Work, finances, family, and… health. Surely, at least once in your life, you have found yourself making a list of goals, within which there was a goal related to eating habits.
We know it well: good nutrition plays an important role in helping lead a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
When we want to lose weight or get back in shape, there is only one thing to do: the first step is to change eating habits.
When it comes to our approach to food, we often recall our habits, whether positive or negative, because, in many cases, we carry them with us from childhood.
This does not mean that it is too late to change them! It’s better to set small goals and transform them step by step: over time, small changes can make a big difference to well-being and health.
Below you will find five eating habits that will help you achieve your health goals and take care of your body.
How to Change Eating Habits?
Creating and maintaining healthy eating habits should be easy and enjoyable: start by incorporating small changes that will have a big impact on your eating pattern.
What to change in your diet? The first step is to replace unhealthy habits and make healthy changes to your habits.
Here are five useful tips to follow:
Eat Slowly
It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to send signals that you are full. Take extra time to pay attention to what you are eating.
Keep a Food Diary
Write down everything you eat and the time you consume it. This will help you keep an eye on nutrient intake and balance the types of foods to consume.
Identify Emotions to Change Eating Habits
You may have turned to food to alleviate frustration or overcome a moment of sadness. Emotional hunger is very common: it is a way of reacting to negative emotions that we cannot tolerate.
Try to identify what makes you feel bad, learn to listen to your body, and pay attention to what you have on your plate.
Minimize Distractions
Focus on the dish you are consuming, avoiding anything that distracts you, from the phone to the TV news. Plan meals in advance to ensure you eat a healthy and balanced meal.
Foods that Help Take Care of the Body
Making sudden and radical changes to eating habits can lead to short-term weight loss but will not succeed in the long run.
To feel good about yourself, you need to improve habits within a diet through a considered approach in which you “reflect, replace, and reinforce.”
We have selected some foods paired with practical tips to include in your food diary to achieve a good level of well-being:
- Incorporate a variety of protein-rich foods: it is a health boon as it can increase metabolism and reduce appetite;
- Drink water regularly: obvious but fundamental to repeat. Drink plenty of natural water and avoid sugary drinks. To measure how often you drink, try to note each time you will drink throughout the day;
- Fruits and vegetables at will: choose red, orange, and dark green vegetables along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main dishes or sides or as dessert. The more colorful your plate, the more likely you are to assimilate the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy;
- reduce processed meats and prefer white meats;
- consume whole grains rich in fiber daily;
- reduce the consumption of bread and baked goods made with refined flours.
