Toddlers are inhaling French fries, pizza, candy, and soda in record numbers because they are mimicking adults eating habits.  This is counterproductive because the best time to teach dietary habits is during those early, most impressionable years.  Poor diets in adults are linked to chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  We all know what a healthy diet consists of – lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  Of course, the best way to show your children what a healthy diet entails is by adhering to one yourself. 

There are many ways to instill healthy eating habits in our youngsters.  Letting kids help in the preparation and clean up of meals will boost their self esteem and show them that healthy food can taste good, also.  Take them to local farmers markets so they can feel a sense of community and see that food isn’t only sold in supermarkets.  Replace plastic “play” food replicas of donuts and cookies with fruits and vegetables. 

Awhile back, I sat for 3 children and the mother would correspond a specific dinner to each day of the week.  Some of the meals consisted of pea soup, hamburger helper, and pesto angel hair pasta which they referred to as “green spaghetti.”  Needless to say, supper time was a constant up hill battle.  It was me against them with strict orders from the matriarch to force feed the children.  I could never bring myself to do that, instead I would discard of the food somehow (that will remain a mystery).  Their mother and her children could have benefited from the following tips. 

Serve your children small child size portions, let them ask for seconds, and don’t rush them through eating.  If they refuse to eat dinner, it’s OK, simple give them a nutritional snack later on.  Serve a variety of foods to prevent them from getting bored easily.  Make sure the meals are visually pleasing so they will want to chow down.  Kid’s stomachs are small, so serve wholesome snacks in between meals.  Also, don’t push too many healthy foods on them as they will deviate as soon as they leave the house.  It is human nature to want something you can’t get.  Meal time habits you create now will lead to a lifetime of healthier choices. 

We have been talking these days too much about healthy eating habits for getting the fat off. But what are these healthy eating habits. I try to find the answer of this question in my today’s article.

We need to keep discipline with our eating habits if we really want to get long-term weight loss benefits. By adopting good eating habits we are not only going to get rid of weight, but also going to be free from many other diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes.

Eat healthy food which include sufficient amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.
Do not eat too much and any time. Eat only on scheduled time and when you are hungry.
Include fruits and vegetables in your breakfast.
Include cereals, pulses and milk products like curd etc in your lunch and dinner.
Do not take snacks between lunch and dinner. If you are feeling hungry, take fruits and vegetables.
If you are fond of fruit juice, take it 20 to 30 minutes before your meals
Do not forget to chew your meals properly.
Drink plenty of water during the whole day whenever you feel thirsty.
Do not keep any unhealthy food near your eating-place or in your house
Take your meals with peace, happiness and calmness.
Do not watch TV while taking your meals
Try to skip Tea, coffee, wine, beer, drugs and smoking as much you can.
Take small portions of meals and if you like can take your meals five to six time with small portions.
Try to be sugar free as much you can
Do not make sudden changes in your eating habits. Make them slowly

Ever made a New Year’s Resolution only to be disappointed in yourself and back to your old habits by February? We’ve all been there!

We make a pact with ourselves to live a healthy lifestyle because we know that good eating habits will enhance our lives. Nobody doubts the ability of healthy eating habits to improve our health but not many have the will power to make the changes needed to create a new lifestyle unless they have help.

You can change your eating habits and have a healthier lifestyle without having to wreck your social status or have your friends turn and run. The biggest reason why people fail and don’t stick to this New Year’s resolution is that they expect to change overnight and become perfect. If you set your goals to high and make unrealistic expectations, you are setting yourself up to fail.

Here are some practice tips for eating healthy and forming good eating habits:

1. Tell Your Family and Friends

Plan a family night of making smoothies and let everyone know they are in for a fun night. Let them know why you are doing this. Tell them that everyone needs to have more fruits and vegetables in their diets. This will get everyone involved in a whole lifestyle change.

Don’t try doing it alone because you feel if you tell and then do your late night run to McDonald’s they will consider you to be a failure. You just might be pleased and surprised. Your family and friends will have respect for what you are working to accomplish and will be able to support you and hold you accountable.

Maybe get your husband to start doing the grocery shopping and have children start dinner – Miracles do happen.

2. Do everything you can to avoid the fast food restaurants in the beginning. It starts with small steps and the first one you may need to do is start cooking meals at home instead of resorting to a fast food restaurant. If we do go out to eat, we can make healthier choices from the menu.

It is very important when you make the decision to eat with health in mind that you avoid your triggers.

