7 Healthy Eating Habits

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If you’re looking for 7 healthy eating habits you could easily implement today, you’ve come to the right place. 

Did you know that healthy eating habits have less to do with the types of foods we eat and more to do with the full food experience?  

The full food experience includes: 

  • How you feel emotionally about the food 
  • How satisfied you feel when a meal is over 
  • Food guilt after a meal 
  • Satisfying your taste preferences 
  • Balancing meals and snacks throughout the day 

Healthy eating habits include meal variety, getting enough to eat throughout the day, and staying mindful at meal time. 

Let’s dig into some easy healthy eating habits that most people can implement right away. 

7 Healthy Eating Habits

You Eat Enough 

Contrary to popular belief, when it comes to food less is NOT more.  Your body actually needs a certain amount of calories to: 

  • Maintain optimal brain function 
  • Move throughout the day
  • Properly digest food 

Make sure you are getting enough food throughout the day!  If you aren’t you’re likely to be left with low energy and mood. 

You Eat a Variety of Foods

We need balance throughout the day when it comes to food.  

Foods to combine throughout the day include:

  • Meats, beans, and legumes
  • Dairy 
  • Nuts and seeds 
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Bread, grains, rice, cereals, pasta

Try to have a little of each of these at each meal.  While none of these foods are superior to any other, combining 2-3 choices at a meal or snack can give you the nutrients and energy you need. 

You Eat At The Table

You can have a positive food experience no matter where you eat. However, eating at the table as much as possible will help your body, your enzymes, and your psyche get ready for the meal. 

Eating at the table can help you:

  • Maintain good posture for eating so digestion is easier 
  • Bond with family members or friends if this is an option 
  • Focus on the meal and tune out distractions 
  • Be more aware of hunger and fullness
infographic on 7 healthy eating habits

You Eat Consciously 

Conscious eating involves: 

  • Thinking about which flavors and textures sound good
  • Listening to your body through meal progression about how hungry and full it is
  • Balancing meals now will help you feel good later
  • Eating for both appetite and nutrition

Eating consciously means being present before, during, and after a meal. It involves honoring all different types of hunger in addition to nutritional needs. 

You Plan Your meals

Planning meals and snacks can be a good way to make sure that there are options available when it is time to eat.  Planning meals doesn’t mean that you have a structured eating agenda that can’t be deviated from. 

 Instead planning meals involves

: 

  • Chopping some veggies so you can easily toss them in any dish
  • Having general ideas of meals you like
  • Having a well-stocked kitchen
  • Having a few new easy recipes on hand

Planning your meals without the intention of losing weight can offer a ton of simplicity and tasty food to your day.  If you truly want to intuitively eat, you need to make sure you have foods on hand to get the job done! 

You Eat Regular Meals Through The day

Eating throughout the day can help to prevent spikes and drops in energy levels.  It also helps to regulate hormones and enzymes for healthy digestive functions.  

To eat meals regularly: 

  • Start with a meal no more than 1 after you wake up
  • Eat meals and snacks 3-5 hours apart
  • Choose the meal quantity that feels right at the time

You don’t have to overcomplicate things.  Breakfast can be something as simple as yogurt with granola or a slice of peanut butter toast.  There are no food rules here. 

You Take Your Time Eating 

Many of us have gotten into the habit of eating quickly out of necessity or as a way to disconnect from food and our bodies.  

Taking your time to eat can: 

  • Help with the digestion of nutrients
  • Help you navigate when you start to feel full 
  • Help you enjoy your food more 

If you are having trouble slowing down when you eat, try setting a timer for 30 minutes and try to stretch out your meal until the timer goes off. You can also try putting your fork down between bites or matching a companion’s meal pace. 

Putting Healthy Eating Habits Into Practice

Healthy eating habits don’t come overnight. And if they do, they probably aren’t going to stick!  

7 keys to starting healthy eating habits include: 

  1. Start with one new habit at a time
  2. Ease into it, for example, you might shoot for eating just one meal mindfully
  3. Give your habit at least 3 weeks to stick
  4. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t do it perfectly 
  5. Celebrate non scale victories 
  6. Journal about your wins 
  7. Celebrate and respect your body in ways that have nothing to do with food
Shena Jaramillo. Registered Dietitian
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