3 Bad Habits That Can Lead to Weight Gain

We all have them - bad habits that keep us locked into unproductive lifestyle choices.  Unfortunately, many of these habits are the very things that keep the excess pounds clinging to our bodies too.

Below are some of the most common bad habits that can make you gain weight, or make it difficult to lose weight, along with tips for changing the bad habits into good habits once and for all

#1 - Eating While Distracted

Do you ever eat while watching television, browsing the internet, driving, or socializing?  Most people do.  The problem is that the more distracted you are while eating, the more likely you are to eat more food than your body actually needs.  The obvious solution is to stop eating while you focus on other things, but that’s not easily accomplished sometimes.  A good alternative would be to at least make it a point to eat slowly.  Put your fork down between bites, chew each bite thoroughly, and draw out the length of the meal as much as possible so you eat less.

See:  You Need to Slow Down to Lose Weight

#2 - Filling Your Plate

Do you fill your plate entirely with large portions of food?  If so, you are setting yourself up to eat more than your body needs because you will feel compelled to eat everything you took.  Instead, try using a smaller plate, or simply take half of the portion sizes you normally would.  You may be surprised to note that you feel satisfied eating these smaller portions, just not “stuffed” like usual.  Even better, if you combine the above tip with this one and eat very slowly, it should take the same amount of time to eat half the amount of food - creating the illusion that you consumed your normal portion sizes.

See:  7 Things You Need to Know About Serving Sizes

#3 - Making Certain Foods Forbidden

We would all like to think that our willpower is strong enough that we can say, “I’ll never eat junk food again” and actually follow through with it, but the reality is that most of us can’t swear off our favorite foods for long.  In fact, you may not realize it, but the very act of making certain foods “forbidden” sets you up for constant cravings that cannot be satisfied by any other foods.  Instead, make a decision that you will not forbid any food entirely but do your best to eat 95% healthful, nutritious foods, and allow for modest treats when you really want them.  Very often, just doing this is enough to make you feel more secure, knowing that you can at least have a little flexibility when you want it.  (Note: This does not apply to foods that must be eliminated for allergy or medical reasons.)

The key to changing habits permanently is to make simple changes that you can live with, and be persistent in replacing the behavior until the new, more positive behavior becomes a habit itself.  Needless to say, it takes time and patience, but considering that we’re talking about your healthy, happy body, the effort is well worth it in the long run!