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These common habits can sabotage a healthy diet. Here are strategies that can help

October 7, 2023

Does it surprise you that most Americans’ diets are not as healthful as they think? In fact, most people are unable to accurately assess the quality of the food they eat and tend to overestimate the healthfulness of their eating habits. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for those with the best intentions and access to nutritious food to struggle to eat well. At the same time, it’s never too late to improve the healthfulness of your diet.

Here are the top six ways that people sabotage their healthful diets and easy strategies to make meaningful improvements:

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals and restricting food in general can lead to a starve-then-binge eating pattern. Instead, pace your meals evenly throughout the day to help maintain stable energy and focus. If you find yourself not hungry at breakfast, for example, it’s possible that you are overeating at night. You may need time to adjust to eating at regular intervals. If you are skipping meals because you are simply too busy at mealtime, plan ahead. Opt for easy, light meals that you can grab and take on-the-go. Create a meal schedule that takes into account your exercise, work and sleep habits to help avoid skipping meals.

Focusing Too Much on the Scale

Those focused on weight loss can too often react emotionally to changes on the scale. The emotional impact of the scale has the potential to negatively affect eating habits and body image. Instead, if you must track your weight, do so less frequently. Use only one scale to monitor your weight and check your weight at the same time and day of the week at each weigh-in for consistency.

Eating in Front of Screens

There’s no doubt that eating while watching television, scrolling social media or working on the computer reduces mindful eating. Practicing mindful eating, which includes using all of your senses and being in the present moment while eating, is an important step in fostering healthy eating habits. Plus, mindful eating is associated with more satisfaction, more healthful food choices and a reduction in overeating.

Bad Snacking Habits

Snacks can help keep energy levels up while staving off hunger between meals. However, in an environment where snacks high in fat, sugar and salt and low in fiber are easily accessible, snacking can too easily interfere with a healthful diet. Those with typical calorie and protein needs should reach for a snack with 100-200 calories when meals are more than about four or five hours apart or as needed. While snacks can help fill in nutritional gaps, they can also result in both intentional and unintentional weight gain. Smart choices for snacks include vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and lean proteins.

Focusing on Calories Instead of Balance

When using the Nutrition Facts food label to assess the healthfulness of foods, many people stop short by looking at calories only. Additional nutrient data like fiber, protein, added sugar, calcium, iron and more are important to consider when choosing foods. Foods that help achieve balanced nutrition are typically more satisfying and health-promoting than foods chosen just for being low in calories.

Negative Self Talk

When it comes to healthy habits, the biggest contributor to self-sabotage is negative self-talk. You can build confidence and consistency with your plan by using positive self-talk and visualization. Regard yourself the way you would a loved one. Avoid using damaging words like “lazy” or “fail” that take away from your capacity to believe in yourself. Instead, set measurable and achievable goals and celebrate your successes.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at [email protected].

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These common habits can sabotage a healthy diet. Here are strategies that can help

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