Making the habits stick.

hizzlefrizzle

Hey everyone, I'm newish here. I've been on MFP for years, but just now getting into the forums.

Anyway, my biggest problem is getting all my good habits to last longer than a month. I'll have a good month and lose 5 pounds and then an okay month where I maintain and then a bad month where I gain everything back. I've noticed the pattern is when something disrupts my routine: family visiting from out of town, or if I'm the one who travels, or if I'm sick for a few days... then it takes me weeks to get back into my good habits rather than jumping right back in.

Does anyone else have this problem? Or have any advice for me?

For example: I did great in March. April was okay. Then I went on vacation in May and stopped caring when I came back home, until now. So even if I let myself cheat on vacation, I still wasted two weeks post-vacation and gained back everything I lost in March & April.

RodaRose

Maybe you are restricting yourself and trying to be too much of your idea of perfect. Or maybe you are putting other people's needs a head of your own.
Come up with a flexible food plan that can accommodate travel, family, and such.
The most important thing I learned is to log every morsel and every meal especially when I go over. I did this for five weeks back in the spring even when my life went all to heck and I gained some weight back. I started losing again easily because I had maintained that good habit. Also, logging gives you the data you need so that you can look back and analyze and evaluate in order to make adjustments in food and lifestyle.

D_squareG

When you have a good month, do you measure your food and log it? If so, keep doing it, even when you eat more than you should. Don't stop weighing your food and logging it. It is eye opening!

Jackiie_Merino

They say it takes doing something consecutive for 2weeks for it to become a habit... personally, that's the hardest part for me.. but if you stick to it, it does really become a habit

On the flip side if you start getting off track after a while ( even if it's on & off ) it will also become a habit.

Hope that helps.. good luck !

jaga13

hizzlefrizzle wrote: »

I've noticed the pattern is when something disrupts my routine: family visiting from out of town, or if I'm the one who travels, or if I'm sick for a few days... then it takes me weeks to get back into my good habits rather than jumping right back in.

I think you should now try committing every day to your habits, no matter what the circumstance. At least for the time being. A lot of people will say you "should" be able to get off track and "just enjoy yourself" and get right back to it, but obviously you are struggling with this. So I say next time family is visiting, you continue eating what and how much is right for you. You continue to find time to add in activity. Same for when you travel. If you're sick, ok you won't be as active, but you probably won't eat much either. Once you're consistent for a much longer time, it *might* be easier for you to occassionally take a break and get back on track, but I don't think you're there yet.

I've been travelling a lot lately and have had a lot of days that could be perceived as "exceptional" or possible "cheat" days. I know my personality, and I have to treat everyday with equal importance. That means a lot of planning ahead and deciding how to fit food into my budget, even when it's not my "normal" food I eat at home. It also means finding different ways to squeeze in more exercise. Good luck with getting and STAYING on track!