Short term vs. Long term goals

badtastebetty
badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
edited January 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I didn't pack enough for lunch the other day, and so I ran down to my cafeteria at work to grab a banana. The lady at the cash register commented on my purchase, and I told her I am trying to adapt healthy eating habits (which is why I am no longer down there for my daily muffin/grilled cheese). She asked my how long I planned to do this for, and I told her indefinitely.

It brought up a thought though. A lot of people I talk to in life and online have these grand short term plans to lose a bunch of weight, and eat healthy, but then what happens?

It's always been my understanding, in order to succeed you need to make long term life changes. So it's great that we've hopped on the healthy eating train for now, but where do you guys see yourself one year down the road? Five years, etc.?

I'll have to get back to you with my answer :tongue:

Replies

  • moniquedeanne
    moniquedeanne Posts: 249 Member
    I'm mostly trying to just eat clean so in a way I'm not on a diet I'm just eating better food choices. I'm only calling it a diet because I'm eating at a calorie deficient. I figure If I'm going to lose all the weight and keep it off I'm going to have to keep eating clean because I want to live a long healthy life. But I'm also going to have treats, but only in moderation.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I didn't pack enough for lunch the other day, and so I ran down to my cafeteria at work to grab a banana. The lady at the cash register commented on my purchase, and I told her I am trying to adapt healthy eating habits (which is why I am no longer down there for my daily muffin/grilled cheese). She asked my how long I planned to do this for, and I told her indefinitely.

    It brought up a thought though. A lot of people I talk to in life and online have these grand short term plans to lose a bunch of weight, and eat healthy, but then what happens?

    It's always been my understanding, in order to succeed you need to make long term life changes. So it's great that we've hopped on the healthy eating train for now, but where do you guys see yourself one year down the road? Five years, etc.?

    I'll have to get back to you with my answer :tongue:

    Most of the time, they make all these radical changes, get partway there, then revert on one of them. They then proceed to drop all of these radical changes and go back to how they were before.

    That's why it's important to make sustainable changes. If you love pizza and hamburgers, you're not going to go anywhere by announcing one day you're giving up pizza and burgers to get healthy. Eventually you'll be at Red Robin ordering a burger and at that moment you'll abandon everything.

    What kind of comment did the cafeteria lady make anyway??
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,626 Member
    I've been on MFP for almost 2 years and basically making small gradual changes to my diet and exercise. In the future I see myself continuing to make these small changes throughout life.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Anyway, my long term goal is to be a little bit heavier and a lot leaner than I am right now. And keep eating pizza and burgers while getting there.
  • leighdiane91
    leighdiane91 Posts: 225 Member
    I don't eat clean... which is why it works for me. I TRY to eat veggies and fruits and whole grains... but if I don't and I am still within my calories for the day? who cares. I have gone from NEVER eating fruit, to usually replacing snacks/desserts with them. which is a great step up for me in the healthy department. I eat almost everything I did before I started, just in moderation (the only thing I do not ever eat under any circumstances is fast food like taco bell, mcd, burger king.... its a weakness and that stuff is just down right terrible for you)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    (the only thing I do not ever eat under any circumstances is fast food like taco bell, mcd, burger king.... its a weakness and that stuff is just down right terrible for you)

    Pssst.....

    That stuff isn't terrible for you. There's generally not much of anything in those foods that's not in typical stuff made at home.
  • sassafrascas
    sassafrascas Posts: 191 Member
    For me this time it is about making a life long lifestyle change, That change is eating healthier and watching calorie intake. Second part of that change is me trying to make exercise a regular part of my life.

    But honestly I am just taking it one day at a time, that way I don"t get overwhelmed.
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
    I didn't pack enough for lunch the other day, and so I ran down to my cafeteria at work to grab a banana. The lady at the cash register commented on my purchase, and I told her I am trying to adapt healthy eating habits (which is why I am no longer down there for my daily muffin/grilled cheese). She asked my how long I planned to do this for, and I told her indefinitely.

    It brought up a thought though. A lot of people I talk to in life and online have these grand short term plans to lose a bunch of weight, and eat healthy, but then what happens?

    It's always been my understanding, in order to succeed you need to make long term life changes. So it's great that we've hopped on the healthy eating train for now, but where do you guys see yourself one year down the road? Five years, etc.?

    I'll have to get back to you with my answer :tongue:

    Most of the time, they make all these radical changes, get partway there, then revert on one of them. They then proceed to drop all of these radical changes and go back to how they were before.

    That's why it's important to make sustainable changes. If you love pizza and hamburgers, you're not going to go anywhere by announcing one day you're giving up pizza and burgers to get healthy. Eventually you'll be at Red Robin ordering a burger and at that moment you'll abandon everything.

    What kind of comment did the cafeteria lady make anyway??
    She just laughed and sad "That's it?"

    I think you got it spot on for why most people revert back to old habits. We take on too much at once, and expect to be completely different people.

    Thanks for the responses everyone.
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
    My short term goals involve establishing routines to maintain healthy eating. I've cut gluten out of my diet, as I've had some pretty terrible stomach issues over the past year and a half. Until I get these things down, I'm not going to get too crazy.

    My long term goal is to become a vegetarian, and either take some courses in nutrition or human kinetics.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,492 Member
    I see myself still eating right and exercising. After all these months, its become pretty much a habit....and one I have no plans to ever break myself of.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    I eat pretty much the same foods I ate before I decided to get healthier (which definitely includes things like pizza and chocolate). My problem was portion control - specifically, not paying much attention to actual serving size and how many calories were in the portions I was eating. I try to make healthier choices now (as in, the Kashi brownie over the Pillsbury brownie, or the thin crust pizza over the Chicago deep dish), but checking the serving size and measuring out portions has made a huge difference to both my weight loss and the way I eat. My long term goal is to keep paying attention and build a strong body. Knowledge is power! :smile:
  • LazyGuy91
    LazyGuy91 Posts: 171 Member
    Short Term: To continue losing weight and hopefully run a 5k. Would like to gain some more muscle, too.

    Long Term: To keep weight off, continue increasing my overall health, and become less shy.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member

    Most of the time, they make all these radical changes, get partway there, then revert on one of them. They then proceed to drop all of these radical changes and go back to how they were before.

    That's why it's important to make sustainable changes. If you love pizza and hamburgers, you're not going to go anywhere by announcing one day you're giving up pizza and burgers to get healthy. Eventually you'll be at Red Robin ordering a burger and at that moment you'll abandon everything.

    Along with the above, I think a lot of people don't learn how to maintain if they do reach their goal. We all know people who have lost a lot of weight and then gain it all back. So that is my long term goal - learn how to eat a reasonable amount of food so that once I reach my goal weight I can learn how to maintain.

    My short term goals are simple but not specific. I just want to be smaller, more fit, and comfortable with my appearance.
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