Food is a basic part of life, we can’t live without it! But when we’re surrounded by so many different influences, it is easy to develop unhealthy eating habits. This can be caused by lack of guidance, the media, or your environment. Luckily, you can improve your relationship with food by following these six steps.
6 Steps To A Healthy Relationship With Food
1. Mix It Up
Keep things interesting by adding a variety of foods to your plate. It’s the best way to avoid boredom while eating a balanced diet.1 Focus on a combination of veggies, protein, and healthy carbohydrates like brown rice. The variety will make eating more enjoyable.
2. Make Meat As Secondary Part
Treating meat as the secondary part of your dish will help you keep portions healthy. After all, experts recommended making half your plate vegetables.2 Making meat second will help you focus on doing just that. Try to choose nutritious options like lean chicken, turkey, and fish.3
3. Have Fun With It
The secret to loving fruits and vegetables is to create ways to enjoy them. Try your hand at fruit smoothies or ice pops. You can also make things like banana ice cream, mini quiche cups, and veggie fries.
4. Don’t Eat Your Feelings
Emotional eating can destroy your relationship with food. It becomes a pacifier for unrelated problems, leading the way for less nutritious eating.4 Instead, try to avoid fixing your feelings with food. Focus on healthier ways of stress relief, such as yoga or spending time with friends.
5. Remove Distractions
Eating a meal is a special thing. But doing it in front of a computer, television, or smartphone can take that away. Distracted eating is also linked to eating more and an increased risk for weight gain.5 So turn off all those screens and enjoy your food!
6. Eat Until 80% Full
Hara Hachi bu is the practice of eating until you are 80 percent full. This prevents overeating and that infamous “food baby” feeling. It also means that in 20 minutes, you will probably feel totally full. Your best bet is to eat until you are no longer hungry – and save leftovers for later!
Don’t try to do all of these steps all at once. Be patient with yourself. Adapt them one by one, giving you time to approach food in a healthy way.
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