Healthy eating habits

Healthy eating habits can greatly enhance quality of life. With growing dependence on convenience foods and erratic work timings, mealtimes have ceased to be the meeting spot for the entire family, partaking of hot home cooked meals. Inculcating healthy eating habits in children goes a long way in making them aware of good food values. Pregnant women have special eating needs too. Find out what makes for healthy eating habits in adults.

Healthy eating habits for children

It is easier to develop and correct the eating habits when children are young. No better way to educate your kids about healthy habits than to follow them yourself. If you binge on fast food, you surely can't be laying down the message of healthy eating. Eat and serve healthy portions.

• Assist and teach children to make wise food choices. Never dictate or force them to stick to your choices of eating. Serve a variety of foods over time if possible.
  
  
• Never encourage children to eat while there are watching TV as they don't pay attention to what they eat resulting in overeating leading to obesity. Allow them to eat only in appropriate places of house such as kitchen or dining table. Plan mealtimes as family times.
  
  
• Advise your children to eat properly and slowly so that they can chew the food properly.
  
  
• Get them to eat only at specific planned times. Let them snack on healthy food items at other times.
  
  
• Avoid excessive consumption of soft drinks and beverages. Ensure consumption of more water and fresh juice as a substitute for fizzy drinks.
  
  
• Try to eat together with the family at least one meal a day. Encourage positive conversation by avoiding any lectures or arguments, lest the child might tempt to eat faster and leave the table soon. In worse cases it may even lead to stress.
  
  
• It important not to put on a restrictive diet for an overweight child, unless advised by the doctor.
  
  
• Take children along with you food shopping and involve them in activities like preparation of meals so that they are aware of what they eat and nutritional considerations.
  
  
• Food should never be used as punishment as the children may think that they won't get enough food to eat. Similarly don't use sweets as enticements for good behavior or good grades.
  
  
• Parents should avoid giving frozen processed food and nutrition depleted food to their children.

Healthy eating habits for pregnant women

Pregnant women should take special care by eating right food so as to give the best start to her child - healthy growth and birth weight. Proper dietary habits and timings are essential during pregnancy. Pregnant women require additional supplement and nutrition in order to have adequate immunity and resistance.

Pregnant women who consume lot of junk foods, sugary foods make their unborn baby more prone to obesity. It is always better to check your blood sugar level, blood pressure before getting pregnant, as it will help choose appropriate dietary habits.

Consult your doctor to suggest a right food chart for you and wisely stick on to it. Never skip any your of the meals especially when you are pregnant. A pregnant woman requires about 2500 calories per day. One should always remember that the intake taken of the mother has total effect on the womb. She has to keep in mind the wellness of the child before eating. Never fast or cleanse unless recommended by doctor for specific issues.

Healthy eating habits for adults

Healthy eating habits are not about starving to stay thin. Its more about eating the right foods at right times to leave you feeling energetic and encouraging a sense of wellbeing.

• Eat sufficiently and never over eat beyond your limits and body usage. The calorie intake varies for different age groups and depends on parameters like age, sex, height, weight.
  
  
• Drink plenty of water as it can avoid dehydration and helps to remove all toxins and waste product from our system. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day.
  
  
• Avoid or minimize the usage of sugar, salt and refined -grained food products.
  
  
• Never skip your breakfast as it gives the vital boost to your body. Always listen to your body. Eat only when you are really hungry. Never eat whenever you get a chance.
  
  
• It is common that people who work busily are tempted to skip their lunch. It is vital to eat your lunch to get steady stamina.
  
  
• Avoid late night dinners. Always eat three hours before your bedtime as it allows the food to digest easily.
  
  
• Develop healthy snack habits by opting for healthier options.
  
  
• Prefer organic food products, fresh fruits and vegetables as they would avoid the usage of chemicals thereby not harming your system.
  
  
• Keep track of what you eat. Keep a separate food chart for you to understand your diet and eating habits so, that it is easy to rectify any changes.
  
  
• Never eat when you are stressed as it can affect your digestion leading to heartburn and colitis.