The smallest change

What is the smallest change you have made in pursuit of losing weight? And has it worked? 

The smallest and easiest change was reducing my serving sizes by 1/4 and I lost 1st4lbs (18lbs) before I hit plateau. That was a few years back.

No way!? That's amazing! I would never have thought of doing that, and that it would make such a difference! Did you use a smaller plate? i've heard that helps.

No, we use our smaller plates but only because we don't need the large ones. I serve by spoon most of the time, so the portions tend to be similar regardless of plate size.

I think watching less TV helps. If you're not sat down for that extra hour you get so much more done.

Even if you're doing housework: hoovering and lugging loads of washing about can burn calories!

I don't do my housework because I need to get off my bum or exercise, I do my housework because it needs to be done and it's part of everyday life. It can't really count as an activity that burns calories, it's a necessity that needs doing and happens to burn a bit of energy while you're doing it.

The changes need to be significant enough that they aren't part of a routine to be effective. 1hr less TV is a significant change, if you swap it for walking or some other exercise. Not effective so much if you swap it for reading!

Squat jumps & jumping jacks whenever I can fit them in, like If I've managed to get ready quick in the morning I'll do some before I leave for Uni 

But for those lazy people who do neither exercise nor housework, getting off their bum to do some chores could be a small way for them to make a difference to their activity levels/calorie burning etc., without having to commit to formal exercise. Re: 'housework is a necessity' -don't you leave your dishes 'til the next morning, GoneFishin?

I rinse them or chuck them in to soak and I do them in the morning. I like to spend time with my OH in the evening and I get home from work quite late. Nearly all my housework is done in the morning. It does get done 'every day' without fail though. It's a necessity but it isn't -the- priority.

If someone isn't doing housework OR exercise, they have bigger issues than burning a few calories. Activity-wise it won't make a big difference, although the discipline might be a good thing in some cases.

I always feel like I've done a nice little workout after cleaning the whole house which is nice! If the rest of the day is a lazy one at least I've done something then.

And it's doubly as satisfying as you've got a nice clean house, AND burned calories. I'm sure there are stats for how many calories you burn while hoovering etc...

Yeah it is quite satisfying to know you've moved around a bit then if you relax you don't feel guilty.  Our Hoover really needs some force behind it so if I Hoover the whole house my arms have had a good twenty or so minutes of a work out :) 

Cleaning helps clear my head too. It's so good having a big clear out. I threw away bin bag full of clothes this weekend and feel much better for it.

I disagree - just because someone isn't exercising or doing housework you can't categorically say they have "issues"! Some people are busy with work and family so employ cleaners to do the housework and might not find much time (or inclination) for exercise. Equally a lot of people now live with their parents later in life and so may not be responsible for housework. These things may perhaps qualify someone as "lazy" (although I am not making that judgement) but it doesn't mean they have big issues.

'Issues' meant as a general statement... Not 'issues' in the lazy/depressed/medical etc sort of sense. The bigger issue could be a long working day and a big commute that takes up a lot of time. Although for the blatently lazy who are perfectly capable and have the time, the discipline WOULD be a good thing and I stand by that.

If people are living with their parents later in life, they should get off their backsides and help out around the house a bit. It's THEIR house too, therefore it is also their responsibility to help out or at least clean up after themselves. 

Maybe I was just brought up differently to a lot of people my age. I was cleaning, tidying and doing chores from about 12 onwards, cooking at 14 onwards and paying regular board (admittedly not much, but what my parents asked for) from 17 and I don't think that's unreasonable.

It's good that you were doing those things from a young age but everyone is different - not better, not worse, just different. I just don't think you can make a judgement on someone else's lifestyle so easily, everyone has different priorities and lifestyles.

Plenty of young people are quite sure that they are fine not exercising - until they get to 40....