How Long

eelamme

How long did it take you to get into the habit of eating healthy and the like? Where it was more or less an everyday thing and not a 2 days good, 3 days bad ordeal?

Guinivere

One week of strictness with zero tolerance for diverting from the path!

Worked a treat.

SherryTeach

Once I joined MFP, which was 667 days ago, I logged everything, completely changed my eating habits, and never looked back.

rduhlir

I honestly always ate "heathly". My issue was more about over indulance and portion control. Once I found out what my issue was, learning how to manage it came easy. Now instead of McDonald's every day, I get it once a month or so. Instead of using the 1000 calorie per serving recipe of lasagna, I use the 450 calorie version.

beachylove

I was already in the mindset my eating habits were changing before I joined. I have always been a healthy eater overall (with the occasional calorie bomb meals) my biggest thing was portions, once I started measuring/weighing everything I haven't looked back.

eelamme

Ok.. Then for those of you that tend to eat high caloric/high fat foods and frequently....how long did it take? I understand that it is a process and the slower the better. I also know that one bad day in the scheme of things isn't going to ruin you. That being said...
how long might it have taken you in the beginning to get your body 110% into it?

JenniTheVeggie

744 days as of today. It has been the only thing that has worked. I do get sloppy when logging about two times a year. When we go on vacation and a few days around Christmas.

Madame_Goldbricker

Ok.. Then for those of you that tend to eat high caloric/high fat foods and frequently....how long did it take? I understand that it is a process and the slower the better. I also know that one bad day in the scheme of things isn't going to ruin you. That being said...
how long might it have taken you in the beginning to get your body 110% into it?

Tend or tended to? - My daily staples are pretty much; bacon, eggs, fats, chocolate, cheese, currently rice pudding, potatoes. I also eat plenty of fruits, veg, rice, whatever I fancy really. I've been here over 200 days.

Not totally sure what you mean OP? Are you talking about swapping these things for low caloric/low fat foods?

eelamme

Mainly just getting into the habit of logging and portion control...EVERYDAY. I know I can have what I want within reason and that a lot of it is portion control. I'll do well for a few days....a week. Then I find myself completely over for a few days. No real example. Maybe it'll be the weekend and I'll alow myself a doughnut. That rolls into 2. Then someone wants to get lunch and I say ***k it, might as well. Then dinner and drinks. And yes, that is where my lack of true comittment might shine through...or maybe it is my love of food and the way it tastes and/or feels in my mouth. Just wanted to know in general how long it took folks to actually make it a daily thing. If that makes sense? Obviously I am feeling discouraged. Did so well my 2nd time on here from Jan til Mid March. Then my 35th birthday hit and I have been having the worst time getting back into it. Maybe I need the anticipation of another fun event. Idk. Knowledge that I need to better myself should be enough. Don't want to be one of the many "poor me" folks. Not looking for a quick fit. I understand that there will ALWAYS be hiccups in the road. Just curious.

jennifer_417

Honestly, it took me about 6 months.

eelamme

Honestly, it took me about 6 months.

THANK YOU!!!!

wriri7_x

I started mfp last year in April and did not get into the healthy mindset till December. My husband loves fast food and i used to say to myself 'oh well i'll start tommorow while scoffing unhealthy food. But something hit me in December, i didn't want to be fat and from then i've never looked back. However to prevent from eating unhealthy everday i have a cheat meal once a week.

kirgarrison

I used to only eat sugar or cheesy carb type foods. I'd say about 4 weeks for me this time, I'm at week 7 right now of being binge free. My stomach definitely changed to where eating a portion that I used to eat would make me sick now, and I don't find it as hard to stay away from the sugar, carbs, and fat anymore. I might get cravings for sugary or fatty greasy things every once in awhile, but I'm able to stay in control and most of the time those type of foods just sound bad to me now.

eelamme

I started mfp last year in April and did not get into the healthy mindset till December. My husband loves fast food and i used to say to myself 'oh well i'll start tommorow while scoffing unhealthy food. But something hit me in December, i didn't want to be fat and from then i've never looked back. However to prevent from eating unhealthy everday i have a cheat meal once a week.

That's what I'm hoping will happen. If I have a bad day at work (and I work 13/14 hrs a day) my fiance will think he is being sweet by going and getting me cookies. It is sweet...and appreciated. Sadly, I don't have that will power to say "no" yet soooo....

eelamme

I used to only eat sugar or cheesy carb type foods. I'd say about 4 weeks for me this time, I'm at week 7 right now of being binge free. My stomach definitely changed to where eating a portion that I used to eat would make me sick now, and I don't find it as hard to stay away from the sugar, carbs, and fat anymore. I might get cravings for sugary or fatty greasy things every once in awhile, but I'm able to stay in control and most of the time those type of foods just sound bad to me now.

Congrats!!!
I have no doubt that I will get there and I admire all of you who have already!

Adc7225

I would say 6-8 months, the first few months can be really hard - there were a lot of things I didn't get the hang of right away. I also started working out right away and that with changes in my diet were confusing at times. What I mean by that is working out requires fuel and of course eating better affects how you feel and helps with the energy to workout - so it sort of fed itself, but at times when I would make a poor choice and then I would have to decide if I wanted to go over as opposed to not for the day I knew it would catch up with me the next day.

