Whether you’re in college, a full-time job, or just busy enjoying life, it’s hard to always be health conscious about the food choices we make. Sometimes we just can’t help but make these bad decisions. Here are some suggested healthy alternatives on how to combat common unhealthy eating habits.
1. Skipping Breakfast
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Eating Habit Alternative
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According to WebMd, people who eat breakfast in the morning tend to eat less during the full day than those who eat the majority of calories in the evening. If you find yourself crammed for time in the morning, try grabbing a piece of fruit the night before to put in your bag, your favorite granola bar, or a smoothie like this one for on the go.
2. Stress-Eating
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Eating Habit Alternative
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Feeling stressed? Don’t reach for that bowl of ice-cream, take a walk or run in place for a few minutes. Exercise realizes endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitters that boost your mood. Need to keep your mouth busy? Reach for a piece of gum. Your body will be preoccupied in a way that you don’t have to feel guilty about.
3. Putting Off Meals
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Eating Habit Alternative
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Trying setting a schedule and stick to it. Eating on the same schedule every day helps our bodies to maintain our metabolism. When we go long periods of time without eating we tend to over-eat later on, putting ourselves at risk for gaining weight and binging on large amounts of food. Plus, setting a schedule for the day will help you map out everything else you need to get done.
4. Mindless Snacking
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Eating Habits Alternative:
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Portion out your food before hand. It’s easy to get carried away when eating a snack straight out of the original container. Try putting your food in a smaller bowl or container that way you can control exactly how much you consume.
5. Restricting Certain Foods
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Eating Habit Alternative
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Far too often we limit ourselves to the foods that aren’t considered healthy for us. When we restrict, we are only more likely to indulge (and by a lot more) the next time that we do. Treating yourself here and there decreases the need to binge, and can help fight cravings too. You’ve heard it a million times but moderation really is key.
6. Replacing Sleep with Coffee
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Eating Habit Alternative
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Actually sleeping. Coffee is a great pick-me-up, but there’s nothing better than the natural energy you get from resting your body. Coffee affects the quality of sleep and consuming it even 6 hours before bed can create significant sleep disturbances. Going to bed a little earlier each night will improve your cognitive and academic performance, so try to rethink that all-nighter.
7. Eating Too Quickly
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Eating Habit Alternative
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It’s easy to make a habit out of squeezing in meals in a matter of minutes but when we do this we aren’t allowing our brain to catch up with our stomach and often times are eating more than is needed to satisfy our hunger. People who eat too quickly are more likely to be overweight.
Try drinking water or setting down your fork in between bites to slow down your eating pace. Eating with other people also allows for conversation plus you’ll be able to savor your food and make it last longer.