Easy Fixes For Bad Eating Habits

(BlackDoctor.org) --The next time you’re out shopping for food, you might want to re-think tossing those greasy chips into your grocery cart. Chances are, you’re being watched. That’s right. In a recent study, some of the top US nutrition experts admitted to a guilty indulgence of their own: spying on the rest of us at the grocery store! And not only are they snooping at the checkout line, they’re also busy making a list of all the things we do wrong. Here are their top five:

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

Apparently, the majority of us can’t tell the difference. Most people still don’t get that some fats are actually good for you. You want to avoid saturated and trans fats, but you need more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Good sources are fish, nuts, avocados, and soybean and canola oils.” Smart Choice: Don’t be afraid of good fats. If you keep track of total calories, you don’t have to worry about how much fat you eat, just what kind.

Supersize Meals

Admit it, we’ve all been guilty of it at one time or another. In order to get the most for our dollar, we often supersize our meals-regardless of the health consequences. “People think that supersizing a restaurant meal is a money saver, but it’s not a health bargain if it has way too many calories. Smart Choice: Remember that your eye is often bigger than your stomach. A serving size is about what fits into the palm of your hand (larger for men than women, smaller for children). For an all around healthier meal, use this as your guideline and be sure to pick one protein, one starch, one veggie and one fruit based serving.

Liquid = 0 Calories

Think before you sip. Just because that soda may not fill you up the same way food does, it doesn’t mean that it’s calorie free. We tend to consume a large amount of sugared soda and juice These sugared drinks can swell your calorie intake and push out more nutritious foods. Smart Choice: Swap your Coca Cola for a cup of tea. This calorie-free beverage not only boats more flavors than soda, but it also offers up a number of health benefits as well. Not only does it help ward off several types of cancer, but this heart friendly drink also strengthens bones and teeth while at the same time protecting the skin. So what are you waiting for? Start up that tea kettle!

What does “hungry” really feel like?

Apparently, very few of us know the answer to this question. If you don’t know when you’re hungry, you don’t know when you’re full, so you won’t know when to stop eating. Smart Choice: Be sure to follow these three guidelines at every meal.

1. Be honest. Before you begin eating, ask yourself: how hungry am I? Rate your hunger from 1 (hungriest) to 7 (fullest).

2. Take your time! It isn’t a race, so eat slowly, pausing often to determine how your hunger is changing.

3. At the end, rate yourself one more time. Ultimately, you want to stay somewhere between 2.5 and 5.5: meaning that you’re not starving when you start and you’re not stuffed when you stop.

Addicted to the Microwave

You come home after work, you’re tired, you’re hungry, and the last thing you want to do is cook an entire meal and so you turn to the microwave for a solution. Sound familiar? It’s a scenario that many of us experience daily. But for the amount of time frozen entrees may save, it may not be worth it in the long run. Eating too many heavily processed foods can leave you short on fiber and antioxidants such as Vitamin C.Smart Choice: Don’t stop at the frozen entrée. Be sure to add a green salad, a 100 percent whole wheat roll and some fruit for desert. That way, you can get the best of both fast and healthy foods

By Christine Mangan, BlackDoctor.org staff writer

BlackDoctor.org offers more suggestions on healthy ways to change your eating habits. Look for healthy soul food pyramids and diets throughout our website at http://www.BlackDoctor.org

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