What Does it Take to Change Habits?

It's hard to get motivated to make any change when you cannot see immediate feedback. Looking at it on paper, it's easy to ask why people are so foolish, but when it's my grandfather, he's going to try it for a couple meals and think "I don't feel any better. This isn't working. What good is life without bacon anyway?"

I worked with a woman who at 42, had a heart attack, was revived twice. She was fairly overweight, didn't eat very well, smoked a pack a day and drank to excess. A prime candidate for heart disease.

Unfortunately she is now heavier than she was before, smokes and drinks more than she ever did and still eats very high cholestrol and fatty foods.

One of her stents failed after one year, this was sufficient to scare into healthy living for about one month only.

It is a bit sad really.

I can fully understand this no matter how much you tell some people that they have to change, it just doesn't seem to sink in maybe one day it will be to late for them but, thats just the way it is.

I'm not buying this need to eat at least 5 servings of vegetables a day. There is no evidence that says that amount is required.

1.) If the damn nutritional information wouldn't change EVERY month, maybe people would believe what they read. I also don't buy this "five serve sing" crap. That's like dieting by only taking five chews of your food. Nebulous numbers that are contradicted or adjusted capriciously is killing proper nutrition.

2.) After watching my Grandmother die at the age of 104, I have massive doubts that I want to live that long. It was not pretty.

Not that I want to die today, but this obsession that the 60's generation has with immortality (via food), is creepy and uninformed. There's this "big brother" attitude in nutritional circles that fosters rebellion.

3.) Some people want to live and die their own way.

I think it's real hard for someone to change especially after they've gotten to that point.

My dad is only 63 and he's getting one lifestyle death sentence after another added on -- diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol (high LDL, low HDL) -- etc. Now, it's a bit harder for him to change being poor, not having much help, and being in a wheelchair, but even things he could change he just lets it, and has been letting it since long before those problems arouse -- kinda like, "Can't teach old dog new tricks" Some of these people feel hopeless and helpless.

There should be better cheap/free programs to help those who have gotten into this state improve-- to help them see it is NOT hopeless and they still can change.

And I should clarify above - it is said, my dad has a terminal illness that scares people and they respond so strongly too.. but looking at the liver numbers and his other blood work-- it won't be this big scary terminal illness that kills him, it will be lifestyle factors. And his final years will not (and already are not) be pretty. His health is already so poor that he is physically and mentally slipping at an age where some of his former friends are still going strong.

It amazes me people who are scared of certain things but don't take lifestyle concerns seriously. I have a friend who freaks out about that stuff like SARS or Avian Flu, etc--- but eats fast food constantly and doesn't exercise. Why not focus on things you can control instead of worrying about the media-darling bug du jour that you likely can't?

My grandfather passed away about 4 years ago from his 4th, yes 4TH, heart attack. He had his first heart attack at the age of 39 and it wasn't severe enough to really scare him into changing anything. He had a very sedentary lifestyle, was very overweight, and ate a lot of fatty foods (plus he had genetic hypercholesterolemia). At the age of 50, he suffered his second heart attack and required quintuple bypass surgery. That one scared him more...he tried eating lower sodium foods for a bit to try and lower his blood pressure, but that lasted about a month. I mean, my grandma tried SO HARD to get him to eat healthier and lose a little weight, but he just said "Well, something's eventually gonna kill me". In his early 60's, he had his third heart attack and required angioplasty. Soon after that, he suffered a few TIA's and also developed type 2 diabetes. He STILL refused to change his eating habits and he actually kind of ignored his diabetes...he never checked his blood sugar or anything. He developed glaucoma and pretty quickly, his quality of life was in the toilet...he could barely get around anymore because of the stroke damage and loss of circulation in his feet. He just kind of gave up on living at that point and didn't see any point in trying to get better. After he had the 4th heart attack, he finally had killed off enough of his heart muscle to kill him. It's a sad and tragic case, but I think if he had really committed to changing his lifestyle, my grandma wouldn't be a widow right now.

My uncle smoked for close to 50 years. Had a massive heart attack and could have died had he not been near a hospital. He quit smoking that day and hasn't picked it back up. He has 3 lovely grandchildren, so I think he had good reasons to stay healthy. He could stand to lose a little weight, but he hasn't smoked in years, and that's pretty huge.

