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You worked hard on making better eating choices and exercising. And for a few weeks or maybe a few months, you did well. You lost weight, felt better, and were sure that this time, your new and improved health habits were here to stay.

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But then there was a big project at work that had you ordering in pizza at your desk rather than going out for a low-calorie lunch. Your children needed extra help with their homework, so your evening walks got put on the back burner. And before you know it, those hard-won healthy changes went by the wayside.

What happened? While you weren't looking, you slid right back into your old habits.

Habits, whether good or bad, are repeated patterns of behavior that we do without conscious thought, says Jo Anne White, PhD, a life coach and professor at Temple University in Philadelphia.

They key to changing habits and keeping them changed is to take conscious control, says White. To begin with, make a decision to change the defeating habit and set a specific date for when you'll begin. Then, write down and consider why you want to make the change.

"Once you've physically done something -- in this case, writing it down -- your action gives power to your mental commitment," says White. "It tells you: Now you're serious."

Making Better Choices

For many people, maintaining weight loss and fitness gains are harder than achieving them in the first place.

One of the most common reasons for relapsing is stress, says Malena Perdomo, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Family and work issues, or any major life change, can trigger a slide, says Perdomo. So can feeling bored, sad, or guilty.

"Become aware of the times you slip up," advises Rebecca "Kiki" Weingarten, MSEd, MFA, coach and co-founder of Daily Life Consulting in New York. "Stop for a second to see why you want to eat."

Ask yourself if you're really hungry, or need some comfort food, Weingarten says. If you really need an "emotional" snack, you don't have to deny yourself -- just make a better choice. Sucking on a piece a hard candy instead of downing an entire candy bar, for example, may do the trick. So may drinking a diet soda instead of a sugar-laden one.

"You don't have to stop enjoying your life," says Weingarten. "You just have to substitute new, positive habits for old, negative ones."

In fact, Howard Shapiro, MD, author of the Picture Perfect Weight Loss series, believes that the fastest way to fall into bad diet habits is by depriving yourself of your favorite foods. Shapiro says it's not so much about dieting as training yourself to make smarter choices.

Craving ice cream? Instead of opting for a cup of ice cream with 300 calories, have a fudgsicle for just 40 calories. Need a carb fix? Instead of a bagel with butter for 640 calories, try two slices of whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and a cup of fruit, all for 370 calories.

Another type of healthy choice involves the "power of place," says behaviorist Peggy Vincent of The Methodist Hospital in Houston.

"Where you are has a lot to do with what you do," says Vincent. "Stay away from places that have been problematic for you in the past, and spend more time in places where healthy behaviors are the norm."

Don't sit in your favorite Mexican restaurant and wonder why you can't resist the chips, or spend an evening on the sofa watching TV and hoping not to snack, Vincent says. Instead, spend more time in the gym, take an evening class to get out of the house, or try a restaurant with healthy menu selections.

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