These were my 5 Bad eating Habits I finally managed to stop. Obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes 2, are all mostly caused from bad eating. Junk food, snacking, and emotional eating are just a few. We can easily fall into these bad routines and it wasn’t until my health severely deteriorated that I started to recognise these 5 bad habits and do something about it.
My Bad Eating Habits
By recognising them was my first step to a healthier lifestyle. I soon learned it’s not just about what I ate but how much I ate and when!
Consuming Too Many Carbohydrates
Consuming excessive carbs increases your blood sugar and contribute to numerous health problems. This includes refined carbs and starches such as bread, rice, potatoes. Let’s be honest, I still think carb’s taste delicious and do keep your cells energised unless – you’re on a Keto diet like myself.
Too Many Carbohydrates
If you do not want to get into Keto diet then why not consider healthier sources of carbohydrates, like whole grains, and vegetables, instead of processed and refined ones like white bread or candies. I always found that I needed to eat a lot more carbs to satisfy my hunger. Usually after eating, an hour or so later I would be hungry again. Being Diabetic 2, it was important to stabilise my blood sugar levels and eating too many carbs could never help me do this.
Eating while I was doing something
This used to be one of my worst habits! I’d sit at my computer and work while eating. I’d easily sit through a whole cake, packets of cookies and just about anything my wife would put in-front of me. This includes playing video games or watching tv. Being distracted means you’re more likely to overeat and let’s not forget sitting doesn’t use energy or burn calories.
Getting away from the distractions (tv, Computer etc), socialising and practicing mindful eating enabled me to enjoy my food a whole lot more.
Eating when you were not hungry to begin with
Eating because I know it tastes good and not because I needed it. Quite simply, I’d walk past a local store, coffee shop or bakery and notice my favourite packet of cookies, cake or perhaps even a burger. I know it tastes good so I’d venture inside, purchase and eat all these favourite foods of mine. However, you wasn’t hungry to begin with. I only ate it because I loved the taste! This lead to my overeating disorder. I soon learned there’s no need to deprive myself of certain foods especially if it was healthy. I now eat my meals at regular times and recognised my weaknesses.
It’s not normal not to feel hungry. Wait until it’s time to eat or when your body tells you it’s hungry
Emotional Eating and Making Excuses
Any time I had an argument with my partner I couldn’t can’t wait to open that tub of ice-cream. Positive and negative emotions, are known to cause people to eat more. If you’re stressed or having problems talk to a friend or relative.
Better still, I went for walk and burned a few calories. Anything is better than raiding that fridge which of course does’s solve anything, and will definitely make you feel even worse after. When I felt guilt or shame after eating, this was a sign of emotional hunger.
Eating Extremely Large Portions
I used to call it ‘pigging out’ and loved eating at buffets. This will store all those extra calories as fat and slow down my metabolism (converting what I ate and drink into energy). Frequent overeating may indicate a binge eating disorder (BED) in which case I may need to work with a doctor or dietitian.
To solve this I ate m food slowly and used smaller plates. I especially took more care to watch my portions at restaurants. I avoided the buffets and choose the healthier, food options on the menu. let’s be honest, I do miss those buffets and now and then I may break my healthy diet – a Christmas buffet perhaps. One day a year can’t be bad!
Conclusion
I truly believe it’s not just about what I ate but the quantity I consumed. The only diet which worked well for me was actually quite simple. I eat Ketogenic food combined with intermittent fasting. This solved all the above bad eating habits; reducing my blood sugar, clearing diabetes, losing tons of weight and getting back in the gym! It’s never too late for a healthy Laird’s Lifestyle!
You should always consult with a physician before beginning and diet, or fitness routine etc especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or are pregnant. As I wasn’t pregnant and my health was so bad, I just went ahead and took the plunge!
