Building Healthy Eating Habits

nd Healthy Foods You Love & Create A List

1. Humans are creatures of habit. Find what you love and stick to it! However, try different variations of the ingredients you commit to. Take broccoli for example. One day it can be used for a broccoli cheddar soup, and another it can be part of a really yummy stir-fry. It’s all about balance.

2. Have No Distractions While You Eat

3. Your brain takes about 20 minutes to realize it’s full. When you distract your brain, there’s no way you’ll reach that “sweet spot”. You know, the one where you feel like you ate just enough to where you’re not hungry anymore but you’re also not overly full and you feel like throwing up.

4. Use A Smaller Plate & Bowl

5. This is another mind trick. Even if you have the correct portion size, placing it on a bigger plate will make your brain think that it’s not enough because the plate isn’t filled to capacity. If you purposely use smaller plates with the same portion size, to your brain, it will look like you are right on target with how full your plate is.

6. Get A Good Ol’ Trusty Water Bottle

7. When you’re hydrated, you’re not really hungry. Sometimes your body thinks it’s hungry, when in reality, you’ve been slacking it on the hydration department or you’re simply bored. This is when carrying around a water bottle helps. If you drink half of it and wait 15 minutes, you’ll realize if it’s true hunger or not. Also, while on the subject, avoid fizzy drinks and artificially flavored juices because they’re extremely high on sugars.

8. Never Skip Any Meals

9. Breakfast kickstarts your metabolism. It’s a highly important meal, if not THE most important, because it determines whether or not your body goes into starvation mode. If you don’t eat after waking up, your body might think that you’re in a place where food is scarce. So, once you do get some grub in your tum, your digestive system will store fats like there’s no tomorrow to protect you from starving. Kind of like when a bear hibernates. Plus, it’s easier to make mindful food choices when your body is not starving.

10. Cut Back on Eating Out

11. You don’t know exactly what’s in the food at restaurants. Cooking your own meals makes you aware of what’s in it and how much if it there is. It’s recommended to know how to cook at least 3-5 healthy recipes and build on from there. Following “The 2 Rule” is also a good way to cut back. If you end up going out to eat, only get an appetize and an entrée or an entrée and a desert. 1 and 1 makes 2. Only get all three on very special occasions, because we all deserve to let go a little from time to time.

12. Reduce Alcohol Intake

13. There are a lot of empty calories in alcohol. Plus, if you get drunk, the “drunchies” are sure to make an appearance. That’s when you’re drunk and have all sorts of cravings that you think are a good idea to splurge on and then regret it the next day. Limit your alcohol intake to possibly only once a week. Twice if you must.

14. Don’t Have Any Tempting Snacks at Home

15. If you really, really want a cookie but you don’t have your stash at home, you’ll have to get dressed, get in your car, drive to the store and waste gas, buy the cookies, go back home, and then feel let down after eating it. Which is just too much effort for a not so good thing.

16. Exercise 3-5 Times A Week

17. Find a form of exercise that you love, or hate the least, and get started without excuses. 20 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength seems like a good beginners’ guide to working out. Plus, regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, by as much as 50%.

18. Find Motivation That Really Resonates with You

19. Whether it’s the fact that you’re taking a cruise in two months and you want to look good, or there’s a risk of heart disease in your family. Finding a good and preferably long-lasting reason to accomplish these healthy habits will make you accountable and less likely to give up on yourself.