By: Debbie Lui
Struggling to keep your weight in check? Even when you think you are doing everything to live healthily, sometimes it’s that sneaky bad habit that you developed (with or without realizing it) that might be causing you to stall your weight loss. Find out if any of these are bad eating habits that could be putting a stop to your best efforts and learn how to get back on track!
Breaking a bad habit can be challenging, but it does get easier once you’ve established a good start on a healthier one! It’s easier for us to start doing something new then to simply stop doing something that we’ve become used to doing. This is why it’s so important to replace rather than just take away!
What does this mean? If you’re used to having a sweetened morning latte, break your habit by replacing it with a TLS® Shake instead! This will not only cut fat, sugar and calories but you’ll also be giving yourself a tasty replacement so you aren’t left feeling deprived.
Here are a few of the most common bad eating habits and what you can do to stay away from them:
Bad Eating Habits: Skipping Meals
We all have different reasons to skip meals whether it be because you’re running late to work, too tired to cook, or just not feeling hungry. Some still even buy into the idea that skipping meals cut down on calories is a good idea for weight loss (it’s not). Despite showing that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and keep the weight off, studies showing that drastic calorie cuts are unsustainable, and the vast body of research supporting eating nutritious meals each day, there are still large numbers of people who can’t seem to break the habit they’ve begun!¹
If you’re someone always running out of time for breakfast, try preparing something quick the night before. A nutritious breakfast doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. It can be as easy as prepping some chia pudding, egg cups, or a TLS® Shake to grab on your way out the door! If you generally aren’t hungry first thing, that’s not a problem! You don’t have to eat first thing in the morning, but make sure you have something small for an office breakfast to rev your metabolism for the day!
Bad Eating Habits: Not Staying Hydrated
We know that water is essential for health, but that doesn’t mean that everyone likes drinking water. Sometimes our schedules are too busy and we don’t realize we’re even thirsty; Sometimes we’re stressed and tired, so we reach for coffee all day instead. Either way, this habit is one that we’ve had enough of!
Firstly, don’t wait until you are feeling thirsty to drink. Our bodies need water throughout the day, so keep a water bottle with you, next to your desk, in your bag, or in your car. Treat yourself to a cute water bottle or infuse it with tea or fruit to make it taste better, then when you see it you will remember to drink it (and enjoy it!).
Another way to break the bad habit is adding a water log! Grab a small notebook or download an app to help you keep track, then reward yourself after every week of being on track.
Bad Eating Habits: Eating Too Fast
No matter how amazing the food tastes, eating it quickly isn’t a good idea. Eating too fast can put pressure on your digestive tract and has also has been linked to higher chances of developed metabolic syndrome as compared to slow and normal eaters!²
For your own goods, go slow and enjoy every bite of your meal. Remind yourself to chew each bite and savor the flavors and textures of each dish. Not only will this help you realize sooner when your body is signaling that you’ve had enough, but you’ll feel more satisfied since you’ve taken the time to enjoy your food! Sipping water between bites can also help to you reduce your speedy eating pace.
Bad Eating Habits: Emotional Eating
If you often indulge in foods when feeling stressed or low, you may be undoing all of the hard work you’ve put in and creating an unhealthy cycle. Research has shown that we tend to make bad food choices when we are under stress, and choosing sugary or high-fat foods can trigger the pleasure centers in our brains which causes us to want to go back for more.³
Instead of feeding or hiding your emotions with food, try finding other non-food alternatives to reduce stress and boost positivity! Replace that chocolate cake with a call to a friend or a walk around the block. You could even whip us a nutritious snack to take along as you ease yourself out of making worse food choices on your path away from emotional eating.
Bad Eating Habits: Keeping Temptations
When was the last time you walked into a grocery store for milk and left with chips, soda, or cookies in the cart as well? Probably not long ago! It’s hard to resist temptation when it’s staring you in the face. As it turns out, we’re all on the ‘see-food’ diet”! The easiest way around it? Don’t let yourself see what you don’t want to eat!
Do yourself a favor and keep tempting foods in the aisles of the grocery store. If you need snacks at home for little ones or special occasions, stash them inside a cupboard and replace the candy bowl with countertop fruit!
If you need some help, our TLS® Coaches are more than happy to support you!
Start here to get in contact with one today!
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