I was overweight most of my life.  In high school I began trying and failing to lose extra pounds. I had some transitory successes, but didn't stabilize at a healthy weight until after my 50th birthday. I thank the Weight Watchers program for helping me turn the corner. 

 I recently celebrated my 16th anniversary of achieving "lifetime" status with that program.  Dropping 35 pounds and keeping them off have revolutionized my life.  Healthier eating has also led to more physical activity, a stronger immune system, and better "numbers" at the annual checkup.  Most important, I have gained confidence in my ability to set meaningful goals and to meet them despite the inevitable setbacks.

Are healthy food choices now "second nature" for me?  Some, yes, but assuredly not all.  Mindful eating requires sustained effort, and the results are well worth the commitment.  The following are five lessons I have learned on my journey.  They may or may not work for you.  I encourage you to develop your own list.

1. Tracking is essential for awareness.  I need a habit of daily tracking, year in and year out, to maintain awareness of my intake. When I am not aware, I fall victim to impulse and craving.  When I am aware, the rational part of my brain has a chance to chime in and call the shots.
2. Habits are critical to wise choice.  If I try to make a brand new wise choice every time I eat or drink, I soon weary of the effort and fall back on habits conditioned by sensory and emotional pleasure.  It works better for me to build habits of choosing healthy options without thinking about them. I drive by, not through the fast food restaurant.  I read labels and say no to most of them, drifting over time from packaged to whole, fresh alternatives.  I train myself through repetition to reduce habitual portion sizes (tall, not grande; cup not bowl; one, not two; appetizer not entrée.)
3. Variety renews momentum. I have maintained a healthy weight by experimenting with a variety of eating practices within the broad framework of tracking and managing total consumption. When I tire of a given approach, mindless overeating returns and I try something else.  For a few weeks or months, I increase proteins.  I reduce dairy.  I eliminate or diversify grains.  I go a month or so without bringing key "trigger" foods into the house.  Some experiments work well enough to become long-term habits.  Others do not.  Click here for a diverse list of eating practices I have tried over the years.
4. Abstinence is often easier than moderation.  I don't think of abstinence in life-long terms, but as a potential habit to try on for size.  With foods that shout "one is not enough," it is easier for me to say "no" than to stop after starting.  I may go a week, a month, or the duration of Lent without a particular treat, only to find that its appeal has waned.  Sometimes I can then resume in moderation, but sometimes a taste or two leads directly to overdose.  With each try, I find out more about what works for me and use that knowledge the next time.
5. Healthy eating is a lifelong learning class.  For many years, I envisioned a day when the effort would cease and I would achieve Nirvana.  I would desire only what was good for me, eat only enough to balance input with output, and handle my emotional needs with equilibrium instead of extra food.  It hasn't happened yet, and I no longer expect it to.  I recognize the physical and psychological factors that make balanced "intuitive" eating an unrealistic goal for me.  Food choice is a long-term focus of effort, experimentation, and gradual progress in building habits that align with my goals.