How long until your new way of eating is just the way you ea

Daisy_May

How long until your new way of eating is just the way you eat, not a diet?

I'm trying to do this the right way this time after losing and gaining between 50 -80lbs at lest 6 times, I want to make sure I keep it off! So I'm doing it slowly.

That being said a huge motivator for me has been my upcoming wedding, all of the sudden this weekend I started to worry that when the wedding is over I'll just gain everything back AGAIN. Not keep losing like I plan too.

I've been doing this for 5 months now and I think I have really changed the way I look at food and a lot of my habits BUT I'm still scared, scared that when I don't have thoughts of wedding dresses dancing through my head I'll start back on an unhealthy path.

How long do you think it takes before eating healthy is just what you do without thinking? How long to break old bad habits and form new healthy ones?

LosingTheWeight2014

It takes about 21 consecutive days for something to become a "Habit".

That's at least what my doctor told me.

agleckle

I've heard "one month makes a habit"... but I honestly think it depends on each person. Depending on what your personal struggles are with food and how they relate to your emotions, mood, etc. it could take more or less time. And it is different for everyone else with different issues or the same but more deeply rooted issues too.

TS65

Call me negative nellie, but I think it's something you ALWAYS have to keep on top of or you can fall into old habits (or bad new one's).

emd0019

I'm not sure you ever get to where it is just easy to turn down the tempting food. I think it is just a day by day decision. At least for me it is. I find after about 2-3 weeks I'm just totally committed and if you have already seen results then I would say that should show you that commitment gives you results.

rosemiller11

bump

Amy_B

Well, I started my journey in late 2005. I have had 2 pregnancies in there. I kind of "let my guard down" when I was pregnant those two times and gained more than I wanted. By the time I was about to give birth both times, I was very ready to get back to being healthier. I guess what I'm trying to say is, while it is a lot easier now since I am used to be healthier, it is something that you have to keep your eye on forever...but it does get a lot easier!

jrreed1

It's taken me about 2-3 months to be comfortable with my daily eating habits to the point that I log for about a week maybe once a month. I still have to be very conscious of my cheat days and how many of them I have a week.

melsinct

How long do you think it takes before eating healthy is just what you do without thinking?

I don't think I can ever eat again without thinking about it. I have always eaten generally healthy but my portion sizes were out of whack. Whenever I sit down to a meal, I always have to be mindful of portion sizes. I don't think that will ever change. I WILL NOT gain the 20 pounds back that I have lost already, and when I am at goal weight I want to stay there. Not wanting to be fat motivates me to always be mindful (now and in the future) of what I am eating. I have also donated all of my fat clothes I don't fit in anymore, which is more motivation to stay smaller, lol.

Elleinnz

I think I first realized it at about 5 or 6 months, but now I crave my new way of eating....
I was in Melbourne for a decadent girls weekend away - and had wonderful food, but loved it yesterday when I was home and I could cook my food - the way I like it - when I need it...... I have been going now for 9 months, and really think I have now "crossed over" into the world of healthy eating....

37mom

Call me negative nellie, but I think it's something you ALWAYS have to keep on top of or you can fall into old habits (or bad new one's).

I agree...I have gone up and down over the last 10 years many times. Its really an addiction and something we will have to keep working on forever. If it only were that easy that once you eat healthy you stick to it forever and its easy. Nothing comes easy. Its all hard work. But with hard work we can all do it.

Shutterpillar

i've been at this since April and there are some things I STILL have a hard time saying no to. (ahem... cookies, ice cream). MFP has enormously changed the way I look at food, and I am always making calorie estimations in my head while I am out and finding new ways to exercise. But there are still times I need to be strong. I have the feeling there always will be, because I LOVE food so much. it brings me a lot of comfort when I am upset and its something I truly enjoy.

I try to keep myself on track by going OFF track every now and then. Once a week I will (in moderation) splurge on something I love. A bowl of ice cream, cookies and milk, chinese food, etc. That way I am still eating the things I love and it doesnt feel like I am depriving myself.

bizco

Call me negative nellie, but I think it's something you ALWAYS have to keep on top of or you can fall into old habits (or bad new one's).

I agree 100%. It should always be top of mind.

NuttyBrewnette

for me it's a been about 6 months (this time). I have had to broaden my view/definition of success. I think that in order to help yourself not go back, after the wedding, you might want to focus on other things......how do you feel? What does eating right do for you? Exercising?

For me, I sleep better, am less stressed and anxious, and all around feel good. healthy. strong. fit. My mood is better. My skin is better.

When I do indulge, I often feel lousy....When I eat healthfully, I feel better. (garbage in, garbage out)

When I focus on these things (rather than a special event etc.) I am able to continue making healthy choices. Now, not 100% of the time, I'm not perfect, but rather than throw in the towel, I just say, tomorrow is a new day, and start back up again with a healthier choice. Whether that be to bypass some junk food, eat a smaller portion, indulge but exercise more, or just take a day off here and there.

MsKeelah919

This is also a concern of mine, and I believe its going to be about motivation. As long as you can keep yourself motivated and hype about living your new lifestyle, it should work. I sure hope so!

