HOW TO FORM HEALTHY EATING HABITS

We have written a while ago about eating before training, and nutrition and running. Today we'd like to bring to your attention your eating habits in general.

Before we can talk about bad eating habits, we should define good ones. So, what are good eating habits? Those are the ones formed by maintaining the perception of balance. Perception is fascinating.

Have you ever noticed how babies operate with food? They demand it when they need it and couldn't care less about it when they are not hungry. They eat certain foods and do not want others, some times they eat more, some times they eat less, they know exactly what they want and what they don't. Behind that seemingly unimportant choice making lays a very simple truth - at that point in their life, they treat food as an external source of energy, that's it.

Our perception of food gets duller and duller with time, until it is almost completely forgotten by the time we enter school, at that point in life we already have been conditioned that food can be a source of pleasure, a reward, or a way to feel better, etc... Over time we're all conditioned to treat food as something it is not. Over time we loose the perception of balance that could tell us what to eat or not, and how much.

It is interesting to note the chain of events. First we form certain habits, eventually those habits form a new persona of us, which in turn forms newer habits and on... Habits can be powerful handcuffs.

Manufacturers of products tell you exactly how much of what you need primarily based on their need to sell you their product. You're commonly served bread at restaurants before the main meal so you "stay busy" while the food is being prepared. There are crackers and candy in pretty bawls at the front desks in most of the offices around the world, restaurants serve giant plates of cheap foods like pasta to attract more customers. There are giant burger ads everywhere glaring at you making you salivate even when you're not hungry... yes, it can feel like you're trapped.

Did you ever have a sense that you know exactly what you wanted to eat? Did you ever feel thirsty for a particular drink? Have you ever eaten something salty but it wasn't salty enough for you? Or vice versa, it was way too salty? That's your body telling you what's going on and you happened to hear. If you've ever been around a pregnant woman, no doubt you've seen her eat things mixed in like never before. Pickles and ice-cream anyone? How about some mustard with that? Pregnant women are more sensitive to what they need and are in tune with their bodies a bit more than others. We could just say their taste buds go crazy, but it could also be that they are able to zero in on some ingredients in those products and know exactly what they need and how to mix stuff.

The difference between bad and good eating habits is very simple, it is "I want" vs "I need". Cultures, traditions, cooking styles, all suppress the real need and necessity. We loose the balance. The real issue starts when "I want" becomes the dominant part. And most of the time, the disbalance is noticed only when it is expressed in form of weight gain, or worse - illness.

Nowadays we count calories, proteins, etc. like we know exactly how much (in numbers) we need. Yes, there has to be a balance in daily in-take of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals, and water. But relying on what's written on the box or a container and then adding it up is a mistake. The daily requirement changes every day due to changes in your daily routine. The only person who can tell you what you need today - is you.

Look at the bright side - you get to exercise your free will. It's not easy and it's not a simple process, and it definitely won't happen over night. It will take time, it will take effort and careful listening to your senses, but you will enjoy the results that you will start seeing in the process. In a way it's a return to innocence and simplicity, but it's really a step towards a much better and deeper understanding of self and everything.

While it is still unclear as to exactly what we need, it is clear that we don't need lots of what we consume on daily basis. Everything should be in moderation. Real food is always better than any substitute. Have you heard an old saying - an apple a day keeps the worries away? So eat fruits daily-beats the crackers.

To sum up the basic recommendations to start the changes, do the following:

• Eat smaller portions
• Eat only when hungry
• Eat to satisfy hunger and not more
• Eat breakfast or not, but have a good lunch and a light and early dinner
• Introduce more fruits and veggies into your daily menu, snack on those all you want
• Tea or water are much better than any juice full of sugar (unless you squeezed it yourself of course)
• Drink less not more water. You only need so much

We will continue this topic in the future articles, make sure to check it!

Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov