![](https://kajabi-storefronts-production.kajabi-cdn.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/blogs/5842/images/rHq1fv3nRS6QH1QPxGFr_alcohol-close-up-colors-935240.jpg)
4 Steps to Stop Weight Creep
Jan 16, 2019
Weight-creep is when your weight consistently increases over time.
Very slowly.
You may only notice it only in hindsight. A pound or 2 in a couple of months, barely noticeable, right?
It adds up.
Whenever I determine it’s time to get any weight-creep in check the first thing I do is note if I’ve started a nightly wine habit.
I usually have.
I can so easily get sucked into the habit of pouring a glass of wine after homework time is over and while I’m making dinner.
It marks the end of the day—it signals I get to coast from here. Often I can’t wait to coast.
But doing it regularly over an extended period of time eventually catches up with me.
It was time to give it up.
This is a process for me. I’ve learned to be kind to myself. The more understanding I am, the more likely I am to be successful.
(Note: I do not have an addiction to alcohol—I genetically dodged that one. I’m talking about a habit that can be extinguished. This is not a plan to treat an addiction. If you think you may be addicted, I highly recommend talking to your doctor and checking out AA. https://www.aa.org/ The program has helped millions.)
To end my habit I follow these 4 steps:
Step 1: Don’t buy it at the store.
I know that sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised by how ingrained that habit becomes, too, after weeks and weeks. Avoiding the aisle altogether helps.
Step 2: Hide the favorite glassware from sight.
Usually there is some degree of ritual involved in a daily habit. Getting the bottle from the fridge, uncorking it, pouring the wine into your favorite glass. The accouterments can end up being a visual trigger. Move them.
Step 3: Find a replacement.
Acknowledging that I wanted a demarcation in my day allowed me to create a different ritual around my need for relaxation in the late afternoon/early evening. In order to get that feeling of “end of the day” I had to replace the wine with something else. I tried reading, TV and baths. Eventually, they worked.
Step 4: Be patient.
Trying not to do something you’ve done daily for a long time will take some getting used to. Some days will be easier than others. As you figure out your new normal, getting your new habits in place, be kind and patient with yourself.
These four steps can work for any food habit you may have:
Cookie with coffee in the morning?
Chips with lunch?
Cheese and crackers in the afternoon?
Chocolate after dinner?
If these are habits you would like to change, give this plan a try.
And please remember Step 4.
Recent Posts
Categories
All Categories 10% weight loss 100 days 3 steps 4 easy steps 5 senses a little death acceptance accepting accomplishment accountability achieve your goal weight acknowlegement activities without food adaptation to food environment adipocytes advantages of corona advantages of lockdown advantages of quarantine advantages of stay at home advantages to midlife affirmations after christmas after thanksgiving afternoon hunger all or nothing thinking alternatives to valentine's day answer plateau questions assess and plan assess eating avocado back to basics back to school balance basics of weight loss bathing suit anxiety bbq beach body beach days benefits of dry january benefits of fasting benefits of taking a break from alcohol benefits of taking a break from wine benefits of water bermuda triangle of weight gain best day to buy halloween candy best day to weigh best day to weigh according to science best day to weigh scienticically proven best holiday best time for intermittent fasting best way to maintain best way to maintain weight loss best way to weigh better christmas better quality better timing for intermittent fasting black and white thinking breakfast but cabin fever calorie calorie counting calorie free birthday calorie free celebrations calorie saver calories candy celebrate celebrations and food change a habit change in schedule cherry picking cherry season choosing your goal weight choosing your ideal weight clarity with getting older coffee comfort food commitment compelling reason compliments compliments and weight loss connect with friends without food connecting with friends without food connection conscious eating consequences for the holidays cooking at home cope with crisis without overeating coping in crisis without food coping on mother's day cortisol cortisol and fat cortisol and weight gain counting calories cravings daily action daily food log daylight saving time debrief your holiday decide on desire decide to lose weight deciding to lose weight dehydration desire for food detox detoxify diet diet is a 4 letter word diet is a four letter word diet mentality diners disappointment disappointment and cravings disappointment and food discomfort doctor detox doctor recommended detox does maintenance become easier does weight loss get easier don't gain don't gain over the holidays don't gain weight on thanksgiving dr. fein's detox dr. fein's planner dr. orlena's summit dr. orlena's wellness summit dried fruit drifter drink more water dry