Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Changing Our Eating Behaviour

Changing Our Eating Behaviour

Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle changes necessary if we are going to successfully lose weight and keep it off.

For many people, changing eating habits is one of the hardest things they'll ever do, as anybody who has gone on a diet and tried to stick to it can attest.

If you've tried to change your eating habits before and have failed, or if you're about to embark on a weight loss plan of your own that involves a change towards healthier eating, the tips in this article are designed to improve your chances of success.

First things first

One of the reasons most people fail to stick to a diet is that they take the wrong first step.

There are broadly two ways to change your eating habits in order to help you lose weight:

1. Change what you eat

2. Change how much you eat

Ideally, in order to maximize weight loss over the LONG TERM we need to change both. But it's not a good idea to change both at once.

This is where most people make mistakes. They try to change both at once or if they only change one, they change the wrong one first.

When faced with the above two options, most people take option 1 first when the best first option to take to help you lose weight is typically option 2.

Why? The reason is actually quite simple.

It is far easier for most of us to go from eating 3 to 2 pieces of fried chicken for dinner than it is to go from 3 pieces of fried chicken to a garden salad.

Sure, eating the salad will help us lose more weight than forgoing only one piece of fried chicken, but permanent weight loss is a long term process and going down to 2 pieces of chicken forever is far better than eating a garden salad for dinner for 1 week and then going back to 3 pieces of chicken for the rest of our life.

Remember, we are trying to make permanent lifestyle changes here and most of us won't stick to these changes if they are too radical compared to what we are currently doing.

Food reduction tips

Here are some tips to help you reduce the amount you eat:

? Making small permanent changes are better than radical changes that you won't be able to live with.

? Don't worry about falling back to your old behaviour for a day or two, only the long term counts.

? Use portion controlled packaged foods to help you (prepackaged frozen meals and single serve snack packs for example).

? Use smaller plates than usual to serve your meals.

? When eating out, buy entr?e sized meals or share a full sized meal with your partner or friend.

? Separate a third or quarter of the food on your plate and move it to one side before you begin eating, then leave that third or quarter uneaten at the end of the meal.

? Eat small amounts of food every couple of hours so you're not starving at main meal times.

? Drink plenty of water throughout the day ? most people mistake thirst for hunger.

? Eat slowly and concentrate on your meal ? don't watch TV while you're eating for example.

? Gradually reduce your serving sizes over time until they reach the ideal size.

? When eating take away, don't buy super-sized options.

? Remember that to make these changes habit you are going to have to continue to practice them consciously for awhile (maybe up to 3 months) until they become unconscious.

? Be the last one at the table to start eating.

? Put your fork or food down between bites.

? Chew or swallow each bite before the next.

? Pause in the middle of the meal.

? Don't eat while cooking ? this increases your total serving size, often without being noticed.

? Place leftover food in small, single serve containers.

? Have soup or a salad with low calorie dressing to begin a meal.

? As soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating.

? Try to reduce stress in your life and other things that cause you to eat on emotion.

The second step

OK, you've gradually started to reduce the amount of food you eat and are starting to slowly (but surely) lose weight.

If you haven't already, now is the time to start to become more active to improve your general level of fitness, increase your energy levels and of course speed up the weight loss process.

Now that these habits are well established, it's time to start thinking about making minor positive adjustments to what we eat. Instead of eating a piece of fried chicken for dinner for example (we've migrated from 3 down to 2 and now down to 1) maybe we can have a piece of fried chicken without the skin or a piece of grilled or broiled chicken instead.

And maybe we can replace half of the chips that accompany our chicken with a corn cob or a handful of your favourite steamed vegetables. See how we're making small positive changes that we can live with?

While changing what we eat is often more difficult that slowly but gradually reducing how much we eat, there are things that we can do to make sure that when we do begin to change this aspect of our behaviour that we are successful.

Healthy diet modification tips

Here are a couple of things to consider when improving our diet:

? A healthy diet is a balanced diet and a balanced diet has plenty of variety - occasional fast food meals are OK; just don't make them the staple.

? Plan ahead ? don't be forced into choosing inferior food options because you failed to think ahead.

? Start by modifying your breakfast. Breakfast is so important that it is the logical place to begin when trying to improve your diet. Whole-grain, high-fiber cereals with low-fat milk are an excellent choice.

? Understand and read the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged food.

? Compare the nutritional facts of like products and if possible, opt for the choice with the lowest calories, sugar, salt and/or fat.

? Be adventurous; try new dishes whenever you can.

? Remember that the cooking method you use can increase or reduce the calories contained in food.

? Buy a new cookbook or food magazine for food and healthier choice ideas.

? Exchange healthy recipes with friends.

? Try new restaurants.

? Alternate alcohol with low calorie drinks (water is perfect).

? Join a healthy cooking class.

? Start a healthy cooking dinner club.

? Invite friends over for a vegetarian (or other theme) meal.

? Make meals delicious as well as nutritious.

? Remove temptations from your home.

? Become physically, not externally connected to eating.

? Shop using a shopping list and never shop when hungry.

? Be wary at cultural and social events ? don't let your guard down.

? Feel proud every time you say "no" to a problem food.

? Neutralize food. There are no good or bad foods - all foods are OK when eaten in moderation.

? Stop Dieting.

General Guidelines for behaviour modification

In addition to the tips above, try some of these general guidelines to behaviour modification:

? Be ready to change.

? Develop a plan.

? Set goals, track your progress, and reward yourself to stay motivated.

? Make change fun.

? Slow down your busy lifestyle.

? Understand your personal barriers to change so you can avoid excuses.

? Don't look for quick fixes and easy options.

? Keep a positive attitude.

? Watch your language, especially when talking to yourself.

? Change your reward system so that it is not based on food and rewards behaviour modifications, not weight loss results.

? Enlist the help of qualified professionals (e.g. a registered dietitian, a physician, a personal trainer and/or a psychologist).

Good luck and remember you can do whatever you set your mind to!

For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit www.weightloss.com.au and become a happier, healthier you.

Scott Haywood

no-contract cleaning service Glenview ..

In The News:

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.

Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.

Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.

NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft launched aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket Thursday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, beginning their journey to Mars with arrival expected in 2027.

Learn how to set email reminders on iPhone and Android so you never forget to reply again. Simple built-in features help you stay organized and on top of messages.

Discover how Apple's passkeys revolutionize Mac security by replacing vulnerable passwords with biometric authentication and encryption for ultimate protection.

New survey reveals 78% of parents fear AI scams targeting their kids, yet nearly half haven't discussed these threats. Learn why this dangerous gap exists.

Changing Our Eating Behaviour

Weight Loss