Once the ball gets rolling, you don't stop!

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muziclver
muziclver Posts: 145 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I have been on and off this weight loss/healthy lifestyle band wagon and I really really would like to get it to stick. I have learned that once I put my mind to it, and find my routine of eating healthy and going to the gym I am least likely to stray away. As I am trying to get everything back on track, I wanted to ask, what is the best way of going about changing a poor lifestyle? I was told when I went cold turkey and just jumped head first and not weening my way out of it, I kinda lost the motivation and the "thrill" of being healthy. I'm not sure how true that is, but I just wanted to ask, how long does it take to break a bad habit and what is the best way to go about change in a way that it will stick?

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  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 510 Member
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    I have heard it said it takes 6 weeks to make a new habit. During that time you will probably struggle.

    My best advice is to take it one step and one choice at a time. If I lay it out and say "forever and ever I will do X" that's a lot of pressure. If I say, "today" I'm going to, or this meal I'm going to eat X calories...that I could always do.
  • FFfitgirl
    FFfitgirl Posts: 369 Member
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    Honestly it could te a good long while. Think how long you've had these habits. I have 19 years of not measuring my food. You know how small a 1/2 of ice cream is when your "measuring" is based on the size of the bowl. To fix life long habits in a few weeks probably isnt going to last.
    So what you do....
    Try your hardest to correct your poor habits. Allow for slip ups and move on. Needing to realize that you probably will never be perfect with eating. Just always try your best so that YOU are prod of yourself.
  • meghan_lovely
    meghan_lovely Posts: 48 Member
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    Yes I feel the same way... and I have been on and off the wagon so many times. I think not looking at the big picture can be a good thing. I always put too much pressure on myself... saying I need to stick with it THIS time or telling myself not to give up on it like I always do. I think it is important to take one day at a time and set small goals for yourself. Also not letting something get you off track. Other times it has been if I get sick with a bad cold or something stressful happens at home or work. I think it is important that even if you get off track you try to get back as soon as you can.. even if you fall way behind.
  • crempel83
    crempel83 Posts: 9
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    Hey! I just found this topic and I know it's been a while but I wanted to offer my two cents. For me the best way is to start small, change one thing at a time until you get used to it and then change something else. If you just have to do one thing differently it makes it so much easier and so much less to focus on and worry about. When I started get back into my healthy lifestyle I just focus on eating more vegetables, eating them first at every meal, bringing them to work for snacks and it just became natural for me to eat them and really start to enjoy them and want them.

    Exercise too, best to start slowly and build up to more, you don't want to go hard and burn yourself out and then just get tired and discouraged and stop. It takes time for your body to adjust to being active as opposed to being sedentary.

    And don't hate on yourself for slipping because we're all just human and it happens, then you just keep on going. :)

    Good luck!!

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