We’re all guilty of having some bad eating habits and although we tell ourselves that we’ll get back on track tomorrow, there are definitely long-term effects of these bad habits. Many of these bad habits can be broken with very little effort; it just takes a little patience and forming new, healthier habits. So take a peek at this list of 8 bad eating habits to break now and see if you’re like me and guilty of having one or some of these bad eating habits and break them now!
The first bad eating habit is always being around tempting treats. Don’t stock your cubicle or pantry with junk food, don’t keep candy dishes around or leave anything you have a hard time resisting anywhere in close proximity of where you work or relax. If you are always surrounded by snacks, you’re very likely to eat some or all of it! Keep healthy snacks on hand for when hunger strikes and stay away from random office treats!
Another unhealthy eating habit is to skip meals. Skipping breakfast is probably the worst, but anytime you skip a meal, your metabolism slows down and you’re much likelier to snack on something and overeat later. Plan and make meals ahead of time so that you don’t have an excuse to skip a meal. You don’t have to plan elaborate meals; you can do something as easy as making a bunch of salads, making smoothies or packing fruit.
Another one of the most common bad eating habits is to eat while you’re distracted. If you commonly eat while you’re reading, watching TV, working or anything else besides just eating, you’re more likely to eat more then and later. Your brain isn’t really registering that you’re eating and you can end up eating and eating without really feeling full. Take a break from whatever you’re doing and just eat without doing anything else, you deserve the break!
If you ever find yourself eating straight of the bag or box, that is a major bad eating habit! There is no way to keep your portions under control and avoid overeating. Eating out of containers makes it so easy to overeat and most times you’ll just end up regretting it. Be proactive and make it a habit to keep measured portions of snacks handy or only eat small portions on small plates.
One of the most unhealthy eating habits you can have is to eat on the run. If you’re the type who likes to eat while you’re in the car, while working or walking around, stop now! Stop and savor whatever you’re eating or drinking and take a moment to sit. Eating while you’re running around is just as bad as eating while you’re distracted which could result in overeating. Be conscious of what and how you’re eating!
One of the oldest bad eating habits in the book is late night snacking! Ever go out for a girls’ night and you’re starving from a night of dancing or just stay up late and have an out of control craving? I’ve definitely been there and done that even though I knew better. If you find yourself in this situation, try drinking water or tea or brush your teeth to test if you’re truly hungry. If you are, try nibbling on some fruit or string cheese.
Eating when you’re having a bad day or going through a tough time is definitely an unhealthy eating habit to break. Instead of turning to food try calling a friend or going for a walk. Get in the habit of doing something more productive and healthy to try to cope with what’s going on. Eating while you’re emotional usually leads to eating junk food in bountiful amounts which is totally unhealthy and won’t even make you feel better!
This is I definitely one of the bad eating habits I’m guilty of, I eat way too fast! I had to learn to slow down by putting my utensils down and taking sips of water between bites. When you eat too fast, your brain doesn’t indicate that it’s full until about 15 minutes into a meal so if you finish your meal before those 15 minutes, you’re probably going to eat too much and end up uncomfortably full!
Do you ever find yourself partaking in any of the 8 bad eating habits? Making small changes in your lifestyle will result in big changes to your waistline and health! These bad eating habits aren’t just about gaining weight, it’s unhealthy! Take your time, keep track of portions and you can enjoy a little bit of everything!
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