How to Break Bad Eating Habits

How To Break Bad Eating Habits:-

Bad habits are made to be broken. Learn easy tricks to help you eat better every day.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits

If You’re a Serious Snacker

The fallout: You may end up overeating. A healthy snack or two between meals is fine. Snacks can keep blood sugar steady as well as allow you to rack up more servings of fruits and vegetables. “It’s when you snack in place of eating real meals that you’re more likely to lose track of how much you’re eating,” says Tara Gidus, R.D., an Orlando, Florida–based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Of course, what you eat matters, too. Typical snack foods (chips, cookies, pretzels) aren’t that nutritious or satisfying, so it’s easy to overdo them.

The fix: To keep your energy up and hunger at bay, allow yourself two snacks a day of 100 to 300 calories each. “Rather than a cookie or a candy bar, opt for something that feels like real food―half of a small sandwich, whole-grain crackers with cheese, a handful of nuts, baby carrots with hummus, or yogurt sprinkled with cereal,” says Gidus. Click here for more low-calorie snacks.

If You’re a Mindless Muncher

The fallout: Television makes people particularly prone to spaced-out eating. In fact, “folks who eat while watching the tube take in 20 to 60 percent more than if they are focused on their food,” according to Brian Wansink, a professor of marketing at Cornell University and the author of Mindless Eating.

The fix: Figure out which situations trigger mindless eating for you, then consciously make an effort to eat only when you’re fully engaged. If you need a few snacks, set limits on what you’ll eat. Dole out a single serving before you sit down on the couch, or delay your snack until you can pay attention. Minimise damage by dipping into low-cal foods, such as cut vegetables, air-popped popcorn, rice crackers, and whole-grain cereal.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits

If You Eat Your Way Out of a Bad Mood

The fallout: It may be soothing in the moment, but feeding your fears and frustrations, instead of confronting them, can lead to a cycle of more bad moods as well as steady weight gain. Many people turn to carbohydrates, in particular, which produce tryptophan, a type of amino acid that is used by the brain to manufacture serotonin. “When the brain makes more serotonin, your mood improves, but only temporarily,” says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a coauthor of The Serotonin Power Diet.

The fix: Stop to think about what’s bothering you before reflexively open the cupboard. Then try a nonfood mood booster, such as taking a walk, seeing a movie, or calling a friend. “If nothing but carbs will do, get the serotonin boost without triggering a binge,” says Gidus. “Opt for a whole-grain treat so at least you get more fiber and less sugar.”

If You Eat Carefully All Week, Then Blow It on the Weekend

The fallout: It is possible to undo five days of good with regular weekend free-for-alls. In 2004, data from the National Weight Control Registry revealed that people who were consistent in their weekly eating habits, even if they weren’t perfect, were 1.5 times more likely to stay within five pounds of their weight over one year than were those who were vigilant on weekdays only.

The fix: Since much socializing around food takes place on weekends, it pays to strategize. “Have a mini meal before you go out to help you have more self-control, and offer to be the designated driver to limit alcohol intake,” says Gidus. (Alcohol has more calories than you probably think.) And don’t restrict yourself so severely Monday through Friday that the weekend feels like your only time for indulgence.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits

If All Your Meals Come in Cans, Bags, or Boxes

The fallout: Packaged foods, like soups, frozen meals, and rice mixes, can be sneaky sources of unhealthy fats, sugar, salt, and excess calories. Even a can of (otherwise virtuous) low-fat soup can contain more than half a day’s worth of sodium. 

The fix: Don’t feel guilty about relying on packaged foods; just be smart about which ones you choose. Frozen entrées―especially lower-calorie, lower-sodium versions―can provide a quick, portion-controlled meal. Compare labels to find the healthiest ones―that is, those that are higher in fiber and lower in salt and that have whole grains and nutrient-rich vegetables at the top of their ingredient lists. Frozen vegetables, cooked chicken, and a whole-grain rice mix can kick off a healthy almost-home-cooked meal, particularly when you serve them with fresh vegetables or a leafy green salad. Finish with a piece of fruit or low-fat yogurt for dessert.

If You Eat on the Run

The fallout: Eating while on the go (driving, walking down the street, shopping) means you’re probably not paying much attention to what’s going into your mouth. Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says this “grab, gulp, and go mentality” can leave you dissatisfied and unsure of what you ate, and sometimes even give you an upset stomach. 

The fix: Build time to eat into your day. “If you have to, schedule it on your BlackBerry, just like you do everything else,” says Krieger. When you have no option but to dine while dashing, be prepared. Stock your purse, glove compartment, or office drawer with a few healthy choices, such as low-fat granola bars, nuts and dried fruit, and single-serving packages of crackers. “Even fast-food restaurants are offering healthier, satisfying choices, like salads and wraps with crunchy vegetables and lean meats,” says Bonci.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits

If You’re a Speed-Eater

The fallout: Gulping food may set you up for stomach troubles. “You take in excess air, which can lead to bloating,” says Bonci. You also might not be chewing well. “Saliva begins to break food down, and too little time in the mouth leaves more work for the rest of the digestive tract. This may contribute to indigestion,” says Krieger. Finally, speed-eating doesn’t give the brain time to catch up to the stomach; it needs at least 20 minutes to get the message that your stomach is full. A recent study found that women who ate a meal in 30 minutes ate 10 percent fewer calories compared with those who wolfed one down in barely 10.

