some tips

so, while I was walking tonight I was thinking back to what worked for me before. Here are some of the tips that worked for me:

Regarding FOOD:

*drink plenty of water- I bought a water bottle and carry it with me EVERYWHERE!
*watch sodium intake
*cut out fried foods
*look for products that are whole grain and whole wheat
*eat a protein with every meal
*watch the serving sizes and stick to them
*buy a food scale and weigh everything the first couple weeks til you can eyeball
*I cut out soda altogether...now I drink only diet soda and still not very often
*I also cut out ketchup and mayo and went to mustard only (which I really hated before, but now really like)...I now use light mayo.
*try new fruits and veggies- I found all kinds of new things I liked
*if you don't like the way something tastes, don't force yourself to eat it (ex. if you don't like peas, don't feel you need to eat them)
*If I ate something that was "bad for you" I would try to do something extra in my workout the next day. Also, I didn't beat myself up for having "treats" every now and then...they were just planned into my calorie counting for that day.
*calorie count- I use www.livestrong.com to track my food and weight...it is a VERY useful tool.
*If (and when) I eat fast food I try to find the healthiest choice on the menu...I also use http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

Regarding EXERCISE:

*I started out just walking. I timed myself with my kitchen timer for 60 minutes.
*I also REALLY enjoy the biggest loser workouts...any and all are great and have different levels...plus trainer Bob is nice to look at ;)
*I try to walk everyday for at least 60 minutes.