Most people already know that they should limit the fast food and increase the veggies. But there are other diet habits that affect overall nutrition that you may not have considered. Altering a few simple habits can drastically improve your general health.

Skipped Meals

Demands on our time, such as hectic work schedules, often make it challenging to sit and eat. But it is nearly impossible to eat all the recommended foods if you subtract an entire meal from the day. If you find yourself rushing out the door without breakfast or working through lunch or dinner, it is worth taking a few minutes in the morning, or the night before, to pack yourself some healthy foods to take on the road.

A simple PB&J, an apple, a box of raisins, carrot sticks, and nuts are all simple, easily transported foods that require no special preparation and pack a nutritional punch. Fueling yourself is a vital component of a successful day. If you are running on empty, you are not performing to your full potential. What’s more, your overall nutrition is suffering because you are not getting the recommended daily amounts of nutrients.

Another problem with skipping meals is the hunger it leads to. When you finally have time to eat, it often includes binging.

Slow Down

It takes your stomach 20 minutes to relay the full feeling to your brain. People that eat an entire meal within the 20 minute time frame do not feel full, even though they have eaten enough. This causes overeating, and eventually discomfort. Overeating is the prime factor of weight gain, so by slowing down, caloric intake is reduced.

If slowing down is difficult, there are a few tricks to try:

• Never take a bite before the last one is swallowed completely.

• Put the fork down in between bites and chew thoroughly.

• Use the napkin and take a sip of water before taking another bite. Not only does this slow everything down, but it increases your fluid intake, which is good.

• It’s rude to talk with your mouth full, so try to engage in some lively mealtime conversation. You’ll slow down while simultaneously impressing others with your wit and wisdom.

Portion Size

One of the main reasons people eat too much is that they serve themselves too much food. It is easy to do if you begin a meal famished. Restaurants contribute to this too. They want to give people their money’s worth, they want you to be satisfied, and they want you to return.

Snacks

Snacking is a great way to balance out your diet. It provides an opportunity to eat extra nutrients you may be missing. It can also help curb hunger in the middle of the day and prevent binge eating at your regular meals.

Snacking should include the typical missing nutrients found in whole grains and fresh vegetables. If you are eating anything else as a snack, chances are it is doing you more harm than good. Cookies and milk, chips, pastries, blended smoothies, and coffee drinks all carry too much sugar and fat and should be limited. Instead, try air-popped popcorn, fresh vegetable sticks, a salad, dried fruits, or a bowl of cereal.

Nonfat and Sugar Free

Many people assume that nonfat or sugar-free products can be consumed in unlimited quantities. But these foods are not calorie free, and typically what they lack in one nutrient they make up for in another. For instance, sugar-free products often contain more fat and calories than their full-sugar and full-fat counterparts. And fat-free foods often compensate for lack of fat with more sugar. Read labels carefully, and remember portion control.

Instead of looking for fat-free and sugar-free versions of your favorite foods, look for nutrient-dense foods. These are foods high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, but low in calories. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains fit the bill. If you are not incorporating enough of these foods in your diet, it’s time to start.

Daily Eating Patterns

There is one excellent solution in the struggle to control portion size, speed eating, and junk food snacking. By eliminating the three large meals a day and replacing them with six smaller meals, you maintain a satisfied feeling and are able to fit a wider variety of foods into the daily diet.

Eating a little bit every two to three hours keeps you fueled throughout the day, and makes digestion easier. This may be hard to accomplish when the rest of the family sits down to a big meal, but it may be worth some experimenting.

Alcohol

There is no good reason to include alcohol in a balanced diet. While it is true that some alcoholic beverages contain healthful ingredients, there is nothing that cannot be obtained by eating the foods recommended in this book.

The more alcohol you drink, the worse your overall nutrition is. Extra nutrients are needed to repair cells damaged by alcohol, and to strengthen normal body functions weakened by alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to utilize the nutrients it does receive and impairs its ability to control blood glucose levels. Additionally, individuals who eat a high-fat diet accompanied by alcohol tend to overeat.

As with all foods that do not meet nutritional requirements, moderation is the key to enjoying alcohol as a part of a healthy lifestyle.