The fix: Try to slow down. Avoid finger foods, and instead choose items you have to put on a plate and eat with utensils, such as stir-fries and salads. Pause often, and drink water throughout meals.



If You Skip Breakfast

The fallout: You’ll probably have a lousy morning, as well as a higher chance of overeating later on. “Blood sugar usually drops overnight, so your brain is running on empty until you eat in the morning,” says Krieger. Studies have shown that cognitive skills and memory improve once you’ve fueled your foggy morning brain. Recent research shows that breakfast skippers tend to eat more calories during the day than do people who don’t skip. Eating breakfast may actually help you achieve and maintain weight loss.

The fix: Breakfast doesn’t have to be a drawn-out affair, but try to eat about an hour or two after you get up. “Aim for 250 to 400 calories, and include at least one serving of whole grains, a source of protein, and one serving of fruit,” says Gidus. If you’re habitually short on time, stock the kitchen with easy-to-make breakfast foods, keep packets of oatmeal at the office, or place a standing order at a café so you can make a pickup on your way to work.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits

If You’re a Sugar Fiend

The fallout: A package of candy may give you a burst of energy, but then you’ll be smacked down by a post-sugar slump. What’s more, “a sugary snack is usually empty calories, providing few of the nutrients you need,” says Ellie Krieger, R.D., host of the Food Network’s Healthy Appetite. This, she says, may explain why it’s possible to be both obese and undernourished.

 The fix: You don’t have to go off the sweet stuff completely―just find some good substitutions now and then. Unsweetened dried fruit (like tart cherries or mangoes), peanut M&M’s (a little protein mixed with sugar can help fend off the energy dip), and even a handful of lightly sweetened whole-grain cereal are all good swaps for candy or cookies. And since added sugar sneaks its way into many foods―including bread, cereal, and yogurt―read labels and seek out versions of your favorites with less sugar. Buy unsweetened drinks and add your own sugar. (Presweetened iced tea can contain as much as 10 to 12 teaspoons per bottle.) Or opt for sugar-free.

How to Break Bad Eating Habits Video!

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Top Ten Celebrity Diets Unleashed!

Today more than ever the pressure is on for us to be thin and beautiful. With the combination of the abundance of unhealthful food options readily available and the pressure created by thin celebrities with perfect bodies, it can prove difficult for us to feel as though we fit in during the summer holiday.

What many of us fail to realise, however, is that these celebrities have to work hard to maintain their bodies utilising the best celebrity diets. Rather than being jealous that we don’t look like them, we should instead take measures to try to learn from them.

There are a variety of celebrity diet plans that have proven effective for the most beautiful people that we would love to emulate. Here’s the top ten for you to try.

The five factor diet consists of consuming five meals daily, and each meal consists of five ingredients. The target ingredients include protein, unsaturated fats, fibre, carbs and a drink containing no sugar. Furthermore, the dieter is required to work out for around a half an hour five days a week.

In order to make this diet realistic, participants are allowed one day a week to indulge in the foods they love. This gives them something to look forward to and actually increases their chances at success. Eva Mendez reportedly lost 15 pounds employing this little-known technique.

It may sound strange, but Beyoncé Knowles is said to have lost 19 pounds using the maple syrup diet. The diet is more of a fast in which, for a ten day time frame, nothing is consumed except for a concoction of maple syrup, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and water. This diet helps the body rid itself of toxins, and the cayenne pepper helps speed metabolism.

Celebrities such as Kate Moss are said to have found success in the holistic detox diet. The 38-year-old model allegedly lost eight pounds in 21 days eating only from a constricted list of foods including red meat, nuts and tea. One of the celebrity diet secrets of this particular method is to chew food 10 times prior to swallowing as this speeds digestion.

When analysing celebrity diets, the Hampton’s diet is worth mentioning as it is said to have helped actress Sarah Jessica Parker eradicate 15 pounds. This strategy works by the dieter eliminating processed foods. They instead eat foods found on the outer edges of the grocery store such as raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and fish. This diet is one that is healthful not just as a temporary lifestyle change but also as a way of life.

Those needing to trim a few pounds to fit into that cute new bathing suit can follow in the footsteps of Jessica Biel by participating in the three hour diet. The actress lost 10 pounds by eating six small meals every three hours throughout the day to minimise cravings.

Dieters are encouraged to compare their portions with objects. By associating portion sizes with familiar objects, they are more likely to remember the correct quantities of certain foods to stay on track with the diet plan.

