The food you eat can affect your health and your risk for certain diseases. To eat healthier food, you may need to change some of your daily habits. You also may need to change some things in your environment. Your environment includes everything around you, like your home or the place you work.
You don't need to make huge changes to eat healthier. And you don't have to change your habits all at the same time. It's best to set small goals and change your habits a little bit at a time. Over time, small changes can make a big difference in your health.
How can you change your eating habits?
To eat a healthy diet, you may need to make some changes. Remember that you can change your eating habits a little bit at a time. Small changes are easier to make and can lead to better health.
Here are some ways to make healthy changes in your eating habits:
• Keep more fruits, low-fat dairy products (low-fat milk and low-fat yogurt), vegetables, and whole-grain foods at home and at work. Focus on adding healthy food to your diet, rather than just taking unhealthy foods away.
• Try to eat a family meal every day at the kitchen or dining table. This will help you focus on eating healthy meals.
• Buy a healthy-recipe book, and cook for yourself.
• Pack a healthy lunch and snacks for work. This lets you have more control over what you eat.
• Put your snacks on a plate instead of eating from the packets. This helps you control how much you eat.
• Don't skip or delay meals, and be sure to schedule your snacks. If you ignore your feelings of hunger, you may end up eating too much or choosing an unhealthy snack.
• Eat your meals with others when you can. Relax and enjoy your meals, and don't eat too fast.
• Drink water instead of high-sugar drinks.
