Changing eating habits is one of the most difficult things for some people to achieve. Some people modify their eating habits due to health concerns, some to attain an attractive physique, and some simply don’t care and will eat and drink anything they want. The question is, which do you identify with?
If you don’t care when it comes to your eating lifestyle, then you need to do some introspection and assess the possible deteriorating effect this unhealthy eating will have on your health. People have adopted various eating lifestyles, low-carb, low-fat, vegetarian, or vegan lifestyles, but that does not preclude you from living a healthy life.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends three simple steps to evaluate and alter your poor eating habits for a healthier lifestyle: Reflect, Replace and Reinforce.
Reflect:
- The CDC suggests creating a list of your eating and drinking habits. Take note of what you eat and drink. This includes sugary drinks and alcohol. Also, record the time of day you ate or drank the item.
- Note how you felt when you decided to eat or drink the item, especially if you were eating when not hungry. Were you tired? Were you stressed? Were you sad?
- Highlight what may have led you to overeat and ensure you have identified the triggers.
Below are some common triggers that may cause you to engage in unhealthy eating habits:
- Constantly opening the cabinet or fridge and seeing something you love
- Sitting at home watching television
- Before or after a stressful situation
- Seeing your favorite pastry
- Seeing someone eating a meal
- Having someone offer you a meal they made or bought for you
- Passing your favorite fast-food restaurant
- Feeling bored or tired
Now that you have reflected and have identified some triggers, the CDC advises replacing these habits with healthy ones.
Replace:
- Try to cut down on unhealthy foods and drinks like sweets, fried foods, alcohol, and sodas, and replace them with nuts, fruits, vegetables, and water.
- If you notice you eat more while watching your favorite show, try to eat without watching the tv next time.
- Aim to minimize the distractions that keep you from paying attention to how quickly and how much you eat or drink.
- Try paying attention to whether your hunger is satisfied rather than aiming to clean your plate.
- Only eat when you’re truly hungry instead of when you are tired, anxious, or feeling overwhelmed. If you usually use food for comfort, next time try to find an activity or talk to a friend to help you feel better.
- Practice meal planning ahead of time to ensure you eat a nutritious, well-balanced meal.
Finally, the CDC recommends reinforcing these practices to improve your new healthy eating habits.
Reinforce:
Developing healthy habits will take time and will require practice, patience, and discipline. Take time with yourself, and if you engage in an unhealthy habit, try to figure out what caused it and what changes you need to make. Over time, you will improve your eating habits, resulting in a healthier lifestyle.
