7 Tips on Eating Well ...

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Chewing food slowly will also prevent you from eating too fast, which will enable you to chew food completely and digest your meals better. People who make sure to chew food completely tend to have fewer bowel disruptions as well. Nutrients are utilized quicker when food is chewed up and not quickly mauled and swallowed. Making sure that food is broken up into smaller bits will also prevent you from choking on large pieces of food.

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Most people know home-cooked meals are healthier than fast food, but it’s a matter of convenience that keeps them running to fast food restaurants. There are still many healthy foods in the grocery store’s freezer section, for a quick meal. Organic entrees, low-salt meals, sugar-free desserts, lean meats, and many other healthy choices are available in most grocery stores. I like that I still have the option to eat a quick dinner from freezer to microwave, but I don’t have to worry about it being packed with preservatives and unhealthy substances.

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The more variety you have, the better your collection of vitamins and minerals will be. There’s little need for additional supplements when a large selection of vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, and dairy are included daily. Keeping food exciting also makes mealtime less boring, which means you might be more interested in what you are preparing. I usually put more thought into mealtime when I’m making something new or using a variety of ingredients. It’s also more fun!

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Overeating is easy to do. There are small packages of food that are loaded with tons of calories. You may feel like you are eating only a little bit of food, but take a look at the number of calories in your portions next time you prepare a meal. The amount of calories taken in depends on how active you are, body type, age, sex, and physical size. If you are interested in losing weight, then figure out how many calories you currently consume and cut this amount by 500 calories per day.

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If I have an actual schedule to follow for mealtime, I seem to make healthier choices. I also snack less while I’m preparing meals, since I know what I’m making. I find myself rooting through the fridge and snacking on random things in the fridge as I look for something to make for dinner. When my family knows what meal is coming up, they are also less tempted to eat a bunch of junk food while they wait. Granted, I do have two teenage boys who raid the fridge no matter what. I do try to figure in a pre-dinner snack that is healthy for them, such as carrots and hummus dip or celery sticks with peanut butter.

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Having designated meal times might make your home feel more like camp or school, but eating at the same times each day is actually healthier. When your body becomes dependent on eating at a certain time, there tend to be a lot less cravings. This means you are less likely to raid the fridge yourself and eat a bunch of junk food or empty calories. I started off making a menu with meal times listed on it. Eventually my family became used to eating at certain times and didn’t need the paper reminder anymore. After a while your body will tell you when it is time to eat.

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This is probably one of the most common no-no’s I perform. I often stop by the grocery store on the way home from running errands all day or working in the next town over. When I’m busy during the day I don’t always eat properly. I end up shopping for groceries while my stomach grumbles and I find myself tossing in a lot of items that aren’t very healthy for me, like that bag of cookies that I can eat on the way home! I’ve started keeping a box of granola bars in the car. Granola bars won’t spoil in the car, plus it gives the boys something to grab for an afterschool snack.

I’m sure you already know about many of these 7 tips on eating well. Feel free to pass these on to those who might need them or print them out and hang them on the wall for your own personal reference. I have to remind myself about these tips from time to time as well. Do you have any other tips for healthy eating? Do you try to eat healthier for physical reasons or so you can be a good role model for your kids?

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