Most of my clients know the healthy eating drill pretty well – keep your fats down, eat plenty of fruits and veggies, make most of your grains “whole” and focus on low fat protein. But many of them have adopted some eating habits that they truly believe are healthy – and I have to spend some time trying to convince them otherwise. These eating habits sound like they’re healthy – but they really end up being less so when they’re put into practice. Are your eating habits as healthy as you think they are?

• Do you skip breakfast thinking it will save you calories? I’m always surprised at how many people believe that skipping breakfast is a healthy habit – and think it’s a sure thing when it comes to calorie control. There are so many good reasons to eat something in the morning. For one thing, studies have shown that those who practice the breakfast habit are more likely to keep their weight under control. And, a well-planned breakfast highlights foods we don’t often get the rest of the day – like high fiber cereals and calcium-rich dairy products. If you can’t face a full meal in the morning, at least aim for a shot of protein from a smoothie or a carton of yogurt.
• Do you avoid keeping food in the house because you’re afraid you’ll eat it? Not keeping food around only makes sense if you normally stash stuff you shouldn’t be eating. But a well-stocked freezer, refrigerator and pantry can actually be your best ally when it comes to eating well. When you’ve got foods like shrimp and veggies in the freezer, beans and whole grains in the pantry, and fruits, salad greens and lowfat dairy foods in the fridge, you’re never at a loss for a healthy meal or snack. Not keeping foods around the house can backfire – when hunger strikes, you may wind up grabbing the first thing you can get your hands on from your corner quick market or the drive thru.
• Do you only shop at the health food store? It’s a common trap. Many people figure that anything they buy at the health food store is good for them – but it just isn’t so. There are plenty of high sugar, high fat items lurking on the shelves and plenty of ‘healthy’ snack foods that can take a big bite out of your calorie budget. Are organic potato chips or sodas made with ‘all natural’ sweeteners really any better for you than the regular stuff? Don’t let the health halo fool you. Sticking with minimally processed foods is the best way to go – no matter where you shop.
• Do you avoid snacking? Plenty of my clients believe that snacking is a bad habit. And for many of them, it probably is – because their snacking habits usually revolve around chips, soda, cookies and ice cream. But healthy, well-planned snacks serve a couple of purposes. When you eat frequently during the day, you’ll avoid getting overly hungry at mealtimes – and reduce the risk of overeating when you do finally sit down. And, when you eat more often, it’s easier to work more healthy foods into your day. When you think snacks, think fruit, a handful of nuts, a protein bar, some lowfat cheese and whole grain crackers or some raw veggies dipped in hummus.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

7 Responses to “4 eating habits that sound healthier than they are”

1. Télémarque Ernest says:

   March 24, 2012 at 4:56 am

   I want to be a distribitor
2. Cuatro hábitos alimenticios que suenan más saludable | Valentin Delgado says:

   March 15, 2012 at 3:57 pm

   [...] Cuatro hábitos alimenticios que suenan más saludable de lo que son [...]
3. Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD says:

   February 28, 2012 at 4:32 pm

   Hi Paige-

   Thanks for writing. Many people try to ‘power through the day’ on little to no food, and then eat too much at night. One reason, of course, is that by the time nighttime rolls around, they’re very hungry, so it’s easy to feel as if you are binge eating. Secondly, it’s easy to tell yourself that you haven’t eaten all day, and you then give yourself ‘permission’ to overeat at night. But you aren’t giving your body and your brain the fuel that it needs during the daytime. It’s important to eat every few hours to keep your body and mind working their best. Please see my post “Make it Light at Night”, for more tips.
4. Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD says:

   February 28, 2012 at 4:28 pm

   Hi Sonelina-

   There are a couple of tricks you can try to curb your snacking. Decide ahead of time how much you are going to have for your healthy snack, then put your allotted serving on a plate. When the plate is clean, you’re done! Another thing to do is to ask yourself if you’re really hungry. If the answer is no – then try to do something else instead. Take a walk, do some situps, call a friend – anything to distract you. Finally, you can try brushing your teeth. That usually will stop you from snacking.
5. sonelina says:

   February 18, 2012 at 4:18 pm

   I do keep food out of the home: But only foods like chips, cookies and aerated drinks. :)

   But I do find that I snack too much. once I begin snacking I can’t stop. even if it is fruit and nuts and healthy protein bars, I often do too much!
6. Paige Batehup says:

   February 16, 2012 at 7:09 am

   i don’t think i fall into this trap because i don’t do the shopping but my bad food habit is that i don’t really eat anything till dinner and i also try to eat as little food as possible i think i might be a binge eater but i don’t know how to get out of it
7. Stan Starsky says:

   February 3, 2012 at 9:33 am

   Really great article…I am actually guilty of two out of the four. I skip breakfast and only shop at a health food stores…I am definitely going to start eating breakfast.