Are you what you eat? Whether or not you believe this saying, there is no denying that our eating habits affect our bodies. But overeating and weight gain are not just about willpower or a lack of it. Sometimes the real cause is sneaky bad habits we have picked up without even realising.
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What are bad and good eating habits, and how can you change them?
Healthy eating, or healthy eating habits, is about WHAT we eat but also HOW we eat. If you care about how to live healthily, you need to think about both. The common Czech habit of wolfing down a plate of svíčková (beef in cream sauce) with five dumplings in 5 minutes is not exactly a good example to follow.
Bad eating habits
You can spot bad eating habits as soon as you see them. They often lead to taking in too much energy and/or too few nutrients and micronutrients. The best known include:
- Eating too many foods high in sugar, fat and salt.
- Unhealthy snacking all day long.
- Eating when you are not hungry.
- Eating too fast.
- Being so picky that your diet becomes limited.
- Eating while watching TV, playing video or computer games, and so on.
- Overeating and eating when stressed or sad.
- Drinking too many sugary drinks or too much alcohol.
- Skipping breakfast and eating at irregular times.
How to change your eating habits
Many people still believe that eating well and changing habits is a question of strong willpower and strong inner motivation. And while that may be true for a chosen few, it is not the case for the vast majority of people. Diet and eating habits change slowly, by replacing old habits with new ones and by creating situations and surroundings that help you do so.
1. Get to know your current eating habits
Do you think you know yourself and know when you eat what, and that a little self-reflection is all you need? You might be surprised how many things you do without thinking and how closely you do or do not follow the principles of healthy eating. Keep a food and drink diary for a few days. Write down everything you eat and drink, including sugary drinks and alcohol. Note the time of day when you ate or drank something.
This will help you uncover your habits. For example, you may find that you always reach for a sweet snack when your energy dips in the afternoon. It is also worth noticing how you felt when you decided to eat, especially if you ate when you were not hungry. Were you tired? Stressed?
2. Eat from a smaller plate
Psychologist Brian Wansink of Cornell University found that the bigger the plate or bowl you eat from, the more you eat without realising it. This is especially true of people who were brought up to always clear their plate.
3. After dinner, the kitchen is closed
After dinner, train yourself to think of the kitchen as closed for the night. Brush your teeth so you feel less like eating. If a craving strikes, wait 10 minutes. If you are still genuinely hungry, have something small, such as some cheese or a piece of fruit.
4. Keep healthy snacks to hand
Decide in advance what you want to eat during the day and prepare it. That way, only healthy snacks will be within reach, such as hummus, carrots and cucumber slices, yoghurt and almonds, says Jessica Crandall, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Do not buy unhealthy food or keep it close by. Then you will not have to fight with yourself.
5. Prepare breakfast in advance and do not skip it
Study after study confirms the importance of breakfast. A new study of Chinese schoolchildren found that those who skipped breakfast gained significantly more weight over two years than those who ate in the morning. If your mornings are stressful and you are short of time, prepare healthy breakfasts you can eat on your way to work. Try simple things such as homemade cereal bars and smoothies.
6. Learn to deal with stress
If you are stressed at work and head straight for the fridge when you get home, try something else. Instead of eating, go for a walk or call a friend who will listen. Choose any activity you enjoy, as long as it keeps you out of the kitchen. Exercise is a great way to calm down. Building true friendships is a path to being happy. Both are far better and healthier than going to the fridge.
7. Eat slowly and mindfully
When you gulp down your food, you do not give your brain time to catch up with your stomach. Your brain only signals that you are full 15 to 20 minutes after you start eating. If you wolf down a meal in 10 minutes or less, you may eat much more than you need. To slow down, physically put your fork down between bites, take smaller bites and remember to chew each one thoroughly. Drinking water with your meal will also help you slow down and feel fuller.
8. Get enough sleep
Scientists found long ago that men and women who slept five hours a night or less were more likely to gain weight than those who slept seven hours or more. The longer sleepers were better rested and had more energy, so they did not need to top it up with food.
Sleep is absolutely essential for a healthy weight. Create a routine and try to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time every day, even at weekends. Keep your bedroom dark and avoid the TV or computer for at least an hour before bed.
9. Eat fast food only once in a while
You know that junk food does your waistline no favours, but its effect on you may be worse than you think. Several animal studies have found that foods high in fat and sugar are addictive, much like cocaine or heroin.
However, if you enjoy these foods, the answer is not to cut them out of your diet completely. That will only make you crave them more. The key to successful weight loss is to eat your favourite foods in moderation, as a special treat.
10. Do not make lots of big changes at once
Most New Year’s resolutions fail. That is a simple fact. The reason is that, fuelled by the energy of a fresh start, people set themselves big life goals: from now on they will exercise regularly, eat only healthy food and completely overhaul their whole life. In the end nothing comes of it, and by mid-January they are back in their old ways.
People are creatures of habit, and changing habits takes time. Focus on one thing and stick to it. Make it as easy as possible for yourself. Want to avoid sugar? Start by cutting out refined sugar. Do not buy things that contain it. Shop only from a list you have written in advance. Once you are sure it has become a habit, add another small change.
💡 Tip: If you are interested in building habits, do not miss the book Atomic Habits by James Clear.