I would offer, start by making wise food choices when you can (hopefully most of the time) and then when/if you mess up try and think about what triggered it and think of ways you could have done better - either by not eating the food or eating less or eating something else or just doing something else.

You have to remember what we have done or are doing is a comfort to us and changing it can be scary, but it can be overcome.

bajoyba

Hmm, I don't know.

I mean, I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "healthy" eater even now. I love my veggies, and I eat lots of them, but I also love ice cream. I would call myself a "moderate eater", and I aim for a balanced diet.

As far as logging consistently and sticking to my calorie goal, I honestly did it right from the get-go, and I didn't find it particularly difficult. I think a combination of factors contributed to the overall pleasantness of it. First, I never had a huge deficit. The lowest my calorie goal has ever been was 1420 plus exercise (right at the beginning when I said I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week). Now I aim to lose just under a pound a week. Second, I never eliminated anything from my diet, so I never really craved anything. And third, the results were enough to propel me forward. I never wanted to quit or slack too much because I wanted to reach my goals too badly.

I think it also helps not to have an "all or nothing" mindset. Some days I do go over my calorie goal by 100-300 calories, and that's okay. It's a conscious decision, because there might be a special occasion or a night of beer drinking with my friends. I just try to stay at or under my maintenance calories. Then there may be a couple of days a year, like Thanksgiving, where I eat 2500-3000+ calories a day (and log it all). I'm always aware of what I'm consuming, I always make the choice to eat or not to eat, and then I move on. I may have a high-calorie day, make less then ideal choices, or go a little overboard, but it doesn't have to de-rail me or be a reason why I can't just pick it back up the next day.

editorgrrl

How long did it take you to get into the habit of eating healthy and the like? Where it was more or less an everyday thing and not a 2 days good, 3 days bad ordeal?

Eat "good" (whatever that means to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to bingeing.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

I got fat by eating healthy foods—just way too much of it.

seltzermint555

I feel like I worked up to it without even realizing what I was doing. I started TRYING to eat lighter and healthier in 2008 and I did succeed SOMEWHAT but I didn't really know what I was doing. So it happened slowly in waves for me. Then in June 2012 when I met my now-husband he clued me in to quite a few better eating habits and I stopped some of the really bad past behavior/habits then. By the time I joined MFP in March 2013 I was already in some pretty darn good habits and was eating healthier foods in general. So it did not take me any time at all to get FULLY immersed into logging every single day, I would say within the first 2 days I was in sync with it and have been ever since.

Bounce4

the meals i eat on my own I just switched over to healthy and was done. No problem. I like healthy food. I like the unhealthy food too, lol. I still struggle a lot with the meals I cook at home for my family. It is hard for me to resist, prepare a separate plate, not get seconds, etc. It is towards the end of the day when I'm stressed, hungry, tired, a little overwhelmed. All things that I want to eat away. Sometimes those meals are unhealthy but they are usually OK - I just struggle with portion control.

Deipneus

I'm not perfect but the ratio of good to bad is far better than 2:3. It's more like 10:1. There are two potential pitfalls to be avoided. Being too hard on yourself, and being too easy on yourself.

I get sloppier as I go (maintenance is ongoing and so even harder to maintain focus.) so when I was new at it, I had fewer goof off days than I do now.

wriri7_x

I started mfp last year in April and did not get into the healthy mindset till December. My husband loves fast food and i used to say to myself 'oh well i'll start tommorow while scoffing unhealthy food. But something hit me in December, i didn't want to be fat and from then i've never looked back. However to prevent from eating unhealthy everday i have a cheat meal once a week.

That's what I'm hoping will happen. If I have a bad day at work (and I work 13/14 hrs a day) my fiance will think he is being sweet by going and getting me cookies. It is sweet...and appreciated. Sadly, I don't have that will power to say "no" yet soooo....

Also don't restrict yourself from anything, eat a cookie if you want and fit it into your calorie goal. I found that by restricting myself from one food made me want to eat unhealthy all day, I now eat chocolate , crisps, cake when I want but in small portions and in moderation.

eelamme

Awesome responses from all y'all!!! Keep it going!
And THANK YOU!

linkirving

It took me 3 weeks to get a good eating routine. About 5 weeks to get a sustainable exercise routine. I still have room to improve with exercise, but at least I'm doing it now.

ETA: Before, I was eating like a king. So 3 weeks to go from at LEAST 3,500 - 4,000 calories per day to being very comfortable at 1,430(and sometimes less) per day.

GardenGirlie

Once I joined MFP, which was 667 days ago, I logged everything, completely changed my eating habits, and never looked back.

Replace 667 with 288 and everything else stated is the same for me.

airangel59

How long did it take you to get into the habit of eating healthy and the like? Where it was more or less an everyday thing and not a 2 days good, 3 days bad ordeal?

Day one for me, that was 681 days ago. It was an everyday thing. I decided I was not going to fool around this time, had my mindset where it needed to be and haven't looked back.

Am not saying I'm eating "healthy" per se, but am weighing/measuring/logging what I eat and staying under my calories on a daily basis. I've learned portion control, moderation and there really isn't any food I'm not eating. I plan my meals ahead of time, fit in the fast food or junk food or whatever food I'm having that day, I don't believe in depriving myself and I don't have cheat days or cheat meals (I work what I want into the food plan).

You have to find what works for you & that you can stick to till you get where you want to be.

MizMimi111

Still working on it. Some days/weeks are better than others.