Jrh2os

It took me a couple of months until I got into a routine that felt maintainable. I was pretty sure that I had "changed my lifestyle". Then last week my mom showed up for my daughter's wedding and started buying foods that I like. Between that and the stress of getting everything ready and looking after everyone and I started falling back into old habits. Back on it again this week now that everyone is gone. I agree with folks that you need to choose to be healthy every meal, but it gets much easier once you have had a couple months of good habits. I've also found that I don't think about food nearly as much as I did when I first started.

gatorgirl7

i completely relate--it took me a few months--and even when it had bee a yr i started to worry 'what if i can't do it forever?' and i took it to extremes (i wouldn't recommend it.) one of the things that's really helped me is to keep a goal--and change that goal b/c i got bored. i've been running for about 3 yrs now but just switched to a personal trainer and spinning. i've found it so refreshing. so i would recommend picking a new goal. also, now tha tyou are in the habit of eating better and working out more--you'll notice that when you DON'T do those things you start to feel crummy. for me--it's especially whenever i eat fried foods. i rarely eat french fries, burgers, etc...maybe once or two a yr b/c even when i think it's a good idea and it will taste good, it never does. EVER. it's not worth it to me...i'd rather make fries at home from scratch (i slice a potato and bake it, instead of fry it.) i never feel good after i eat it...and i've ralized it's not worth it. even when i've gone out and am drunk, i still go home and eat something healthy. lol.

Teeladog

I lost 40 lbs. about 3 years ago. About 3 months after I got to my goal weight I stopped tracking what I was eating. I found that is when I got into trouble. Not bad trouble...I didn't gain all the weight back but I have been up and down on the same 10 lbs. twice now in the last 3 years. When I haven't tracked for a while I just start loosing touch with the real amount of food I am eating. Suddenly I am up 10 lbs. so I start tracking again, take it off, get too comfortable and stop tracking. Rinse...repeat.

I know how to eat healthy and I do feel like this is just the way that I eat now. I exercise everyday and It doesn't feel like a burden. Having said that though, I believe that I am going to have to track my calories in some form for the rest of my life. It is just too easy for me to loose track of what I am doing...

moochiesmoochie

It's only been since Feb for me since my big weight loss and starting the "maintenance" part of my life. I think maintenance to stay at my current weight will be a forever thing. There are good days and bad, easy ones and really hard ones. But I know for myself if I don't want to fall back to old habits and my old weigh (ugh) I'll always have to pay attention and make conscious decisions about what I'm eating.

pelleld

I've never called what I'm doing a diet. I ate pretty well before but slowly gained the weight after I retired. When I joined MFP I just added more of the healthy stuff I like (Fruit, Yogurt, Figs, Etc), cut back on the less healthy stuff and practiced portion control. I didn't cut anything out that I couldn't live without, like ice-cream I eat a light ice-cream every night. No way I can be without my ice-cream! And I love pasta, so no way I could give that up. I just ate a smaller portion and I've learned to be satisfied with that. If you go to extemes, or cut out all your favorite foods, it will be a diet and it will be unsustainable. You need to still enjoy food, just less of it.

There are a few things I had to remove from my eating because I couldn't restrain myself (trips to Friendly's and Dairy Queen, and boxed mac and cheese of all things!) but I hope to be able to add them back in, in a limited way, now that I am trying to maintain.

I'm not sure how long it took for this to be "just the way I eat", but I do think its something I can do forever. And I've discovered a new thoughtfulness about my eating that was never there before. I really think about the consequences of my eating and assess whether it is worth the price I'll pay on the scale and in how I feel. If I decide its worth it, I eat it and don't look back. If I decide its not worth it, I either don't eat it or eat less of it. And that seems to be working out really well for me.

Good luck to you!

countrydarling1

For me it will always be a challenge i will have to face head on! Everyday thing! but it gets alittle easier everyday, unless its a very emotional day!

milaxx

It takes 30 days to make something a "habit" but I think when it comes to eating it's about the mind set. If you view this as temporary or only for the wedding then chances are that after the wedding you may slip. Also if you are eating too rigid or restrictively then you may eventually slip. I think the key is to remember you ALWAYS have to think about food. ALWAYS be conscious of what you are eating and what it does to your body and for your body. Don't ever deceive yourself into thinking "one little bite won't hurt" or "its my b-day, X-mas or whatever".

If you want this to be permanent you have to make it that way. I fully expect to journal and read labels for life and I'm okay with that.

rtmama

It never was a "diet" to me, I've always thought of it as a way of life. I made small changes, and kept progressing!

wildon883r

I've never ate store bought processed meal foods. I don't eat chips, pretzels,breads etc and at best eat out once a week. The only thing thats changed for me is portion sizes and i don't drink as much beer .. Eating isn't a habit and counting for me is a novel way of keeping track although i could get by with out it at this point.

Mommawarrior

I don't know about the habit thing, but I know that it hasn't taken me very long to just adjust my diet to a healthy one. When you look at it as a lifestyle instead of dieting, it is alot easier I think. I don't want to diet, I want to be healthy and you can't do that eating crap all the time.