What tips do other people have?

Weekly Tips - Archive

October 2008

Ann - Mt Annan NSW

Very simply, eat smaller serves at night.

Anonymous - Sydney NSW

Avoid eating meals in front of the TV, so you can be more aware of how much you are eating and if you feel full.

Aubs - Wentworthville NSW

In the Office : If you have several pages to print off, print one page at a time. Then pick it from the printer and return to the desk. Then print the next page and do the same as above. This will increase activity and burn calories. Walk fast to the printer and back.

Cindy Hooker - Rockhampton QLD

Hi, I am a member of the 10,000 Steps webiste, and every day I put on my pedometer (a step counter) and count my physical activity and incidental activity levels in steps. This website helps me to monitor my physical activity levels and helps to keep me motivated, as I can see how many steps I have taken whenever I like, and therefore know if I need to do more activity in order to reach my goal of 10,000 Steps a day. I think everyone could benefit and decrease their waist measurement by utilising the 10,000 Steps program - it certainly has helped keep me healthy and active.

Deb - Parkes NSW

see how many sit-ups you can do during the ads of your favourite TV show. You may want to start with just 10 each ad break, but gradually work your way up to 50 or 100.

Fiona - Parkwood WA

If you don't have time to cook during the week, bulk cook on the weekend, eg a pasta sauce (tomato, onion, zucchini, capsicum and/or mince) and freeze in portions so that it can be used when time is limited.

Fiona - Parkwood WA

If exercise is hard to fit in your day, go for 10-15min walks during your lunch break to 'find 30' or walk 10-15min before getting in the car to go home at the end of the day.

Fiona - Parkwood WA

Carry a healthy fruit bar or piece of fruit in your handbag to avoid purchasing 'bad' food snacks whilst out and about.

Gaza - Canberra ACT

try and become active or busy during the times when you are most likely to snack. Go to bed early to avoid the opportunity to late night snack. The extra rest will help energy levels the next day.

Janice - Texas WA

Whenever you are feeling hungry, drink some water. Most of the time you are just dehydrated. Wait 10 minutes, and you will see you weren't really hungry at all.

Mel - North Perth WA

Find a healthy eating motivator, either family, friend or a professional (e.g. Dietician). Check in with that person each fortnight about your healty eating choices and moving every day.

Mick Denman - Ipswich QLD

Do not eat anything after dinner in the evening. One coffee or tea is OK after dinner, but drink at least 500ml of water also before bed. Get up and have a walk early in the morning before eating breakfast.

Mossy - Carramar WA

Don't go overboard with the planning of your whole new life. Otherwise you won't have the energy or motivation to carry out your well made plans. Start with the things you currently do and increase the intensity each week. The motivation and energy will gradual grow and positive habits will be formed. Leading to a healthy you.

Nat - Arncliffe NSW

I park my car a couople of 100 metres away from work, I enjoy the walk and find it refreshing to enjoy some time outside during the day.

Pennie - Gladesville NSW

Try to enlist the help and support of a friend when you start to make changes to your lifestyle. They can keep you motivated and check to see if you are staying on track. Tell them your goals and what specific action you are planning in order to acheive them. This way you have someone to report back to on your progress.

Rebecca - Newtown NSW

To ensure you stay motivated put your sneakers and work out gear next to your bed, so when you wake up you have no excuse

Tam - Mackay QLD

Use stairs whenever you have the opportunity to do so. Drink lots of water. And always pack your own nutritious lunch for work. It saves snacking unhealthily on the run.

Tamara - Bassendean WA

Process older fruit to a puree and mix with yoghurt of your choice and freeze for a yummy and healthy snack during the hot summer months for you and the kids.

Teresa - Lathlain WA

Instead of going back for seconds straight away at dinner, wait 20 minutes and then see if you are still hungry. Quite often you'll feel full enough. This pause allows time for your stomach to tell your brain that you've had enough to eat.

Tes - Maroubra NSW

hang the tape measure on the fridge or keep it on the top of the fridge.

"Lily" - Birdwood SA

Use olive oil instead of butter or magarine when baking cakes, biscuits and muffins. For every 2 ounces of butter in the recipe substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil. You may need to increase the amount of added liquid if the mixture is too stiff (eg milk, water etc)

Anne - Ulladulla NSW

If you don't want to miss your favourite shows on TV either record them and watch them at a convenient time or while watching use weights to strenthen arm muscles and improve muscle tone.

Mike - Glass House Mtns QLD

Buy a lunch box and get organised. Treat your daily eating as a priority.

mimy - howard springs NT

while watching tv get on the floor and do floor execises

Anthony - Quakers Hill NSW

When at the shops and in need of a lunch, grab 2 banana's and a pack of flat bread/lebanese bread. Simply peel the banana and place in the bread. Simple, healthy, quick and economical.

Ash - Sippy Downs QLD

Dont be like me, I used to stand up and look down if I could see my toes than I decided I was doing okay, but that was until my guts got in the way, so use the tape measure it doesnt lie.

Brandon - Perth WA

Use a calorie and exercise counter like About.com's Calorie Count (caloriecount.about.com) - if you can stick to this it could work. It's incorporating technology into keeping healthy.

