“I’ve tried to change my eating habits, but it only lasts for a week or two.”

Have you ever said or experienced this? Many people have. Even I have at times in my life.

For many people changing eating habits can be hard

There are many reasons why people experience challenges when they try to change something about how they eat. Sometimes it’s because life gets in the way. Sometimes we don’t really want to change. Many times it’s because our body misinterprets what we are trying to do and a biology versus willpower contest starts. (Read “Willpower, eating habits and food: Are they causing challenges for you?” for more information on this.)

But these aren’t the main reason changing habits is hard …

Here’s the secret most people don’t know: When you work on changing eating habits, you are actually developing new skills.

The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines “skills” as:

• the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance
•  dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks
•  a learned power of doing something competently: a developed aptitude or ability

So right there we have an important clue as to what’s needed to successfully change eating habits.

Practice is key to changing habits and learning new skills

When you’re learning a new skill, the chances are you aren’t very good at it the first time. Or maybe even the second or third time. Or longer. Think about something you do now that you found difficult when you first started.

Maybe it was playing a sport or even riding a bike. Training wheels. Falling off. Hoping you didn’t have to stop or turn a curve. Chances are there were crashes. Maybe a few tears. Maybe some frustration. But with encouragement, practice and tips from someone who knew the secrets, you got better. Maybe you’re still in that process with golf, skiing, or a hobby you enjoy.

Once you have a skill, a habit needs to be created

The Mirriam-Webster dictionary  has several definitions for “habit”, but the ones that are relevant to changing eating habits are as follows:

• a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior
•  an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely
• a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance

Due to the way our brains work, most of what we do in our lives are actually skills and routines that we’ve become so accustomed to that we don’t even think about them anymore. They are automatic. They are habits.

Here’s an example of that…

Think about something you do every day that you had to learn to do. Driving is a good example.

You probably get into your car, start it, and drive to your destination without much conscious thought. Do you remember thinking last time you were in your car about how much pressure to use on the gas pedal, how to steer, or keeping an eye out on the road? Probably not. It’s become a skill you’ve used many times.

Eating is habit

Nearly everything related to eating is a habit. Sometimes these are good habits that we want to keep. Sometimes they are habits we need to stop doing.

At other times it may be that we want to add a new habit new to what we eat, how we eat, or where we eat. Maybe you want to eat breakfast regularly. Or you want to eat healthier. Maybe you want to stop snacking at night. Or maybe you want to take up a new style of eating or cooking. All of these involve making changes to eating habits.

What to do when you want to change your eating habits

When you are making changes to something related to your eating habits, realize that it will take knowledge and practice before you become comfortable and develop the skill or skills that will help you with the change.

To boost your chances of success in changing how you eat, read  “How to be successful with healthy eating goals” by clicking here. 

Ready to get started on successfully changing your eating habits?

Make it easier by learning “5 Secrets to Successfully Changing How You Eat”. This is a free ebook that you can download instantly by clicking here.

If you want more help and guidance as you change your habits, then start by booking a free discovery call. We can talk about what you need to develop the skills and habits that can keep you on track with your changing your eating habits for life.

Click here to book your free discovery call!