Insurance companies should pay a percentage for a weight loss program such as weight watchers or for a dietician before a medical problem arises and especially after. This way the people that really want to change would have support to keep them on track. I know they could still go to weight watchers or see a dietician on their own, but if the insurance covered a part of the meeting fee or office visit, I am sure you would have more people trying to change their eating habits.
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This reminds me of an ex boyfriend of mine...he was diagnosed with cancer and continued to smoke and eat badly and so on.

Some people just don’t care. Dad had two strokes and no one can imagine that because he is thin, doesn’t smoke and does exercise. Had he been overweight like his brothers and a stroke may have killed him, as it did with two of them. They all have cardiac problems due to genetic reasons, but some decided to just let it go.

My dad will be 70 in August, has gymnastic classes twice a week, and walks everyday for about an hour. Doctors were very surprise with his recovery, as the second stroke caused this left side to paralyze. He could never recover that fast and that good if he was overweight and sedentary. Yet, some members of the family (the older ones, of course) see no point in sports and healthy life style because “oh well, he takes care and still had it…”. Mum is 67 and has gymnastics and swimming classes, plus the walking.
I’m very proud of them, they look so much younger than their same age friends!

By the way, my city has a lot of sports for senior people, retired people have it for free. Municipal swimming pools, tennis courts and others facilities can be used for a very low fee. An hour in the swimming pool costs me 2.60 €, half the price of a MacDonalds meal.
If city authorities see sport facilities as a right and not as a luxury, it would be great for overall health improvement, as private gyms tend to be overpriced.

If heart disease isn't a wake up call, what more do they need? These people have no one to blame but themselves.

So let them die. Weakness will thinned from the herd, through all time.

And it must be cut out from within ourselves, or we die too.

My grandpa was beaten by diabetes, in his early 60's. He never managed it properly. I miss his presence in my life. But he made the wrong choices, and now we're without him.

Yet that doesn't mean he's not still doing me some good. There's good in everything, even defeat.

Lot's of interesting info in this article and the comments that ensued. I'm a little late but I'll post my 2 cents.
I think the problem with the majority of people is that they don't care if they live (longer). And they also don't care if it means they are making things harder on family (due to their death or financially). General unhappiness and lack of direction in life. It's very selfish in my opinion and purely a psychological problem.
I cringe when I hear people say they "need" bacon/icecream/sweets or whatever unhealthy food. It's disgusting, ignorant, and honestly makes me lose respect for them.

I found a program that is healthy and shows immediate results. I told my obese brother and his wife. There comment "we're not ready for a life style change right now". HELLO! They are not going to have a life to worry about. I seriously had to step away and try not to think about it. They are adults.

I think there have been a lot of good points raised here. From my perspective as a psychologist who specialized in behavioural medicine-i.e. in short, supporting and guiding people with medical diagnoses to change any behaviours that are impeding their physical and mental health, I believe that fear and threats do little to motivate change. Unfortunately, education, support, and cognitive-behavioural interventions cost health care systems a lot more than pills, so most people do not get any help in changing their habits. As anyone who has ever made a New Year's Resolution knows, it is difficult to change behaviour in the best of scenarios, not to mention when you are reeling from the effects of a major health scare that could have implications for many facets of your life. In fact, there is a strong relationship between major depression and myocardial infarctions (heart attacks). If you are suffering from depression, it is unlikely that you have the will and motivation to pursue these challenging lifestyle changes. I think it's sad that we blame people for not "smartening up" when we all do things we know we "shouldn't" in various realms. Just my two cents.

The bottom line is which way will you choose?

Eat healthy, exercise, seek medical advice.

Or do nothing?

You have everything to gain or alot to lose.

This is great reading! The more discussion of our obesity problems helps us all to realize how devastating the overeating of food really is. The only way I've found to lose weight and keep it off is thru mental change. Food based dieting just doesn't work long term. If it did, we'd have only one diet and we'd all be skinny and healthy. Look for ways to change your relationship with food and you'll find the true secret.

It's a complex problem that needs a method/system to overcome. The solution needs to increase and maximize the desire to change, clarity of the benefits and motivation to change as well as create understanding of the major hurdle--reactive conditioned behavior.
~ Mike.

Part of the blame has to be the marketing of the food industry and the lack of economical healthy food options.