last week since every other day was nice and in line. Life’s little challenges. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860/60 "2012-09-18T20:02:05Z")
> [@Kiros](#): > > Assuming you read it a month or two back, I’m pretty sure I read the same thread - I’ve started keeping these little 300 calorie 72% dark chocolate bars around, and they’re a nice little treat if I’ve got sufficient room left in the ‘budget’ at the end of the night. Me too! To add something that I don’t think has been mentioned yet, avoid processed foods. I’m amazed at the friends I have who tell me they’re eating, like, a Fiber One bar or a Power bar and think they’re doing something good for their bodies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-tips-that-actually-work/634860.md?page=4)