Phase VS Lifestyle

addy_rodriguez · January 2012

So today I’m feeling all positive and grab the bull by the horns and kick the carbs in the pants like, but I’ve read this book before… and it usually ends up being a phase.
History shows…I get discouraged, I allow people and things to derail me and eventually I reach for the cookies and become a regular visitor at the drive through.
I want this time to be different… I want this time to be “the one” the time I make this a lifestyle not a phase. Has anyone here had a history of flakiness and eventually turned it around for good? I’d love to hear your stories.

cfergy · January 2012

I have been known to go for long periods of time too being all fired up and then come crashing down and go for periods where I just don't pay attention. I have yet to reach my ultimate goal weight. I'm trying to change that by asking myself seriously each time I want to do something "Is this bringing me closer to or farther from my ultimate goal?" So far it has helped keep things in perspective.
It has to be a lifestyle change not a phase. So if I find myself wanting to drive home instead of the gym, I ask myself that question. If I find myself thinking I want to eat a cookie instead of something healthy or just not eat at all, I ask myself that question. It honestly has helped.
Great topic though, I think a lot of people can relate.

SparkleDoomPony · January 2012

When I kept the weight off for five years, the biggest difference in my own behavior was that I didn't STRESS myself out about diet and exercise. I just made a few little changes every week that I felt comfortable with. I never tried to do everything perfectly, I just tried to start doing one more thing right that week or that day. Pretty soon I had a sustainable lifestyle that lasted for five years.

However obviously you can still have a life change that overwhelms your stress capacitors, because here I am again

So as for the constant vigilance that can over-come the BIG life-stressors, I haven't figured that out yet.

jacksonpt · January 2012

For me it's about trading old, bad foods/habits for new ones. A big part of that is finding foods I like that fit into my daily goals. There's no way I'm going to trade wings for salad, but wings for a good steak I could do. So for me it's not about stopping bad behaviors, it's about replacing them with good ones.

kissofdeath3183 · January 2012

I realize that I get discouraged when I don't see actual pounds drop. I never take into effect that one pound of muscle, is exactly the same as one pound of fat. So the first month of working out, I refuse to weigh myself. It makes it easier to stick with working out. Also, some of it is habits are hard to break, and hard to get into. Is working out something you have to go out of your way to do? Then it become tedious and you're more likely to skip a day here, skip this day...and before you know it you aren't working out at all. Make it a habit to do something active at least half hour a day...I'm still struggling with that but it's something I am working on. I normally flake out and give up. Another thing is I signed up for a 3k obstacle course run for a charity in March. I SIGNED up. I HAVE to do it. This means I definitely can't flake out by then!

thepetiterunner · January 2012

For me, it was actually reaching a point I never thought I'd reach and seeing myself in pictures at my friend's wedding. You just have to hit a point where you no longer find your current path acceptable - perhaps you have not reached it yet.

The idea of being THAT uncomfortable in my skin again, of not enjoying my life, of just SETTLING and not taking control of my life, my health, my fitness, is just unacceptable. That's enough to stop me from indulging more than a day or two, or to fall off a wagon. It's a choice you need to commit to and make.

You'll know when you've reached that point.

addy_rodriguez · January 2012

For me, it was actually reaching a point I never thought I'd reach and seeing myself in pictures at my friend's wedding. You just have to hit a point where you no longer find your current path acceptable - perhaps you have not reached it yet.

The idea of being THAT uncomfortable in my skin again, of not enjoying my life, of just SETTLING and not taking control of my life, my health, my fitness, is just unacceptable. That's enough to stop me from indulging more than a day or two, or to fall off a wagon. It's a choice you need to commit to and make.

You'll know when you've reached that point.