It is nearly impossible to change your eating habits when you visit a fast food joint often. The smell, the golden arches are all triggers that will dissolve your resolution to eat healthier. It is not a lack of will power that drives you to order a “Big Mac” and fries, much of the taste and aroma of American fast foods are chemically manufactured to elicit both emotional and physical responses.

Even just getting a smell of a McDonald’s burger causes you to feel hunger even when you’ve just finished eating. Everything that’s gone into their advertising is designed to make you associate the fast food with good times and great eating.

3. Take Small Steps: Poor eating habits are just as much an addiction as smoking or drinking. It is pounded into our subconscious our entire lives, and we fight it everyday. It may be the lack of time, or the social value it promises without having to slave in the kitchen that drives us to eat this type of food, but we have developed these types of eating habits to make our lives easier. The reality is they do more harm than good.

Changing your eating habits doesn’t have to mean you have to give up everything you love, or that you need to do all or nothing. The best we can do is to take a slow, steady approach to revamping our eating habits. Little steps that we can follow everyday. Sometimes small substitutions of healthy foods for those we know are unhealthy add up to a good start toward health.

It is quite natural for any child to dislike new kind of food right away. It may take 10 or more tries getting a child to accept a new food. It is essential for parents to behave patiently if you want your child to eat right and healthy. For overall growth and development, parents should offer kids foods from each of the food group.

Some ways to develop your child’s healthy approach towards eating

- Cut down on the amount of fat in your family’s diet. Include low fat dairy products, lean meat, fat free cereals or breads.

- Avoid restricting sweets or desserts. Fat, salt, sugar have a moderate place in our diet. Don’t curb them completely. Just teach your child to take small portions of it.

- Make or keep wide variety of healthy foods ready at home to be eaten as snacks. Do allow occasional indulgence of chips, colas and cookies.

- Eating slowly helps to detect hunger and fullness better. Encourage your child to eat slowly.

- Eating meals together with family helps children. Meal time with family can be pleasant with free flowing, light hearted conversations about the day, etc.

- Activities like shopping for food and preparing meals are fun time for children. Both, parents and children learn about each other’s food preferences and enjoy the time spent together.

- Eating meals and watching TV at same time makes it difficult to pay attention to the hunger and may lead to overeating.

- Sending children to bed without eating food may give them the impression that they will have to go hungry. So they may try to eat whenever they get a chance. Avoid using food as punishment.

- If your kid is having lunch at school, find out more about the lunch program. If you pack your child’s food include variety of foods. While dining out, pick healthier items.

- If you as parents eat healthy nutritious food, your child tends to learn and pick up similar eating habits. Set a good example by eating variety of nutritious foods and snacks. Teaching your child healthy eating practices early in life will help develop an approach to eating food with right attitude.

Parties are a major source of peer pressure, which often gets magnified with alcohol. Alcoholic drinks often contain as many calories as candy bars, and that’s assuming you are served the equivalent of one drink. You can opt for lower calorie beer if you do choose to drink, or have a glass of water before and/or after you consume the alcohol. Another very effective method is to offer to be the designated driver. Even if the party is in someone’s backyard, everyone needs to get home. If they live in the same neighborhood, they can walk over to get their car the next day.

Work is often the hardest place to maintain healthy eating habits. Lunch or dinner meetings are all too common – and the food is often catered in. If you do have a choice in the menu, then order something healthy and plan to eat half. With today’s portions, half of the meal should be plenty to fill you up. Offer to split your meal with a colleague, or simply stick it in the fridge for the next day.

Celebrations are also difficult situations to maintain healthy eating habits. Cake is almost always involved at birthdays, baby or wedding showers or at the actual event. As if the cake wasn’t tempting enough, there’s usually a plethora of other unhealthy foods to tempt your palate. You can, of course refuse to eat those foods altogether, or if someone insists you have “just one piece”, take it and throw it away.

If you absolutely cannot resist, don’t feel guilty. You are there to have a good time, right? Healthy eating habits do not mean you can no longer enjoy eating. If you do eat unhealthy foods, be aware of what you’re eating, and watch your quantities. Limit yourself to two or three bites and throw the rest away. Occupy your hands with a glass of water to keep you from reaching for more.

Remember that while refusing unhealthy food is fine, healthy eating habits is about eating healthy foods. Skimping on nutrition is not a healthy eating habit. It’s ok to say no to peer pressure, but don’t say no to food completely!