I’m the type of person who loves food a bit too much. However, I am approaching that age when a midnight McDonald’s stop does not seem like the best idea anymore. At least my body is sure to let me know that I’m being an idiot by stuffing it with cholesterol after sending me signals that make me nauseous. I think we are all guilty of sneaking in a cheat day. But, the problem is when a cheat day stretches out into months. Especially people who have extremely busy schedules end up forgetting that what we put into our bodies has a direct impact on our overall lifestyle. So if you want to start a healthier eating routine, here are six easy enough food habits to break that will put you on the right track to that goal.
- Too much sugar intake
With summer here it is tempting to start off every day with a Frappuccino. In reality, we are drinking the valuable calories that can be consumed in other healthier ways. Sodas are also easy to overindulge in, especially when McDonald’s dollar drink days are just too tempting to pass up. If you do get a craving for soda, try to dilute it with ice. I know we hate it when we get diluted drinks at restaurants but maybe it’s not such a bad thing for our diets.
- Fried foods
I love eating out and that is never going to change. What I do now is cut down on the fried foods by either ordering some for the entire table or taking half of my meal to go to give some to my family. You can also just split a meal with a friend or a roommate.
- Processed foods
Bacon, cold cuts, and sausages are all delicious and easy to make but there is much more harm in them than you could imagine. There is a lot of salt hidden in processed foods. When you consume too much salt, it can increase your blood pressure, which creates an added load onto your heart and can cause strokes in the long run.
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- Skipping breakfast
Not to sound cliche, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Don’t underestimate the energy boost you can get from a nutritious morning meal. It’s understandable that we live in a hectic world where we barely have time to sit down with a cup of coffee, but there are plenty of on the go, healthy alternatives that you can quickly grab on your way to your classes or work.
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- Inhaling your food
Eating too fast doesn’t allow your brain to really process the fact that you are eating, hence you don’t really get that sensation of being full even after you devour a Big Mac on your way to work in your car. You are also doing your digestive system a favor if you chew each bite more carefully. So slow down and have a proper meal once in awhile.
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- Excessive snacking
If you ever binge watched a show, you know that snacking is an inevitable part of the experience. Try buying those small bagged potato chips, the ones you would get for Halloween, that way you are not going to “accidentally” eat the whole party sized bag in a sitting or two.
- Not making a meal plan
To do list are pretty popular right now. You can apply the same concept to your meals by creating a food plan. When you come home tired from work or school it’s tempting to just munch on whatever is lying around because no one wants to apply extra effort in looking up meal ideas or recipes. However, if you take some time to prepare a meal plan for the week it will be easier to stick to those healthy eating habits.
As tempting as it is to stop by a drive-through when you have been held up at work, the convenience of fast food has ruined our eating habits. However, we all have it in ourselves to beat the system and start eating healthy with just a few minor adjustments to our day.
Featured image via Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash
