Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
How to Change Your Eating Habits in Healthy Eating
In spite of expert advice to the contrary, most of us will decide to go on a diet at some point. At any given time, 23 percent of adult men and 41 percent of adult women in the United States are trying to lose weight. Whether in response to gorging ourselves on the Thanksgiving turkey and all the fixings, to noticing the "spare tire" or "love handles" on our midsections, or to other events, the attempt to lose a few pounds is a common practice in American society. Given the hundreds of different diets and endless expert advice available, why do we fail most of the time?
• Determining What Triggers Your Eating Behavior Before you can change a given behavior, you must first determine what causes that behavior. Why do you suddenly find yourself at the refrigerator door eating everything in sight? Why do you take that second and third helping of potatoes or dessert when you know that you should be trying to lose weight?
Many people have discovered that one of the best ways of assessing their eating behavior is to chart exactly when they feel like eating, where they are when they decide to eat, the amount of time they spend eating, other activities they engage in during the meal (watching television or reading), whether they eat alone or with others, what and how much they eat, and how they felt before they took their first bite. If you keep a detailed daily log of the triggers listed in Figure 15.3 for at least a week, you will discover useful clues about what in your environment or in your emotional makeup causes you to want food. Typically, these dietary "triggers" center on problems in everyday living rather than on real hunger pangs. As you record this information, your reasons for eating will often become apparent. Many people find that they eat compulsively when stressed or when they have problems in their relationships. For other people, the exact same circumstances diminish their appetite, causing them to lose weight.
• Changing Your Triggers Once you recognize the factors that cause you to eat, removing the triggers or substituting other activities for them will help you develop more sensible eating patterns. Here are some examples of substitute behaviors:
1. When eating dinner, turn off all distractions, including the television and radio.
2. Replace snack breaks or coffee breaks with exercise breaks.
3. Instead of gulping your food, force yourself to chew each bite slowly.
4. Vary the time of day when you eat. Instead of eating by the clock, do not eat until you are truly hungry. Allow yourself only a designated amount of time for eating but do not rush. Try to become more aware of true feelings of hunger.
5. If you find that you generally eat all that you can cram on a plate, use smaller plates. Put your dinner plates away and use the salad plates instead.
6. If you find that you are continually seeking your favorite foods in the cupboard, stop buying them. Or place them in a spot that is very inconvenient to reach. (Having to run upstairs for the sugar bowl will probably force you to think twice before using sugar.)
These are just suggestions. After recording your daily intake for a week, you will be able to devise a list of substitutes that are geared toward your particular eating behaviors.
• Determining What Triggers Your Eating Behavior Before you can change a given behavior, you must first determine what causes that behavior. Why do you suddenly find yourself at the refrigerator door eating everything in sight? Why do you take that second and third helping of potatoes or dessert when you know that you should be trying to lose weight?
Many people have discovered that one of the best ways of assessing their eating behavior is to chart exactly when they feel like eating, where they are when they decide to eat, the amount of time they spend eating, other activities they engage in during the meal (watching television or reading), whether they eat alone or with others, what and how much they eat, and how they felt before they took their first bite. If you keep a detailed daily log of the triggers listed in Figure 15.3 for at least a week, you will discover useful clues about what in your environment or in your emotional makeup causes you to want food. Typically, these dietary "triggers" center on problems in everyday living rather than on real hunger pangs. As you record this information, your reasons for eating will often become apparent. Many people find that they eat compulsively when stressed or when they have problems in their relationships. For other people, the exact same circumstances diminish their appetite, causing them to lose weight.
• Changing Your Triggers Once you recognize the factors that cause you to eat, removing the triggers or substituting other activities for them will help you develop more sensible eating patterns. Here are some examples of substitute behaviors:
1. When eating dinner, turn off all distractions, including the television and radio.
2. Replace snack breaks or coffee breaks with exercise breaks.
3. Instead of gulping your food, force yourself to chew each bite slowly.
4. Vary the time of day when you eat. Instead of eating by the clock, do not eat until you are truly hungry. Allow yourself only a designated amount of time for eating but do not rush. Try to become more aware of true feelings of hunger.
5. If you find that you generally eat all that you can cram on a plate, use smaller plates. Put your dinner plates away and use the salad plates instead.
6. If you find that you are continually seeking your favorite foods in the cupboard, stop buying them. Or place them in a spot that is very inconvenient to reach. (Having to run upstairs for the sugar bowl will probably force you to think twice before using sugar.)
These are just suggestions. After recording your daily intake for a week, you will be able to devise a list of substitutes that are geared toward your particular eating behaviors.
Get Healthy Eating Habits If You Want to Lose Weight Forever
Losing weight might seem simple at first but it is actually very complicated. You can't just follow a diet, lose weight and expect to keep you new smoking hot body forever. You will actually have to work hard and change your eating habits and lifestyle.
Most diets fail to help you keep the results you get because they are based on a timetable. You eat these foods in these combinations for 1, 2, 3... more months and you lose X pounds. That is all fine and dandy but the problem is that you don't get to keep the new slender body for too long. You gain all the weight back plus some interest.
A much better way to view diets is as a permanent change to your eating habits and lifestyle. The true purpose of a diet shouldn't be that of making you lose weight, but that of changing your eating habits and lifestyle. All the weight you lose should be the direct result of you changing your eating habits forever. That way you won't have go back on a diet ever gain because you won't get fat ever again.
Dieting isn't only about reducing the number of calories. It is about learning to make the right food choices. Instead of a McDonalds hamburger you choose to eat a carrot or a homemade salad. That is a wise choice that will help you lose weight, get fit and stay fit for the rest of your life.
