Healthy Eating Habits and Attitudes

Hi! Kelly here again about eating habits.

Forming healthy eating habits requires an attitude!

Habits are all patterns of behavior formed by repetition. When you brew your morning coffee, brush your teeth and shower, it's habitual. Similarly, bad habits, such as smoking, are actions you do without giving it a second thought. Our choices in foods and beverages are just the same.

When your doctor admonishes you with a “You'd better try to develop some healthy eating habits, or you run the risk of ... (fill in whatever health condition)”, this may seem like a meaningless chastisement.

What are healthy eating habits? It may seem like a tall order. Many people fail to heed the doctor's warning, not because they fail to take it seriously, but because they just don't know where to begin. Let's examine how you can gradually shift your eating patterns and food choices to achieve the elusive, healthy diet.

Few people are able to do a complete makeover of their diet in one massive move. Habits die hard, as any smoker can tell you.

Our tastes in food develop over a lifetime, so the key to success is to make changes over time. If you're a junk food fan or love nothing more than a big container of greasy french fries, don't expect that you'll easily quit these un-healthy eating habits overnight. Your body will revolt, your metabolism won't cooperate and you're more likely to end up feeling guilty and going back to your old habits.

Lose weight and be healthier than ever!

One technique that works well is to wean yourself from your 'bad' food choices. If it's your habit to stop for those fries every day after work, give yourself a new attitude. The first week, allow yourself two days to enjoy this treat. No more.

The second week, go for just one such indulgence. Cutting back on the amount of salt you use to season the fries helps, because while you get to eat the fries, they become slightly less enjoyable, making them less desirable.

As you begin to cut one food from your diet, introduce one new, healthy eating habit. For example, take a piece of fruit with you to work for your lunch dessert, replacing your usual sweet. Eat it slowly and enjoy every bite.

Apples are a great choice, high in fiber and antioxidants, low in calories and surprisingly filling. Apples also leave a nice clean taste in your mouth. Use the weaning and replacing strategy to plant you firmly on the road to healthy eating habits and success.

Continue with this pattern of switching out on un-healthy foods, while introducing better choices. Switch buttered mashed potatoes for a savory pilaf garnished with fresh parsley. Start including cold water fish a couple of times a week. Make a fruit juice and yogurt smoothie for breakfast when you're in a rush.

Using this strategy may bring surprising results. You can't help but start enjoying the new variety in your diet. You're probably going to be feeling generally better and more energetic. You may notice a healthier glow in your skin. As you develop your new, long-term healthy eating habits, you will grow to like it, for what it does for you!

An amazingly simple and effective way
to lose weight fast and keep it off

Here's to your success for developing healthy eating habits with a great attitude!

Kelly