It's important to know what your eating style is, many of us eat for different reasons and intake unwanted calories because we are simply misinformed. See the different styles below and see which style you are, the first step to being informed.
Uninformed Eater...You have good intentions but you may not have the best information. Learning about healthy food choices and counting calories will help you to reach your goal of living a healthy lifestyle. Your goal should be not to simply portion control, but to learn which foods are best and to count the calories these foods contain.
Emotional Eater...You respond to in the moment feelings instead of the actual physical hunger cues. Slow down, before you take that bite, ask yourself, am I eating because I'm hungry? Because I need food right now? or Because I'm sad, happy, excited, depressed, whatever the emotion may be. Your goal should be to eat only when you are hungry and only the amount you need to refuel.
Unconscious Eater...You miss meals, eat meals while doing something else or you eat something simply because it's there. Most people fall here, we forget a meal, so we make up for it at another, we eat while we are working or on the road, or we eat because something is given to us, we walk by it, it's "simply" just there. Your goal should be to enjoy the pleasure of eating meals and learn how to say no and/or walk by foods that are just there. Eat only when hungry!
Social Eater...You are tempted to eat by a variety of people, places and events. Your goal, remember that this is your life and your body and only you can control what you put in it. Do not allow other people to push unhealthy choices on you. Chances are you will feel worse after you have eaten and you will regret that you went along with the crowd. We live our lives and yes we will go to superbowl parties, birthday parties, weddings, etc but this doesn't mean we have to endulge on what everyone else. Make a game plan, drink water and stick to the veggie platter and dinner only.
Each of you fits into one of the categories above and you might even be a mixture of them.
Your goal is to become a BALANCED EATER!! A balanced eater has a healthy relationship with food and is able to make nutritious choices and balance them with the pleasure of eating. This includes portion control, physical activity and a healthy mindset. Remember that the key to becoming a balanced eater is self monitoring, keeping a journal or a log to keep track of what goes in so you can better establish what and when you eat.
Cheers to leading a Healthy Balanced Lifestyle!!
