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10 Steps To Change Your Eating Behavior
Life is about choices.
Every day we make lots of choices. From what time we will get up, to what we will
wear, where we will go, and what we will eat. Every meal we make a choice whether
to move towards our goals or away from them. Below are ten steps you can take
to improve the choices you make every time you eat. Set Yourself Up For
Success:
It is much easier to make the right food choices when you have
those foods available to you. Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy,
ready to eat foods. Fruits and vegetables are always a better alternative to processed
junk foods, but you can't be expected to eat them if they are not available when
you are hungry. Make Daily Eating Goals:
Never underestimate the
power of setting a goal. Write out your meal plan for the next day before you
go to bed. In the morning review it and then watch how much easier it is to make
the right choices come mealtime. Avoid the Hunger-Thirst Trap:
Many
times people will experience sensations of hunger when their body is actually
in need of fluid. To avoid these hunger sensations make sure you stay well hydrated
throughout the day. Find a way to keep water with you wherever you are. Sip on
it throughout the day. Progress Not Perfection:
Focus on making
progress in your eating behaviors. Avoid the perfectionist's trap of trying to
eat perfectly all the time. Everyone "falls of the wagon" at times.
Look for small, attainable steps that you could take to improve your eating today.
Over time these small steps of progress will add up to a lifestyle change. Treat
Yourself:
Give yourself the opportunity to have a treat every once in a
while. Some people have a treat meal once a week. Others have a small piece of
candy one time each day. Psychologically, the treat serves to recharge you and
makes it easier to keep on track with your eating over the long term. Out
Of Sight = Out Of Mind:
Move tempting foods out of sight, and avoid places
that might be too tempting to resist. In your refrigerator, move tempting foods
into the bins, or to the lower shelves so that they are not at eye level. In your
pantry do the same. Move those cookies to the lower shelves, or behind the healthy
foods. Many people find it helpful to freeze tempting foods, because it requires
thawing before eating and can provide just enough delay to avoid impulsive eating. Get
Help:
Not sure what you should be eating? Then get help from a fitness
or nutrition professional. Or review the diets and eating habits of those who
have the body you would like to attain. Often times just knowing what to eat can
make a world of difference in someone's eating habits. There are many great nutrition
articles available right here on ShapeFit
to get you started. Take it Slow:
If you struggle with not feeling
full while eating, then slow down the rate at which you eat. It takes 15 minutes
for your brain to get the message you've been fed. Slow down the rate that you
eat, or take a five-minute break half way through your meal. Give the body time
to send the fullness signal up to your brain. Record Your Nutrition:
Keeping
a record of what you are eating allows you to objectively analyze your eating
behaviors. Studies have shown that recording food alone causes individuals to
eat less. The two most effective factors reported by those who have lost weight
and kept it off are regular exercise and food recording. If Your Favorite
Chair Is In The Kitchen, Get A New Favorite Chair:
The kitchen is for eating.
If it is not time for you to eat, then avoid the temptation by going to another
part of the house. You may even want to get outside to reduce temptation even
more. If you tend to watch TV near the kitchen you may want to move to another
TV that is farther away to reduce the temptation to scavenge during commercials. Begin
incorporating these ten suggestions into your life as see if they make it easier
to change your eating behaviors.
By
Dr. Bret L. Emery
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