Eating habits and behaviors

Food gives our bodies the energy we need to function. Food is also a part of traditions and culture. This can mean that eating has an emotional component as well. For many people, changing eating habits is very hard.

You may have had certain eating habits for so long that you do not realize they are unhealthy. Or, your habits have become part of your daily life, so you do not think much about them.

Keep a Journal

A food journal is a good tool to help you learn about your eating habits. Keep a food journal for 1 week.

·         Write down what you eat, how much, and what times of the day you are eating.

·         Include notes about what else you were doing and how you were feeling, such as being hungry, stressed, tired, or bored. For example, maybe you were at work and were bored. So you feel like putting something in your mouth next snacks and bottle of soft drink is the answer.

·         At the end of the week, review your journal and look at your eating patterns. Decide which habits you want to change.

Remember, small steps toward change lead to more success in making long-term changes. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too many goals. It is a good idea to limit your focus to no more than 2 to 3 goals at one time.

Also, take a look at the healthy habits you have and be proud of yourself about them. Try not to judge your behaviors too harshly. It is easy to focus only on your poor habits. This can make you feel stressed and give up trying to change.

Taking on new, healthier habits may mean that you:

·         Drink skim or low-fat (1%) milk instead of 2% or whole milk.

·         Drink more water throughout the day.

·         Eat fruit for dessert instead of cookies (or skip dessert all together most days).

·         Schedule times to eat your meals and snacks.

·         Plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks to increase your chance of success.

·         Keep healthy snacks at work. Pack healthy lunches that you make at home.

·         Pay attention to your feelings of hunger. Learn the difference between physical hunger and habitual eating.

Now Reflect

Think about what triggers or prompts may be causing some of your eating habits.

·         Is there something around you that makes you eat when you are not hungry or choose unhealthy snacks often?

·         Does the way you feel make you want to eat?

Look at your journal and circle any regular or repetitive triggers. Some of these might be:

·         You see your favorite snack in the pantry or vending machine

·         When you watch television

·         You feel stressed by something at work or in another area of your life

·         You have no plan for dinner after a long day

·         You go to work events where food is served

·         You stop at fast-food restaurants for breakfast and choose high fat, high calorie foods

·         You need a pick-me-up toward the end of your workday 

       Start by focusing on one or two triggers that occur most often during your week. Think about what you can do to avoid those triggers