Yea I totally "get" that. I have a picture posted that was my breaking point... my problem is once i loose the weight and start to feel good again, I get complacent and go to my "oh one cookie isnt going to kill you" place. I think the food diary is going to be a big help in that respect though.

savlyon · January 2012

I've been at this for a year now. What I have realized is that it takes practice. Eventually, the drive thru episodes are less and less frequent. Eventually, I realize that when I do hit the drive thrus, I skip the soda or I make other better choices. It gets a ton easier the more you do it and the longer you do make the good choices.

ETA--
My brother is a vegetarian. He grew up in Nebraska, you know, where "Beef is what's for dinner." It took him several years to refine his diet so he was actually eating very healthy foods. (NOT saying beef isn't healthy!) It was a good reminder for me that real change takes time.

Eating habits are like any other habit...it takes time and practice to develop.

thoma74 · January 2012

I'm having the same problem right now. I am great with my food habits now and watching what I eat for the most part. It's the exercise thing! I can't seem to stay motivated to keep up with it. My boyfriend goes to the gym religiously, but he also works not to far from it and he works different hours than me and can get to the gym at a decent time. I know I'm full of excuses. But I want this to work SO BAD! Why can't I?! Great topic!!

GuerrillaHermit · January 2012

I think the title of the tread says it all, phase versus lifestyle. While it is easy to get fired up over things and jump on them while the concept is shiny and new (I liken this to a young child who wants a puppy, and swears they will do everything... until the walks, and the feeding, and the pooping become a chore.) and then let those feelings fade. I too am guilty with that on some things, usually within weeks. This time, when I decided enough was enough I turned my entire lifestyle upside down. I know my habits and pitfalls and now endeavour to stay a step ahead on preventing the possibilities. The foods I know I will binge on, that are unhealthy, I simply refuse to let them in the house. I restructured my time management so now when it comes to getting work done, workouts, and family time, there are no excuses at all why I cannot achieve all of these things in the day. Strangely enough, what I think has helped me the most is this time around I completely stepped up a level in appearance, namely what I wear. Now when I head out for the day, I am dressed up a level or two beyond what I used to. Slouching around in torn up jeans, or shorts and old shirts just gave me the overall feeling of being lazy as I looked, which allowed me to just fail myself on all the other aspects I was working on. Sadly, I feel that too many people go into getting fit (again) with the idea that they can just try to change what they eat, or try to get to the gym, or try to run, but I have found, especially for me, is that you have to change the entire way you handle life, not just a few details.

TL;DR?

If you're not who you want to be in life, and wish to make it happen, it takes more than a few small changes.

addy_rodriguez · January 2012

I think the title of the tread says it all, phase versus lifestyle. While it is easy to get fired up over things and jump on them while the concept is shiny and new (I liken this to a young child who wants a puppy, and swears they will do everything... until the walks, and the feeding, and the pooping become a chore.) and then let those feelings fade. I too am guilty with that on some things, usually within weeks. This time, when I decided enough was enough I turned my entire lifestyle upside down. I know my habits and pitfalls and now endeavour to stay a step ahead on preventing the possibilities. The foods I know I will binge on, that are unhealthy, I simply refuse to let them in the house. I restructured my time management so now when it comes to getting work done, workouts, and family time, there are no excuses at all why I cannot achieve all of these things in the day. Strangely enough, what I think has helped me the most is this time around I completely stepped up a level in appearance, namely what I wear. Now when I head out for the day, I am dressed up a level or two beyond what I used to. Slouching around in torn up jeans, or shorts and old shirts just gave me the overall feeling of being lazy as I looked, which allowed me to just fail myself on all the other aspects I was working on. Sadly, I feel that too many people go into getting fit (again) with the idea that they can just try to change what they eat, or try to get to the gym, or try to run, but I have found, especially for me, is that you have to change the entire way you handle life, not just a few details.

TL;DR?

If you're not who you want to be in life, and wish to make it happen, it takes more than a few small changes.

I like this "Go big or go home" attitude.
I guess if you want big results you have to make big changes.

Phase VS Lifestyle

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