Avoiding Bad Eating Habits

How to Avoid Bad Eating Habits

Move over, mindless eating

You’re sitting in front of your TV, Netflix on and a bowl of popcorn or a slab of chocolate at the ready…and before you know it, you have finished the entire bowl or slab before your show is over. This is known as mindless eating, the opposite of mindful eating.

Eating from a large plate or bowl, or concentrating on something other than eating may lead to this type of overeating, so to break this bad eating habit, try to portion your popcorn into a smaller bowl and try to pay more attention to what you are eating; this will help your body to realise when it is truly hungry or full, and not just working off of emotional triggers.

Hide Those Hobnobs

Keeping tempting and unhealthy foods around your home or within easy access at the office will make it easier for you to eat them. You are more likely to grab a handful of crisps or a sweet or two if you see them every day, which may lead to unhealthy snacking and weight gain.

To break this eating habit, rather keep all of your tempting snacks well out of reach and sight. Instead, display healthy fruit and vegetables, and you will soon want to eat an apple rather than a chocolate bar. Healthy snacks can still curb junk food cravings, and provide better all-round energy.

Eating After Dark

It has long been a weight loss “myth” that eating at night will not cause you to lose weight, but rather gain it. However, this myth has been proven to be true, with one study showing that nocturnal animals eating during the day caused weight gain – so, eating at the right time of day is important!

To improve your nightly eating habits, train yourself to consider the kitchen closed after dinner. Brush your teeth after your last meal of the day and, if you are still craving a snack, wait for five to ten minutes. After ten minutes, if you are still hungry, eat a healthy snack such as a piece of cheese or a teaspoon of sugar-free nut butter.

Skipping Out On Breakfast

Skipping meals can be a part of a healthy diet when done correctly, (sometimes with medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for other issues included), but if you skip breakfast because you think it will help you lose weight, you may be developing unhealthy habits.

Choosing healthy foods for the first meal of your day, such as eggs, Greek yoghurt, oatmeal, and berries will ensure that you have more fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, zinc, and iron in your diet. You will also have more energy throughout the day and a higher chance of weight loss.

Eating Your Emotions

Emotional eating is one of the most common bad eating habits around the world. We all need a little cheering up after a bad day, but eating fast food or giving in to your cravings is not the healthiest option.

Emotional eating does not make you a bad person, but it can have negative effects on your weight loss goals. To break this habit, instead of going to eat your emotions, try another way to eliminate stress or anxiety. Developing a positive habit like walking, running, going to the gym, or journaling can help to control your stress-snacking and improve your health and wellness.

Don’t let food control you

Whether you eat mindlessly while watching Bridgerton or snack on junk food in your desk drawer, we all have a bad habit or two that we would like to replace or eliminate.

To avoid overeating, replace a large plate with a side plate, and stop eating meals in front of a screen.

Keep cookies and high-calorie food out of reach, choosing a healthier snack like fruit or nuts. Make sure your diet includes breakfast, and remember to practice mindful eating as often as possible.