Healthy Food Habits Are Reinforced With Regular Meal Times

Healthy eating habits are part of a good lifestyle. And certainly they are going to affect how you feel now and on into your future. Making healthy food choices will ward off many illnesses and diseases, as these illnesses are often caused by the lack of minerals, vitamins and fiber that build health.

At the same time consuming toxic chemicals and colorings in unhealthy food choices adds even more to illness and disease, so certainly avoid these.

An additional bonus, is that if you intend to lose weight while eating healthier, it will also help you do that, by having a regular eating schedule while including these healthier foods.

Regular Mealtimes Can Help

Interestingly, researchers often use college students for studies. In one study they found that college students eating at the same time each day consumed more fruits and vegetables and less fast food and sugar. I wonder if part of that was that they planned ahead, since it was a meal eaten at a specific time…

And when you plan ahead, you can focus on better food choices. This then becomes a habit over time. Here are some tips.

Start With Breakfast

Unless you are doing modified fasting for weight loss, eat a breakfast. You have fasted overnight and this meal will provide the fuel your body needs for the next several hours. If you don’t like typical breakfast foods, then eat as you would at another meal. An example of that would be a bowl of soup, stir fry or some baked salmon and vegetables.

Good Recipes That Don’t Take Long To Prepare

Cooking and preparing good food does not have to be a long complicated process. Find half a dozen simple recipes. Make sure you have the ingredients on hand, or there are substitutes you can make for some of the ingredients, and you have some quick meals.

I make a batch of soup and put some in glass jars and store in the freezer. Then when I know I am going to be busy, I can pull out some and let it thaw in the refrigerator, so it is available at the proper time. I never store more than a few pints in the freezer and I find it healthier than choosing soup out of a plastic lined can.

Maybe it will not be soup, but chili or other leftovers from a meal, that you freeze for an additional meal.

Snacks

Snacks are one area to take a look at if you want to eat better. How about some raw vegetables, or a deviled egg or a fruit? Steer clear of sugared products or high carbohydrate products. And do remember that this is not a meal, it is just a simple snack to sustain you until your next meal.

Pack Your Lunch

Fast food is generally laden with bad fats, extra calories and chemicals. To eat healthier, pack a healthy lunch. Also remember with fast food, that you tend to eat more, as many meals are super sized.

Cut Out The Junk

Cut out the junk food and sugary foods. They are empty calories, often filled with chemicals that affect your brain chemistry, making them addictive. Don’t bring it home, to tempt yourself. After a while of abstinence, you lose your taste for the junk food and sugared items and it becomes easier. You will want to see the article “How To Change Eating Habits For Better Health” for more support on this.

When At Home

• Sit down and eat, don’t eat on the go.
• Turn off the tv, get away from the computer or tablet and focus on your food.
• Set the table nicely for more enjoyment.
• Relax while you eat, don’t wolf down your food.

All of the above helps you to focus on what you are eating and your senses are satisfied, because you are present rather than distracted. You will savor and enjoy your food more.

Be Social

Have meals with family and friends. You may be very busy, however try to have one meal a day with your family. It creates a bond, you get some social time and if you have children, they need your presence.

Conversation may help you not to eat as much. It can take 15 to 20 minutes from when food is first eaten, to register a sense of fullness with the brain. So eating slowly and taking time to talk can be a good thing.

Good Habits Support Your Choices

Once you develop good habits that support healthy food choices and eat healthier foods, it becomes more and more enjoyable to eat properly, both for health and for weight loss.