Developing Healthier Eating Habits

By Ann Christine Johnson

Most of us these days live hectic lives. We rush around trying to fit as much as possible into each day. Often we feel stressed, falling into bed at the end of the day exhausted. Sometimes there is the temptation to eat junk food or to grab food on the run instead of sitting down and eating properly. Many of us eat foods high in additives and kilo-joules; or we drink alcohol or we overeat to deal with our emotional problems.

Sometimes we skip meals as other things absorb our attention.

Poor eating habits can sometimes result in us feeling tired and run down. They can sometimes result in us having low or unstable energy; high cholesterol or heart problems; hives or other skin rashes; a weakened immune system and a tendency to develop infections; an increase or decrease in our weight; fluid retention or hypertension. In order to remain well we need to consume 40+ essential nutrients each day.

All these nutrients can be obtained from the food we eat. By eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods each day we can increase the chances of this happening.

Very low kilo-joule diets don’t work in the long-term and they are guaranteed to increase fatigue. Developing healthy eating habits will enable you to lose weight and keep the weight off for life. Start by keeping a diet diary for a week or two. This will allow you to record what you are actually eating and drinking.

Then you can implement changes as required. Eat three main meals and a couple of healthy snacks each day, preferably not in front of the TV or computer. Minimise the toxins in your diet by buying mainly fresh, whole foods, which have been stored correctly, rather than packaged or manufactured food. Avoid highly processed foods and those with additives. If you buy processed foods choose versions that have reduced salt, less sugar and low fat.

Start your day with a low-fat, high-fibre breakfast that includes plenty of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and fruits, along with some lean protein, such as eggs, turkey or ham for lasting energy.

Limit foods high in saturated fats, most red meats and tropical oils. Saturated fats raise cholesterol, causing a build-up of plaque in the arteries, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. Limit foods containing artificial trans-fats formed by partially hydrogenating plant fats. Trans-fats wreak havoc with the body’s ability to regulate cholesterol. Never add baking soda, MSG or salt to your meals. Limit the use of salt and sugar in your cooking and the frequency with which you eat salty, fatty and sugar-laden foods.

Spent time each week planning what you will eat and when. Don’t be swayed by advertising. Select food items based on quality and healthfulness and not the latest fad. Don’t skip meals. Skipping breakfast will slow down your metabolic rate and cause fatigue and later cravings for ‘quick fixes’. Missing meals will affect your mood and memory, your concentration and performance level.

Refuel every three or four hours then stop eating two or three hours before you intend to go to bed. Eating late at night forces the body to direct some energy towards digestion, so you get insufficient repair and insufficient digestion. Remove all temptations from your home, office and car. Then stock the fridge, freezer and pantry with healthy foods and snacks; and finally work out the number of serves per food group you intend to eat each day and stick to that.

Avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee, cola, chocolate and nicotine, as these create an imbalance in blood sugar levels. These substances stimulate the adrenal glands to release hormones which quickly raise the level of blood sugar but cause it to fall rapidly two or three hours later. Avoid alcohol as alcohol depresses your central nervous system and acts as a sedative, making you tired for hours after consuming it.

Drinking alcohol just before bed may also disrupt your sleeping pattern.

Don’t eat between meals unless you are physically hungry. If you are tempted to eat between meals have a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea, get involved in an activity that will distract you from thinking about food, and wait for half an hour to see if you still feel hungry.

If you find this to be so, you can have a small piece of fruit, some raw vegetables or low-fat yogurt and cooked fruit to tide you over until your next meal. In most instances you will find that it is on the emotional, not the physical, level that you are hungry, so don’t fall into the trap of eating when you don’t need to.

From early childhood onwards many of us have been conditioned to medicate ourselves, usually in response to negative emotions such as anger, guilt, loneliness or boredom. As adults we can easily slip into the habit of reaching for food, chocolate or alcohol when something upsets us, or to cope with emotions that are uncomfortable for us, instead of dealing with these issues and emotions in other ways.

The challenge here is to be able to discern between physical and emotional hunger and then to deal with the emotional hunger in ways other than resorting to any of the above.

Start reducing your sugar and ‘unhealthy’ fat intake, while increasing your fibre intake. Fibre helps the bowel to work well. Start reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake, while increasing your water intake. You may get headaches or withdrawal symptoms for the first few days if you cut out caffeine and alcohol ‘cold turkey’.

Your body may rebel while you are reducing or removing any substance it has become addicted to. Put aside self-defeating thoughts. They have the power to stop you from developing new habits. Don’t get discouraged if you unconsciously sabotage your efforts to eat healthily or if you are wilful now and again – if you eat things that you know are not good for you or your health.

Simply pick yourself up and start again. With practice and persistence you will find in most instances you will be able to stick to the eating habits you have systematically put in place.

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About the Author

Ann C. Johnson Assoc MAPS: General Psychologist has worked in helping professions for the past 30+ years. In the past few years she has published 3 books on personal and spiritual development. Inspired by the posts she reads on Facebook she continues to write pertinent articles on a regular basis.

Ann can be found on: https://www.facebook.com/annjohnson1948