Madonna is said to have lost 12 pounds employing a diet high in fibre to lose weight. Foods consumed include uncooked foods and soy products. While the macrobiotic diet is not ideal to pursue for the long-term, it has proven effective in weight loss.

Cooking fruits and vegetables causes them to lose key nutrients, and this diet helps promote health in addition to reaching the ideal weight. Actress Demi Moore reportedly lost 11 pounds by eating three quarters of her food uncooked on the raw food diet.

It can be unsafe to consume undercooked meats, so it is recommended for dieters considering this plan to limit their diet to raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes and natural juices during the length of their diet.

Jennifer Aniston is said to have lost 9 pounds by utilising a simple mathematical ratio into her daily food consumption through the zone diet. This method involves calculating the proper ratio of carbs to fats to proteins. Participants such as Aniston have found success by employing a ration of 40:30:30.

This diet is effective in that it helps the body lose weight in a healthful manner without restricting it from the elements it needs that most diets avoid completely. By regulating this intake, the body can better adapt to the diet as well as keep the weight off for the long-term.

The blood type diet acclaimed by actress Elizabeth Hurley takes into consideration findings from studies that have associated the effects of food items in relation to blood types. For example, it was discovered that type A individuals are more likely to lose weight by consuming more fruits and vegetables while type O dieters should instead eat lots of red meat.

While some debate the findings of these studies, Hurley allegedly lost 12 pounds through the implementation of this plan.

The same scientists who conducted the studies for the blood type diet also did further studies comparing dieters’ genes in comparison to food consumption to determine correlations. They concluded that the six different gene types indeed make a difference in what type of diet will be effective for individuals.

Acclaimed talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey is said to have lost 19 pounds using the knowledge gained through these studies on the geno type diet.

This is anyones guess, it seems like a new one is coming out every month and hyped up by the media. The best thing to do would be to pick a diet from above that sounds good to you and see if it actually works.

http://vesperblack.com/blog/top-celebrity-diets-melt-away-the-pounds

Slim for Life: Strategies to Lose Fat and Keep It Off

Use fat to burn fat.

Trying yet again to lose those last 10 pounds? We hear you. In fact, 50 percent of women say that within six months they gain back any weight they've managed to ditch. And more than a quarter have dieted so many times they've lost track of the number. Well, get ready to stop the endless yo-yoing: Science has finally come up with simple, groundbreaking solutions for lasting weight loss. We checked in with the top experts in the field and scoured the latest research to bring you the skinny on everything you need to reach your slim-down goals and stay there.

Make your fat burn fat.

Seriously: Your flab can help you shed pounds. How? Just as there's more than one kind of fat in food, there's more than one type in your body. White fat is the bad stuff you want to zap. But a second kind, brown fat, actually torches calories. "Up to 80 percent of adults have brown fat deposits in their bodies," says Aaron M. Cypess, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School. This good fat is powerful because it's packed with mitochondria, the parts of cells that generate heat. When activated, as little as two ounces of brown fat can gobble up as much as 20 percent of your body's calories.

Exercise is one of the best ways to get your brown fat in gear. In a study, scientists at Harvard's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discovered that working out releases a hormone called irisin, which converts white fat to brown. Exercise for a half hour at least five days a week to turn up the burn.

 some vitamin D.

Taking this vitamin daily may help you drop pounds. A study at the University of Minnesota found that people who started a weight-loss program with higher levels of D lost more than those who weren't getting enough of the nutrient. Other research suggested that vitamin D appears to boost the effectiveness of leptin, a hormone that signalsthe brain that you're full. Because it's difficult to get D from food, Shalamar Sibley, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the university, says you may need to take a vitamin D3 supplement. Many experts now recommend 1,000 international units every day.

Chew on this.

Most of us eat quickly, chewing each bite just a few times, which means we consume more food than we realize.Slow down and you'll slim down: In a recent study, people who chewed each bite 40 times ate almost 12 percent less than those who chewed just 15 times. When we chew longer, our bodies produce less ghrelin, a hormone thatboosts appetite, and more of the peptide hormones that are believed to curb hunger. "Chewing seems to stimulate the gut to make appetite-suppressing peptide hormones," Dr. Cypess explains. Plus, the more you chew, the more thoroughly you break down food, which may release nutrients into your blood faster and give your brain time to register that you're full. From now on, focus on eating slowly at every meal. Put down your fork between bites and work your way up to 40 chews per mouthful of food.

Sip green tea.

This healthy brew acts like a diet drug in a mug, but without the negative side effects. A review of studies concluded that regularly sipping green tea can help you drop pounds. This weight loss is the result of EGCG, a compound known to reduce fat absorption, according to new research from Penn State. But that's not all this magic drink does: As it's reducing fat absorption, "green tea also increases the amount of fat that your body eliminates," explains study author Joshua D. Lambert, PhD, an assistant professor of food science at the university. So think about trading your usual afternoon java for green tea instead. Experts say that drinking three to five cups of the regular or decaf variety every day may help you lose weight.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/tips/diet-tips/how-to-lose-fat-for-good/#page=1