january dysfunctional family bingo early time restricted intermittent fasting easier maintenance easy to stop overeating easy weight loss eat well on mother's day eating for hunger eating on vacation during covid eating well eating while traveling edible gifts and weight loss elevate standards emotional eating emotional eating in crisis emotional eating on mother's day emotional environmental control emotional hunger empowerment end of year goal energy balance energy balance vs energy flux energy flux enjoy the beach enough enough food enough in the face of plenty environmental control estrogen estrogen and fat estrogen and weight gain evaluate for weight loss evaluate your holidays evolution evolutionary reason for obesity ewight loss and receiving expression extra candy face the music family gatherings fast eating fast weight loss fast weight loss is not permanent fasting fat cells fecal transplant feel better and lose weight feel better lose weight feel feelings feel the fear feeling better makes it easier feeling full fewer calories five senses floater focus food as fuel food as love food environment food is not love food journal food joy food log food logging food on a road trip food plan food routines food schedules food tracking food week planning friday is the best day to weigh fun funny thanksgiving gaining weight garbage can gary keller geneen roth get ready get traction getting rid of ghrelin ghrelin and weight gain go to meals goal weight going to the market good news about thanksgiving good quality granola grazing grief grief and cravings grief and eating grief and food grief and holidays grief and maintenance growth growth and discomfort growth process guilt-free party gut bacteria halloween halloween candy halloween candy and weight gain happier holidays harmony health benefits of 10% high energy flux hobbies holiday holiday bermuda triangle holiday cookies and weight loss holiday parties and weight loss holiday party and weight loss holiday party tips holiday season holiday tips holiday weight gain holidays and calories holidays and weight loss holidays and weight maintenance holy grail of eating hormones how do i stop overeating how do you know if you are maintaining how much joy should food bring you how much water should i drink how not to overeat on thanksgiving how often to weigh how to get to your weight goal how to lose weight on thanksgiving how to make getting on the scale easier how to pick your ideal weight how to save calories at a party how to stop overeating how to weigh yourself hunger hunger cues hunger scale hungry hydration i can't ideal weight improve your holiday insulin insulin and fat insulin and intermittent fasting insulin and weight gain insulin resistance intention intermittent fasting intermittent fasting research interrupted sleep and weight loss it gets easier it's easier if you feel better it's easier if you think better joy joy food juice just miss karate chop keep what works keep your word to yourself kids lunches kindness and discomfort kindness and weight loss knowing yourself labor day weekend language latest intermittent fasting research learn from binges learn from mistakes learn from the holidays learn lessons from christmas learn like a baby learn to lose weight learn to maintain left vulnerable leptin leptin and weight gain leptin resistance leptin sensitivity less calories lessons learned letting go lighten load list my reasons logging long weekend longer days lose fat not muscle lose weight lose weight at holiday time lose weight during the holidays losing weight losing weight in 2021 lost fat lost weight low energy flux lunchtime tip magic for weight loss magic ratio 5:1 maintain weight maintain weight during quarantine maintain weight during the holiday maintain weight loss maintain weight loss at a party maintain weight loss at holiday time maintain weight loss in quarantine maintain weight loss with walking maintain weight on vacation maintain weight while on vacation maintain your weight maintainability maintaining weight maintaining weight during halloween maintaining weight loss maintenance maintenance and compassion maintenance and energy flux maintenance awareness month maintenance gets easier maintenance gets easier over time maintenance hack maintenance mode maintenance must have maintenance of weight loss maintenance over time maintenance quiz maintenance type maintenance types maintenance university martha graham meditation meditation and weight loss meditation practice metabolic numbers metabolism microbiome middle age middle age hormones midlife milestone milestones moderate alcohol morning routine mother's day mother's day strategy motivation muscle building muscle mass muscle memory my fitness pal negative self talk negative thoughts never diet never quit in weight loss new schedules nightly wine nip it in the bud no holiday weight gain no need for food when seeing friends no pain no gain nocturia and maintenance nocturia and weight loss non-food activities notice overeating numb with food nuts oatmeal obesityweek 2019 obligation gift giving observer olive oil one thing only the best oprah ounce of prevention over eating over hunger over hungry overconsumption overeating overeating