The choice is always on our hands: whether to eat to live or to live for eating. But more often than not, when it comes to the latter, one’s got to be mindful as there stands a great risk of putting one’s body toward unhealthy food.
But then, at the same time where one’s constantly trying to keep off from unhealthy food and unhealthier eating choices- there’s always that yearning for munching on something. And more often than not, that ‘something’ is, most of the times, unhealthy.
Even at the back of our minds, we know that what we’re piling on isn’t exactly rich in nutritive value, we find it very hard to keep off from unhealthier eating choices. So, we begin to chew on unwise, unhealthier choices that result into making us a consummate eater of junk food. A common sight is to note about this rather reckless habit of munching is that it usually occurs at not the best time whatsoever.
You could be munching away to something after your lunch, having already had a full meal. And when this doesn’t happen, then the usual time for munching out is the night time. You could be on the bed, retired for the day, in front of your favourite web series and then suddenly begin to crave for something impulsive. No matter how full you may already be, you desire to have something gratifying. Does that happen to you?
Perhaps, all of us are compelled by this literal ‘spell’ of eating needlessly. So what can be done? Well, experts have put together 5 simple steps to battle the habit and instead develop, a knack for eating healthily.
Eat well on a consistent basis
Most great habits in life are borne out of consistency. Not any Monday morning motivation, rather, you could say, a gospel truth of sorts. It’s primarily important to stick to a basic plan around your diet and then, try your best to adhere to it.
To elaborate further, one’s got to strive to eat in a disciplined manner. In so doing, it’s important to eat consistently and in the right quantity, so that the chance of “unplanned hunger” does not arise. And even if it does, it’s not a consistent occurrence.
Take sufficient rest
That’s a necessary step that perhaps most individuals do not adhere to. You may have heard about all sorts of hormones in the body, but not the sleep hormone that often. Have you? It has a direct correlation to when and how one sleeps.
And it’s important to note- that if one does not get the sufficient amount of rest- then it directly affects the sleep. And this isn’t a hundred per cent good news. Isn’t it?
Researchers and healthcare experts suggest that insufficient rest leads to messing up with hunger hormones. And we all know what happens when our sleep gets disturbed. The next day- whether at home, or a family gathering or quite simply, in office isn’t the most productive one.
Stack some grab-and-go snacks for the hunger pangs
A craving for food is only just as normal as having a sneeze. But the key is to battle these invariable demands of the body sensibly. Isn’t it? So what can be done is to keep a stack of some healthy snacks stored in places that one frequents, when lurking around to beat some craving. So what does that mean?
For starters, one can begin by storing some non-perishable snacks at the desk of the car. Or if you have a desk job, then one can keep some in the drawer next to the screen monitor or whichever place you gather around.
What the habit of stocking healthy snacks is that it curbs the anxiety of going after unhealthier foods. For instance, you may want to try soya chip over the regular, oily wafers.
If you have a craving to munch on something light- then it’s fine to gorge on stuff like popcorn, nuts, seeds, roasted chickpeas, jerky and other items. They are known to be helpful in stabilising blood sugar. And that’s a great plus.
Choose your dinner during your lunch breaks
We all work long working hours these days. It’s not uncommon to see ourselves slogging on the laptop and checking files and accounts and cracking numbers. Then there’s the question of the dinner time, which, well, by virtue of working late becomes a late eating time. In this case, it’s always helpful to keep an eye on the healthier eating options whilst coming back from work. These days, there are tons of healthy eating choices around. Try and enlarge your canvass when it comes to food. Think beyond burgers and pizzas and all that junk!
If you thought about it, then it’s easy to note that one’s a master of his or her own mind. And in order to achieve the desired physical outcome, one’s got to direct the mind to attain all that’s needed. You are, ultimately, in the best control of yourself.