It is all about getting a proper nutrition, healthy eating that will lead to a normal weight not going on and off fad diets in a desperate attempt to keep your sexy looking body. The good news is that you can follow a proper diet forever and feel perfectly satisfied with your life. You cannot say the same thing about a fast weight loss diet.
Most diets fail to help you keep the results you get because they are based on a timetable. You eat these foods in these combinations for 1, 2, 3... more months and you lose X pounds. That is all fine and dandy but the problem is that you don't get to keep the new slender body for too long. You gain all the weight back plus some interest.
A much better way to view diets is as a permanent change to your eating habits and lifestyle. The true purpose of a diet shouldn't be that of making you lose weight, but that of changing your eating habits and lifestyle. All the weight you lose should be the direct result of you changing your eating habits forever. That way you won't have go back on a diet ever gain because you won't get fat ever again.
Dieting isn't only about reducing the number of calories. It is about learning to make the right food choices. Instead of a McDonalds hamburger you choose to eat a carrot or a homemade salad. That is a wise choice that will help you lose weight, get fit and stay fit for the rest of your life.
It is all about getting a proper nutrition, healthy eating that will lead to a normal weight not going on and off fad diets in a desperate attempt to keep your sexy looking body. The good news is that you can follow a proper diet forever and feel perfectly satisfied with your life. You cannot say the same thing about a fast weight loss diet.
Healthy Eating - The Basics
Eating a healthy diet can help to protect you from heart disease, some types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.
You need to feed your body the appropriate vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to remain healthy. Eating a healthy diet means that you include:
...fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk products
...fish, poultry, lean meats, eggs, beans, and nuts
Eating a healthy diet means that you eat only minimal amounts of:
...cholesterol, salt, and sugar
...trans fats like those found in cake, cookies, stick margarine, and many fried foods
...saturated fats that are found in animal products such as cheese, some meat, whole milk, and butter
Your chances of maintaining a strong and healthy body are dramatically increased when you eat healthy foods on a regular basis. A consistently healthy diet can protect you from:
...heart disease
...bone loss
...Type 2 diabetes
...high blood pressure
...cancer such as colorectal cancer
Many times in life we can make small changes that result in big differences. For example, you can make small changes in your diet that might have a dramatic effect on your quality of life. Keep a list of everything you put into your mouth. Keep a list of:
...the exact time you put something into your mouth
...a description of what you put into your mouth
...the quantity of food and/or drinks you consumed
...your location
...a brief description of your feelings when you ate
You can save both time and money by planning each meal for one week at a time. Search online for resources and/or recipes. And be careful at the grocery store. Try these tips:
...consume a light snack before you go
...take your shopping list with you
...fruits and vegetables are healthy - get a variety of colors
...products with no salt added or low sodium are best
...low and no fat products might be acceptable substitutes - check the labels
...look for whole wheat foods instead of bleached flour
...choose items that are on sale or in season
Get into the habit of reading and understanding nutrition labels.
...check the size of a serving and how many servings in the package
...info in the percent daily value column is important
...trans fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat should be less than 5 percent
...it is best to choose food that consists of at least 20 percent fiber, potassium, vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium
Healthy eating requires that you pay attention and make smart food choices when you are away from home.
...choose whole grain bread
...choose water or low fat milk
...choose broiled, grilled, or steamed food
...choose unsalted nuts, almonds, walnuts, or fresh fruit
Finally, remember that you are the role model for not only children but others who know and respect you. By choosing to eat healthy, you are not only being good to yourself but also to those who are watching you.
You need to feed your body the appropriate vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to remain healthy. Eating a healthy diet means that you include:
...fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk products
...fish, poultry, lean meats, eggs, beans, and nuts
Eating a healthy diet means that you eat only minimal amounts of:
...cholesterol, salt, and sugar
...trans fats like those found in cake, cookies, stick margarine, and many fried foods
...saturated fats that are found in animal products such as cheese, some meat, whole milk, and butter
Your chances of maintaining a strong and healthy body are dramatically increased when you eat healthy foods on a regular basis. A consistently healthy diet can protect you from:
...heart disease
...bone loss
...Type 2 diabetes
...high blood pressure
...cancer such as colorectal cancer
Many times in life we can make small changes that result in big differences. For example, you can make small changes in your diet that might have a dramatic effect on your quality of life. Keep a list of everything you put into your mouth. Keep a list of:
...the exact time you put something into your mouth
...a description of what you put into your mouth
...the quantity of food and/or drinks you consumed
...your location
...a brief description of your feelings when you ate
You can save both time and money by planning each meal for one week at a time. Search online for resources and/or recipes. And be careful at the grocery store. Try these tips:
...consume a light snack before you go
...take your shopping list with you
...fruits and vegetables are healthy - get a variety of colors
...products with no salt added or low sodium are best
...low and no fat products might be acceptable substitutes - check the labels
...look for whole wheat foods instead of bleached flour
...choose items that are on sale or in season
Get into the habit of reading and understanding nutrition labels.
...check the size of a serving and how many servings in the package
...info in the percent daily value column is important
...trans fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat should be less than 5 percent
...it is best to choose food that consists of at least 20 percent fiber, potassium, vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium
Healthy eating requires that you pay attention and make smart food choices when you are away from home.
...choose whole grain bread
...choose water or low fat milk
...choose broiled, grilled, or steamed food
...choose unsalted nuts, almonds, walnuts, or fresh fruit
Finally, remember that you are the role model for not only children but others who know and respect you. By choosing to eat healthy, you are not only being good to yourself but also to those who are watching you.
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