and hunger overeating and overspending overeating at the holidays overspending parties and maintenance parties and weight loss party food party tips party tips for weight loss party's over patience with weight loss patient weight loss perfect is the enemy of the good permanent weight loss perseverance perseverance in weight loss personal responsibility physical hunger plan plan eating plan food week plan for the holidays plan for travel plan plan plan weekend plan your food week plan your thanksgiving plan your thanksgiving meal planner planning planning food planning food for maintenance planning food for weight loss planning meals plateau plateau questions pleasure and weight loss positive self talk positive thoughts post christmas post-bariatric weight gain post-holiday practice meditation prebiotics pregnancy and obesity preparation prepare prepare to lose weight prevent prevent cabin fever prevent weight gain probiotics processed foods processed foods and weight loss proven strategies to maintain weight loss ratio of positive to negative thoughts re-learn lessons reality reasons to lose weight reasons why rebounder rebounder maintenance type receiving gratitude recommended diets reflect regaining lost weight regular weighing remind resilency resistance training resolution weight loss restaurant eating revise ritual rituals road trip road trip eating road trip eating guidelines roadside diners roadtrip eating routines saddness salad salad dressing salad hacks salad makeover salad tips satisfied vs full save your sanity scale schedule exercise schedule your weight loss seasons secret to weight loss self compassion self compassion and overeating self sabotage self talk and maintenance self talk and weight loss self worth self-care self-compassion self-kindness service set goals shame should should i eat dessert sleep and maintenance sleep and weight loss sleep hygiene slow and permanent weight loss slow eating slow weight loss slower weight loss is more permanent small changes over time small changes work smoothies snack snacking snacks spring break spring cleaning stages of weight loss staple meals start of the season stay sharp in quarantine steps to lose weight steps to weight loss stick with weight loss stop eating after dinner stop emotional eating stop emotional eating now stop gaining stop overeating stop weight gain strategies for holiday parties strength building stress reduction structure sugar sugar and flour summer summer camp summer fruit summer schedule supermarket supermarket strategies sustainable weight loss sustainable weight loss is slow sweetness temporary joy temptation tempting food environment thanksgiving thanksgiving 2020 thanksgiving cheatsheet thanksgiving eating thanksgiving foods thanksgiving is one meal the best way to lose weihgt the best way to maintain the day after valentine's day the last bite the manager this is how you lose weight thoughts feelings action thoughts you think tight jeans tight pants time it takes time restricted intermittent fasting time to lose weight timing of intermittent fasting too much tv tracking transition transition from weight loss to maintenance transitions trash can travel eating true joy ultra processed foods and weight loss ultraprocessed foods unexpectd benefit unprocessed foods and weight loss urge to overeat vacation vacation eating vacation eating during covid valentine's day walk at home walk yourself walking and maintenance water water and brain water and kidney water and liver water and weight loss water for weight loss water is good for skin water weight weekly food plan weekly goals weekly planner weigh regularly weighing weighing fat weight creep weight gain weight gain and microbiome weight gain hormones weight gain in pregnancy weight gain prevention weight goal weight goals weight loss weight loss 2021 weight loss and alcohol weight loss and five senses weight loss and goals weight loss and holiday parties weight loss and pandemic weight loss and thanksgiving weight loss and vacation weight loss during holidays weight loss during quarantine weight loss frustration weight loss gets easier weight loss goal weight loss goal setting weight loss in midlife weight loss long haul weight loss magic weight loss maintenance weight loss maintenance type weight loss maintenance during quarantine weight loss maintenance type weight loss maintenance types weight loss plateau weight loss skills weight loss success weight loss time weight loss trifecta weight loss with intermittent fasting weight loss with logging weight maintenance weight management weight regain weightloss mode what is maintenance what is weight loss maintenance what should my gaol weight be what to do when the scale goes up what will you keep what works what's for lunch what's for lunch? when the number on the scale goes up where does fat go why dehydration is bad why did i gain back weight why do i gain back weight why do i regain weight why should i lose weight why we avoid the scale why weight regain why you want to lose weight willpower willpower depletion worry about bathing suit worth the calories write down food yearly plan yo yo dieting yo-yo no more you can lose weight during the holidays yoyo dieting yoyo weight gain