Bree - Monash ACT

Put a roast onto a rack in your normal baking dish and use a little water in the bottom instead of oil. Baste with a bit of honey so that it browns. Healthy as, and delicious.

Mark - Mawson Lakes SA

To get access to more antioxidants, drink white tea, as opposed to black tea or green tea. You can drink it with or without milk for taste. Due to the fact that white tea goes through less refining than other teas, it is a lot better for you. You can buy it from most supermarkets.

Overweight - Townsville QLD

Some products that claim to reduced fat can actually be quite high in sugar. Take yoghurt for example.

Teresa - Bushland Beach QLD

When unpacking groceries spend a little extra time and cut up your vegetables into salad or stirfry size pieces, then store these in the fridge, this way you already have your salad or vegetable portion ready and ar less likely to eat junk food because it is easier and quicker. Once cut up if there is a lot and you think it will go off before you use it just cook extra and freeze either vegetables by themselves or in a complete meal that way you are not wasting anything.

Tina - Newington NSW

The most important thing in eating healthy is to keep motivated. Stick pictures of danger signs near fridges and pantries to stop you from reaching for that extra chocolate. A food diary also helps you to plan what you eat, and having set meal and snack times reduces the need for extra snacking. Anything that you eat that was not on the food diary will have to be written down, making you highly aware of just exactly what you eat in a day.

Alexandra - Narwee NSW

Keep a food diary. If you are eating extra or turn to food when you are angry, upset, fearful or stressed; note it down and identify those reasons.

Allan - Goulburn NSW

Get your bread thin sliced instead of thick, this is a simple change that you will hardly notice. Also use a breakfast plate instead of a the larger size dinner plate for all your meals. Another simple change.

Amanda - North Lambton NSW

Do not carry cash. if you are unable to pay cash you are less likely to make rash decisions (etc.vendor hotdog). You save money and are more likley to eat healthy when you reach home.

Doriana - Ryde NSW

Prepare double the portions with selected dishes and put one portion in the freezer for quick healthy frozen meal when you're in a hurry.

Fiona - Balmain NSW

Every morning when you wake up, spend one minute before you get up imagining how good you will feel when you have achieved your goal.

frank - yanchep WA

eliminate one food item you know keeps the weight on from your diet each week.

Garden Gnome - Kyogle NSW

Go sightseeing in your garden (the bigger your garden, the better, of course) Don't just look out at it from indoors, walk around it, and through it, visiting every plant in the place,and stretching to see all the little creatures up high, bending to see all the little creatures down low. While you are at it, hang your washing on the line, instead of using the clothes' dryer (better for the planet and for you), and stretch while you are doing it. Enjoy the scenery. Breathe deep to smell the roses.

hunny bunny - Bunbury WA

Drink Soda/mineral water with a slice of lime/lemon add ice and drink it out of a wine glass instead of the "real thing" to prevent drinking alcohol.

isabelle - paddington QLD

be prepared - write out your menu the night before. That way you know what you need to prepare and don't have any excuses.

jess - manly west QLD

If, like myself, you're really struggling to get in your veg and fruit RDI, try some V8 juice. i drink at night when i would usually have had softdrink. its actually pretty nice.

Jim - Sunnybank Hills QLD

Start a team or community sport, it will help challenge yourself to achieve a better fitness and health overall. Choose something that you would like to play or participate in. For example, if you enjoy team sports a local rugby, basket ball, net ball or cricket club are usually open to new participants. If team sports are intimidating, local pools, squash clubs and dance clubs are great fitness alternatives. Aside from the obvious health benefits of sports, it can also provide social and mental stimulation. Otherwise, if you lack the time to commit, join a gym with flexible hours, the financial commitment may provide the initial motivation.

Kashigata - Wentworth Falls NSW

When I feel hungry between meals I have a big glass of water rather than a snack. I often find that I was actually just thirsty. The hunger subsides, I can concentrate on things better and it gets me to the next meal more easily.

Louanne - Pooraka SA

When dining out, ask for the salad dressing on the side so you can control how much you use.

Louanne - Pooraka SA

Always park in a car park at least 100m from the entrance to a shop (or the furtherst distance) for the extra walk.

Matt Gilmore - Nerang QLD

If you can, start making a real effort to get healthy on a Monday, that way it's already part of your routine by the weekend. Just make sure that you don't keep putting it off until next Monday or the Monday after, and be sure not to binge the weekend before you start - think of it like exercise, you have to warm up before you start the main event.

Michelle - Bakewell NT

Have a drink of water before meals. It will fill you up a little, make you less hungry, resulting in you eating less.

Nat - Melbourne VIC

turn off the tv - as a family prioritise which programs you will watch each week and circle them in the tv guide, make sure no more than 1-2 hours per day. Use your free time to go for walk after dinner instead.

ness - Killara NSW

non-stick pans make cooking anything easier - with or without oil : ) Also, use an aerosol spray to make controlling oil use extra easy. A little really goes a long way...

Pat Walsh - Dural Sydney NSW

If your going out for dinner and fear that you may over eat drink a large glass of water before the meal.It will keep you hydrated and reduce the amount you feel like you can eat.

Tammy Selke - Toowoomba QLD

If you feel you are not drinking enough water say to yourself "drink to shrink" it helps me and i also drink a glass of water after going to the toilet.