Many of our habits have been established since childhood, but that does not mean that they are fully rooted and that we cannot introduce healthier habits. The question is, how do we do it?

Namely, the introduction of sudden, radical changes in eating habits can lead to short-term weight loss, such as one in which only cabbage soup is ingested.

However, such changes are not healthy, so it is not a good idea if we want success in the long run. How to introduce healthier eating habits - by constantly improving them, which requires a carefully thought out approach, then replacing them, and finally applying them.

Think about all your eating habits, both good and bad, as well as the most common "triggers" that lead to unhealthy food intake.

Change your unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones.

Apply your new, healthier eating habits.

THINK:

Make a list of all your current eating habits. Keeping an eating diary for just a few days in which you write down absolutely everything you eat, as well as the time you eat, will help you determine your healthier habits.

For example, you may find that you always reach for something sweet when your energy level drops during the afternoon. So make a note of how you felt when you decided to eat, especially if you weren't hungry at that point. Were you tired or stressed out? Think about it, to help you instill healthier habits.

1. Especially emphasize those habits on the list that lead to overeating. The most common habits that lead to storing fat are:

- too fast food intake

- you always eat everything from your plate

- you eat when you are not hungry

- you eat standing (can lead to unconscious or too fast food intake)

- you always eat dessert

- skipping meals (or maybe just breakfast)

2. Look at and pay attention to the unhealthy eating habits you have underlined. Be sure to list any triggers that lead to practicing these eating habits. For starters, identify a few that you would like to change first.

During this process, remember to praise yourself for what you are doing right. You may almost always eat fruit for dessert or drink low-fat milk. Those are good habits! Recognizing success will encourage you to make more changes.

3. Based on your diary of eating habits, compile a list of "challenging situations" to be aware of when and where you are tempted to eat without being hungry. It is important to remember your feeling in those moments, because often a particular environment or emotional state leads to a desire for more food and when we are not hungry.

The most challenging food intake situations when we are not hungry are:

- Opening a cupboard and finding your favorite snacks.

- Sitting at home and watching TV.

- Before or after a stressful meeting or situation at work.

- Coming home after work with no idea what to have for dinner.

- Someone who offers you a dish that is made just for you!

- Walking past the candy an table.

- Sitting in the break room next to a vending machine with snacks and drinks.

- Walking past your favorite fast food restaurant where you can order from the car each morning.

- Feeling bored or tired and thinking that food will "lift you up".

4. Round up the "challenging situations" on the list that you face on a daily or weekly basis to change your eating habits. Going home for the holidays is often the trigger for overeating, so you may be able to resist unnecessary overeating with the right plan for all possible triggers of that type. For starters, turn to the ones that are most common.

5. To introduce yourself to healthier habits, ask yourself these questions in every challenging situation you have rounded up:

Is there anything I can do to avoid this challenging situation? Of course, this option is best when a challenging situation does not entail other people. For example, can you choose another route to work to avoid a fast food restaurant? Is there another place in the break room where you can sit so you're not next to a vending machine with snacks and drinks?

With what I can't avoid, can I do something different that would be healthier? Of course, you cannot avoid absolutely all situations that cause your unhealthy eating habits, such as colleges at work. In these situations, you should carefully evaluate the options offered to you. Can you suggest or bring healthier snacks or drinks? Can you offer to take notes to distract? How do you position yourself away from food to make it harder for you to reach it? Can you plan ahead and eat some healthier snacks before the meeting?

CHANGE:

Replace unhealthy habits with new, healthy ones. For example, as you think about how to introduce healthier eating habits, you may find that you are currently eating too fast when alone. So, for example, try sharing lunch with a colleague every week or inviting your neighbor to dinner at least once a week.

Of course, there are other strategies you can use when changing your eating habits, such as lowering a fork between snacks. So you can keep track of how fast and in what quantities you eat.

1. Eat more slowly. If you eat too fast, you may "eat everything from your plate" instead of paying attention to whether you have quenched your hunger.

2. Eat only when you are really hungry instead of when you are tired, nervous or overwhelmed by an emotion that.

If you find yourself eating when you are experiencing an emotion, such as boredom or nervousness, try to find an activity that has nothing to do with your food intake instead. You may find that a quick walk or a phone conversation with a friend helps you feel better and thus make it easier to introduce healthier eating habits.

3. Schedule meals ahead of time to have healthy and balanced meals.

INCORPORATE:

Incorporate your new, healthier habits and be patient with yourself. It takes some time for habits to develop, because they are not, however, adopted "overnight." When you catch yourself practicing an unhealthy habit, stop immediately and ask yourself: Why am I doing this? When did I start doing this? What changes should I make? Be careful not to switch yourself or think that one mistake cancels all healthy habits.