How to Break Unhealthy Eating Patterns
From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare
Many of us have developed eating habits — both good and bad. When it comes to unhealthy eating habits, it’s not just about making poor food choices.
Some bad habits include certain behaviors:
- Skipping meals
- Eating too fast
- Eating when feeling sad, stressed or tired
- Mindless snacking while watching TV
- Eating when you aren’t hungry
If you examine your patterns and make behavior changes, you can help create a positive change in your eating habits.
Try these tips to build better eating habits:
- Start a food journal.
Food journaling sheds light on your eating patterns. It draws your attention to food-related pitfalls that may have previously thrown you off track and gives you the information you need to move forward.
- Practice mindful eating.
Mindless eating can lead to overeating, undereating or making poor food choices. Try mindful eating instead: Eat slowly, listen to body sensations and hunger cues, and pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. You will be more likely to make healthy choices.
- Control your environment.
Consider reshaping the environment around you to make it easier to stick to new habits:- Be prepared — keep more fruit and healthy snacks at home and at work.
- Keep a reusable water bottle with you to make it easier to stay hydrated.
- Use smaller plates for your meals to encourage smaller portions.
- Display healthy food in a prominent place to make it easy to grab.
- Cook most of your meals at home to be more in control of what you eat.
The VEBA Resource Center offers many Cooking & Nutrition Classes. Join us to learn how to blend the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine to optimize your overall health and wellness – all while having fun! Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.