5 Healthy Eating Habits To Help You Lose Weight

"We are what we repeatedly do, and then, excellence becomes a habit," says Aristotle and habits influence our choices, behavior and much more in our daily lives. When it comes to losing weight, our eating habits take a center stage as eating healthy is the most effective way to shed pounds. Healthy eating habits go a long way in the weight management too.
A worldwide research on food trends and eating habits carried out by Dr. Fumuki Imamura, Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, shows an alarming trend of unhealthy eating practices in numerous countries. With reduced consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, many countries are indulged in gorging on unhealthy food as per the research. The worrying research result has led researchers to emphasize the need of healthy eating to combat many harmful health conditions including obesity.
U.S Department of Health and Human Service debunks many weight loss myths related to our regular diet. Many people may think that they can get away with eating whatever they like and still lose weight but as per the report, it is nothing but a myth. The report stresses on the need to develop healthier eating habits to lose weight in a healthy way so that overall health of an individual is benefited.
Here are 5 healthy eating habits that will help in weight loss:
1. Observe your eating habits
Before embarking on a healthy, weight loss journey, it is important to know the regular eating habits. Do you like binging? Late dinners, gorging on leftover food so that "nothing goes to waste", mood eating-chocolates, alcohol, and junk foods, etc. can add more calories than we imagine. These eating habits may not catch our immediate attention, and most of the people may miss out on the source of additional calories.
Avoid emotional eating. Comfort foods may seem like an ultimate solution to calm the nerves, but they can add up more calories than you can shed.
Eat when hungry. It's difficult to recognize hunger from cravings and emotional eating, but physical hunger will let you eat healthy food options unlike the other two as they are nothing but "cravings."
Keep a food journal and note down your daily eating habits before you start changing for good to track your progress.
2. Food awareness
Once you start observing your eating habits, get to know about your regular food. Are you eating more carbs, enough proteins, vegetables, fresh fruits?
While you shop for your food, take time to read the list of ingredients on the package.
Choose your consciously and avoid buying junk food
Get creative to accommodate more of veggies and fruits in your diet. For instance, eating a delicious fruit instead of a candy and so on.
Never go for food shopping when you are hungry. There are chances that you might end up buying unhealthy foods.
Stick to a prepared list when you are buying your groceries.
Try to fill your pantry with healthy food instead of snacks and junk food.
Ensure to eliminate junk food from your pantry and refrigerator.
3. Plan your meals
Unhealthy binging can also occur when there is no proper meal plan in place. Replace junk food and snacks for healthier options. Plan your meals to include more of vegetables, fruits, and other nutrients. Having a meal plan in place can help a lot to avoid binging.
4. Do not skip meals
A weight loss routine does not mean that you should skip your breakfast or lunch or dinner. Skipping a meal can deprive your body of necessary nutrients which is why fad diets are not recommended.
Breakfast is an important part of your day and ensures to eat a good quantity of it to kick start your day.
If you prefer snacking, ensure to snack on complex carbohydrates and proteins so that you are snacking in a healthy way.
You can eat small portions of your meal at regular intervals to avoid binging or gorging on junk food. Eating frequently can also crush cravings.
Avoid snacking or eating after your dinner. Your dinner should be the last meal of the day.
5. Mindful eating
Eating mindfully will make you aware of your meal portions and the way you eat your food.
Chew your food slowly and enjoy every bite of your food
Do not eat while watching television. You may end up eating more portions than you need.
Avoid eating when you are in a hurry so that you do not end up eating more portions.
Avoid eating out of the packages. Ready to eat foods are convenient but not necessarily healthy. Take time to prepare your food, include more salads in your everyday meals.
Conclusion
Weight loss takes time and patience. From following an active routine to eating healthy, weight loss needs certain healthy habits to be included in your daily life. Eating healthy can not only benefit the weight loss routine, but it can also help our overall wellness.
References

http://www.topdreamer.com/top-6-healthy-habits-for-weight-loss/

http://www.formulatedfitness.com/6-unexpected-habits-that-accelerate-weight-loss/

Author Bio
David Gomes completed his M.S Professional degree in California Institute of Technology. He is a Health and Wellness expert. He lives in Oakland, California, USA. He loves to write on a variety of topics such as joint health, weight loss, beauty and skin care for blogs and on-line publication sites. He also loves latest technology, gadgets, fashion and style. You can connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.