Even if you know how you should be eating, you may still have a hard time sticking to good eating habits—most people do.
A Wall Street Journal article last year had some great advice from a scientific study about how to eat better.
Set one or two specific rules, and stick to them
Having a broad goal, such as, “I’m going to eat better,” tends not to be effective. Instead:
“pick one or two specific eating rules and stick to them—and think of yourself as someone who doesn’t do those things. For instance: I don’t consume sugary drinks. Or I don’t eat fried foods. Or I don’t eat dessert during the week.”
Make a grocery list, and shop online
“Making a shopping list of healthful foods can encourage you to avoid impulse buys when you are at the store…Shopping for groceries online might be even more effective since unhealthy items aren’t right in front of you…People looking to lose weight who shop online buy fewer high-fat foods and fewer items overall compared with those who shop in person…One caveat: Be wary of online ads trying to persuade you to buy items you didn’t plan to purchase. That marketing can derail your good intentions.”
Good sleeping, begets good eating
“Not sleeping enough (generally less than six-and-a-half hours a night) is linked to weight gain, scientific studies have found. Sleep experts generally recommend that healthy adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night…When we are awake longer, we have more time to eat. And there are biological changes that occur when we don’t sleep enough that can lead to overeating.”
Whenever possible, don’t eat alone
“When we eat with family and friends we tend to make more well-rounded meals with vegetables, proteins and other components…We also tend to eat more slowly, and often mindfully, when with others…making us better able to notice when we are full…Eating with others who are also committed to healthy eating can help us achieve our goals.”
Be well,
David