Hi all! Since beginning my weight-loss journey in January of this year, I have noticed some changes in my habits and my mindset towards a lot of things. I was wondering if you all have had similar revelations about yourselves.

1) I am finding myself making foods for my family the more healthy way without even thinking about it. For example, I don't use margarine for cooking that has to have the fat, I use real butter. I use olive oil for all things that require an oil (except for like a cake or something like that). I have 2 toddlers and I find myself thinking far more about nutritional value than I did before for their meals (it can be hard to get a toddler to eat enough to add up to the recommended amounts).

2) When I go out to eat, I automatically go right to the 'diet' or 'weight-watchers' section of the menu...I don't even look at the rest. It has become shear habbit now. I am doing cal counting, but give serious KUDOS to the restaurants that are now supporting more healthy life-styles.

3) When I am at potlucks where I know I can't calorie count, I focus more on what looks the most nutritious so I at least am getting more nutrition even if I am getting more calories.

4) When I am stressed or have just had a long day, I now know that the chips and cookies won't relieve my stress...but exersize will totally nip it! At the beginning of my new life-style, I had to convince myself when I was stressed that I needed to go for a walk or something. Now, I am like "I am stressed...I need to get out and kick butt on a fast walk or get on the treadmill or something". My whole attitude is different when I get a good one in!...sweating heavily makes it even better!

5) I am now grabbing a cup of WATER instead of the diet pepsi!!! BIG ONE for me! I RARELY ever drank water before.

There are more that aren't coming to head at this moment, but I am sure you get what I am saying. These aren't just things I am always telling myself I need to do, these things have become HABITS!!!!!! ...and to me...well...that is a HUGE milestone!!!

If you feel the same way about some of these things or even other things that I haven't mentioned, please feel free to add on! I would love to think on other things that maybe I could train myself on. I am such a creature of habit!

Congratulations on the weight loss and the new habits. I have noticed very similar habits and it makes the weight loss so much more relaxed when It all becomes second nature to choose the healthier foods and exercise. I am definitely not as stressed as I was and find that walking helps to relieve my stress. I also just look at the "diet" sections in a menu, it's second nature now. Good luck on your continued successful journey.

lilybelle...I rarely reply to general posts all over the board, but I read all over the place. I just wanted to let you know that you are a downright inspiration to me. I read your story some time ago and was absolutely amazed by you. You go, girl!!! I bet there isn't a day that goes by that you aren't loving the new life you have made for yourself.

4) When I am stressed or have just had a long day, I now know that the chips and cookies won't relieve my stress...but exersize will totally nip it! At the beginning of my new life-style, I had to convince myself when I was stressed that I needed to go for a walk or something. Now, I am like "I am stressed...I need to get out and kick butt on a fast walk or get on the treadmill or something". My whole attitude is different when I get a good one in!...sweating heavily makes it even better!

This is so me too! When I get stressed I just want to go out and sweat my agression out.

Some things I am noticing -

1. I can now eat salad...I swear it was like I was allergic to veggies before this...

2. I cannot tell the diff in diet cheese, 1% milk, Low Carb Salad Dressing etc....find myself making all kinds of smart choices.

I've made it a habit to have breakfast and coffee at home every morning, and to bring lunches to work everyday.

Chopping vegetables happens so frequently I'm beginning to think it's a hobby.

Restaurant dinners are becoming more and more rare.

I look at nutritional labels on every single item I purchase.

I DITTO THAT!!!

Yes! I've noticed habit changes too! Feels good when someone mentions eating out at fast food places that I cringe now, for the most part! Weakness shines through now and then, but 9 times outta 10 I can't make myself do it.

I automatically check calories and such now, go for skim milk, fat free in some stuff, sugar free in others....

I think the biggest thing for me is that I'm making myself eat more often, and better things! I was in that cycle of eating 1 huge meal a day then snacking at night on oreos and stuff...I had to break that first thing!

Kim

Oh yes, lots of changes. Too many to count. For one, I'm super conscious of fats in foods. I didn't used to be. I'd just eat whatever without even knowing the fat and calorie content. And now that I look back, I'm horrified at some of the crap I used to eat on a regular basis. No wonder I was fat and had high cholesterol and blood pressure. After changing my lifestyle and losing over 80 pounds, both of those are now normal.

I find myself 'nitpicking' through foods more now, at restaurants or when I grocery shop. Like in the store, I used to just grab any old thing off the shelves and toss it into my cart. Now I stand and read every single label. Nothing goes into my cart without me knowing the nutrition info. And in restaurants instead of ordering just whatever looks good, I read all ingredients (and nutrition info if available) make sure nothing is deep-fried, fried in oil or covered in sauces, and even ask the waiters for modifications on certain dishes.

I find myself grabbing WHOLE grain breads instead of plain white bread. Although I'll still eat white bread on occasion, for the most part (pitas, tortillas, etc.) I buy the kind made with whole wheat/whole grain flour.

I walk right past bakeries. They can take that crap and eat it themselves.

I make sure I have something in the morning, even if it's just a glass of skim milk. Which is usually what I have most of the time. I just can't eat early in the morning and I know I need SOME form of nutrition, so an 8-ounce glass of skim milk is, most mornings, my breakfast. I used to not eat breakfast at all. I'd wait till 11 or 12:00 to eat and then pig out on junk.

I'm conscious of a lot of things now, but I'd have to say the thing I'm the MOST conscious of is calories. Nothing goes into my mouth that I don't know the calorie count for. Unless, of course, we go out to eat and I have something that I'm totally clueless about. But even still, I do my best to make the wiser choices and try and pick the lesser of all the evils. Usually at that point I don't even try to count the calories. I just mark it as an enjoyed meal without obsessing over how many calories I've eaten (if it's already eaten there's no point in kicking myself, it's done) and move on.

Thanks for sharing that great post. Same here! I am really starting to develop good automatic habits too! Like you said... in a restaurant automatically looking for the healthful items; and like today at work there was a BBQ -- without even really thinking I just took some chicken (and picked the skin off) and some watermelon... skipping the potato salad, baked beans and ice cream. And I did not feel deprived; I feel GREAT when I know I am doing healthful things!

Doesn't it feel wonderful? I find that after I eat healthy foods I feel good about myself. But if I slip and eat something yukky? I feel like a slug the rest of the day. Psychological, I'm sure, but still - I just feel... yuk.

I totally ditto that!

I am starting to crave healthy foods and for dinner tonight I BBQ some salmon kaboobs. MMMMM!!! Yummy!!!! They had onions, bell peppers and salmon they were great. I rarely eat a carb for dinner anymore. I eat some meat and vegie and some fruit. I am craving fruit more too.

One thing that I am working on is sugar. I have a hard time passing up cake and donuts so I don't buy those but when they are around at work I am getting better at saying "no" and if I do have one my body reminds me all day about what a bad decision it was. I feel yucky when I eat too much sugar now. That never happened before.

One more odd thing that I am doing now is I am looking for another job, but I don't want to give my job up now because I walk around 6-7 miles a day at work alone and I am afraid of getting a nice office job. I work retail now.