Welcome to Exan's Wellness and Life Skills Program

Five tips on maintaining healthy eating habits

  1. Start each day with a healthy meal. To ensure optimal energy and mental alertness throughout the day, always eat a nourishing breakfast. Emphasize whole foods that are metabolized slowly, avoiding major blood sugar fluctuations. High-quality protein foods, complex carbohydrates and natural fats in moderation slow down food absorption and help stabilize energy.
  2. Always make sure you're eating out of physical hunger. When you're in touch with your body and its needs, you'll know the difference between emotional eating -- eating out of boredom or depression -- and physical hunger, characterized by a grumbling stomach and feeling dizzy and light-headed. Concentrate on fueling your body with what it needs to be healthy, rather than responding to spur-of-the-moment cravings.
  3. Don't overeat. Our organs and systems are designed to process food and store calories and then to release a steady supply of energy. When we eat frequently, our digestive system and cells don't have a chance to rest and replenish, and our body is constantly in food-storage mode. This, combined with a lack of prolonged exercise, leads to weight gain, increased toxin loads and a host of hormonal problems. So don't eat continuously; stick to two to three good meals a day.
  4. If you're hungry, choose healthy snacks instead of junk food. Have healthy, nourishing food stocked up and available to eat as a snack. Try apple chips instead of potato chips or fresh cashew nut butter instead of conventional peanut butter, which often has sugar. Don't keep unhealthy foods in your cupboard or fridge: when a challenging situation arises, those chocolate chip cookies or ice cream will be far too tempting. If you find yourself coming close to binging, munch on some sliced cucumbers or mini carrots instead.
  5. Institute a replacement behavior for your eating. You can't eliminate one long-term behavior without substituting something else. In place of eating when you feel stressed or anxious, adopt a healthier activity to soothe your senses -- whether it's working out, drinking water or herbal tea, or listening to calming music.