Habits of Healthy Eaters

Food should be ultimately to fuel a healthy body.  However, we can trick ourselves into eating when we’re not hungry.  Food often becomes our best friend – a symbolic substitute for love, time out, feeling good, comfort, happiness.  And the habits, beliefs and triggers are the tricksters!

Our brain constantly looks for any changes to our comfort zone. 

Once detected, our mind can then sabotage our progress by telling the body to revert back to the patterns it knows (habits).  We then quit and tell ourselves we can’t do it (belief) and rationalise why we shouldn’t be doing this or why it doesn’t work (belief). 

Habits are very useful to us, and many have a positive outcome. We create patterns of behaviour which saves us energy and thinking time.  These habits are formed by recognising a benefit and reward from the same action, time and time again.  Once we are convinced that same benefit will be seen each time, we create the habit – “if this happens, then do that..”

When it comes to our healthy eating plans we want positivity, hope and choice for us to continue to work towards our targets, even when times are a bit tough.  And this is where positive habits become especially important.

From our research, below are a few habits that healthy eaters and those who are maintaining the right weight for their body have:

• Eat when physically hungry
• Eat the nutrients that their brains and body require for optimum health
• Maintain a positive inner self image
• Maintain positive beliefs about themselves: they can do it, are worthy, healthy eating is beneficial
• Committed to their health goals by reviewing eating and exercise plans and celebrating success.
• Maintain a positive mindset and crowds out negative self-talk.
• Get love, time out, feeling good, comfort and happiness from other, more appropriate sources.

What habits would really help you succeed with your health plans?   

Attend one of SmallerKnickers Workshops to help you discover the Habits, Beliefs and Triggers that are helping or hindering your healthy plan’s success.