Development of Healthy Eating Habits

EATING HEALTHY AND GOOD HABITS

Amanda Benicio de Sobral

INTRODUCTION

This essay aims to discuss Healthy Eating Habits.

The first part discusses about tips how to create and maintain good habits.

Also this essay discusses about how you can eat more healthily easily.

In the end, the conclusion talk about if is possible to change your habits.

Methodology

The information of this report is collected from various books and websites about healthy life.

These books are written by James Clear, a famous behavioral psychology author and Georgie Moore who is a famous dietician. The most important reference in this essay is James Clear,a famous author who write  about behavioral psychology, habit formation, and performance improvement.

EATING HEALTHY AND GOOD HABITS

According to a study conducted by the Brazilian scientist André Frazão Helene (2014) (professor of the Department of Physiology of the Institute of Biosciences of the University of São Paulo), “fat and sugar, for instance, are rich sources of energy, fundamental for life

A FEW GOOD TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN GOOD HABITS

In the guide “Transform your Habits”, by James Clear (year), there are a few precious tips on how to keep one loyal to their objectives:

1) Focus on the process, not the results.

As a rule, people tend to rely on results to change their lives. Different results which will transform one overnight. Nonetheless, what seems really necessary is taking up better habits. By changing and sticking to these new habits day by day, the process of transformation becomes much easier to continue, and the results come in turn. Hence, prioritize daily decision making and develop strategies to make your habits and costumes healthier.

2) Rely on habits that are easy to take up

At the beginning, think small.

It is important to choose something that easily fits your routine. Next, choose a strategy to start this new habit in a way that it is easy enough that you have no excuses not to do it. Let’s take Abdominal Crunch or Sit-ups as an example. A good plan could be to start with 2 sets a day. More important than the initial quantity is becoming someone constant in this new routine.

3) Easy-to-remember reminders for new habits

Motivation and necessity to change are not directly related – not always you will feel motivated to do something. It is actually related to remembering to do it. Therefore, create mental reminders to the habits to take up from now. Such reminders can be anything that triggers your will to put these new habits in practice. For instance, linking the commercials on TV to your time to exercise might be a good idea.

10 GOOD STEPS TO EAT MORE HEALTHILY EASILY

1. Unprocessed Food
According to 12WBT dietitian Georgie Moore, there are various downsides of packaged / processed foods, such as high quantities of preservatives, colourings and added chemicals. “Packaged foods tend to be higher in fat, salt and sugar than food cooked from scratch, while lacking nutrients and fibre”, she states. The solution is to cook unprocessed foods such as lean meat, fresh vegetables, nuts and legumes, as well as organic eggs, milk and fruit.

2. Healthy Whole Grains
Apart from containing more texture, whole grains contain considerably more fibre and nutrients than the standard refined ones.
Brown rice, wholegrain pasta, quinoa and buckwheat are good examples of substitutes (Moore, 2012).

3. Change to Healthy Cooking Methods
The simpler, the better. Try grilling, barbecuing, steaming the food. Also, there are good substitutes for the standard dressings and salt, such as balsamic for salad and herbs for refined salt. Pink salt is also a good healthy option (Bridges, 2017).

4. Eat Healthy Portion Sizes
A healthy dish must be balanced properly. The ideal balance must be a quarter of the food composed of lean protein, another quarter of low-GI carbohydrates, wholegrain carbohydrates, and the other half of vegetables and legumes (Moore, 2012).

5. Understand Healthy Eating-Out Options
When eating out, one does not have to eat everything offered on the plate. A half portion can be asked, and the main course can also be substituted by an entrée size dish, complemented by vegetables. In case you find the menu available online, a healthy meal can be chosen before you leave home. (Moore, 2012)

6. A Food Diary Will Help Your Healthy Eating Habits
Keeping track of what is eaten every day is another good strategy to control the intake of calories. Then, it is possible to analyze and decide on the best balance between the ingredients (Bridges, 2017).

7. Healthy Eating at Social Events
Although it is tempting to eat a considerable amount when in social events, if a healthy snack is eaten prior to the event, it will help control the hunger. Moreover, a healthier option at the buffet must be considered, filling the place just once (Bridges, 2017).

8. Plan Your Healthy Shopping
Takeaways are always an easy option when the fridge is empty. It is paramount to plan the shopping and stock healthy options in the pantry (Bridges, 2017).

9. Treats Can be Healthy Too
Every once in a while, we can treat ourselves. Once a week, decide on a meal where you can indulge yourself. It will help relieving the will to eat unhealthy foods, and will set up your calendar, avoiding these foods the rest of the week (Bridges, 2017).

10. Water: Nature’s Healthy Drink
Drink plenty of water.  Water is crucial for a good digestion and for the elimination of waste, as well as paramount for the control of body temperature. According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines a healthy amount for men to drink is 2.6 litres per day and women should have 2.1 litres (or 8 to 10 cups per day). Who keeps a drinking bottle at all times is more likely to keep healthy (Crowe,2013).

HEALTHY EATING PLATE

The Healthy Eating Plate, created by nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health, provides detailed guidance, in a simple format, to help people make the best eating choices.

V and Fruits -Should be ½ of your plate

Whole grains – Should be ¼ of your plate

Protein power – Should be ¼ of your plate.

SURVEY ABOUT EATING HEALTHY

Water

According to teachers and students of Ailfe, water is the second most popular drink (behind soft drinks). Students and teachers are drinking enough water, besides, only one of them doesn’t drink water.

Vegetables

Eating vegetables provides health benefits, but according to teachers and students of Ailfe, cook vegetables is difficult and spend a lot of time, that is why the results show that once a week is how many time they have vegetables.

SURVEY ABOUT EATING HEALTHY

1) How many cups of water do you have per day?

None    2 cups     4 or 6 cups of water  More than 6 

2)How many portions of vegetables do you have per week?

None    Once a week    3 or 4 portions per week   everyday 

3) How often do you eat whole grains?

None    Once a week    3 or 4 times a week   everyday 

4) How many portions of protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk) do you have per day?

None    1 portion     2 portion   3 or more portion 

5) How many portions of fruits do you have per day?

None    1 portion     2 portion   3 or more portion 

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, although the world is becoming ‘faster’ and our routines gradually busier with the globalized life, people can still eat healthy foods without much effort. There must be determination and discipline enough, but “where there is a will, there is a way”. Developing strategies to create new habits, focusing on daily eating practices, anyone is able to improve life quality without arduous dedication. There is always possibility to change, and change for better.

THE REFERENCE LIST

Kedouk, M. (2014). Changing Habits: A Science Explains Why It’s So Difficult. Retrieved from

Clear, J. (2013): Transform your habits. Retrieve from