Understanding your eating habits – why you eat what you do and what you are eating can help you develop a healthy relationship with food.

Accredited practising dietician and member of the medical advisory board for Jenny Craig, Karen Inge, and Jenny Craig consultant Adele Gerali weigh in on five factors that help develop a healthy relationship.

1. Eat the Foods You Love
When people go on a diet they often ban foods they love. Instead of polarizing foods, just eat smaller portions. For example, if your favourite foods are high in kilojoules and low in nutrients, make them ‘sometimes foods’ instead of ‘every day’ foods. Diets that are well balanced and don’t exclude food are easier to follow and most often achieve better results.

When you make the decision to change your eating habits, it’s important to embark on a plan that ultimately teaches you to respect food. Adele knows members have an easier time changing their eating habits when still allowed to eat the foods they love. “Our members can still have foods such as lasagne, pizza and even Pavlova on the program, but we teach correct portion size,” said Adele.

2. Be a Mindful Eater
Many people use food as a comfort or a reward. If you learn to eat only when hungry and stop when satisfied, you will begin to understand when you are full and therefore will not overeat. Quite often, people feel guilty after consuming an entire bag of lollies or block of chocolate - you won’t have to beat yourself up emotionally if you learn to recognize when your hunger is satisfied.

3. Record your food intake
Adele says recording food intake is an important and easy way to monitor what goes into your body and helps avoid overeating, “At weekly Jenny Craig consultations, we go over food journals and many members say seeing what they consumed in a day helped them eat correct portions and not indulge.”

4. Respect the Food You Eat
Take time to think about what you are eating. Understand how it was produced and grown and learn the nutritional value. When served attractively on the plate, you will appreciate the nutritious meal in front of you and be sure to eat slowly, enjoying every taste, texture and flavour of the dish.

“Helping people understand how to manage weight by focusing on self-awareness, nutrition, activity and gradual behaviour change, without deprivation is the best way to ensure that they hit a goal weight, and more importantly, stay there,” Karen said.

5. Enjoy the Social Aspects of Eating
So much of our interaction with people is based around eating. Don’t deny yourself these experiences because you may start to resent your diet; instead, adapt your eating style to your social life. “Dining out doesn’t mean you have to order only veggies or a salad. Jenny Craig’s ‘Dining Out Success Guide’ helps members choose meals while out. Make smart decisions while out; stop when you’re full, savor the food, enjoy the company and you can walk away from the table without feeling guilty,” concluded Karen.

By utilizing these tips, you will begin to develop a healthy and respectful relationship with food. Having a constructive and healthy relationship will help you reach your ideal body weight and maintain a healthy weight. Focus on food, body and mind and look at weight loss as a holistic lifestyle change.

Find out more about Jenny Craig at www.jennycraig.co.nz

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