7 Bad Eating Habits You Should Change Immediately

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss!included as
Don't believevegetables. Potato products account for almost a
me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising...you'rethird of our
instantly"produce" choices.- We're drinking less milk, but
bombarded with the latest diet schemes andwe've more than doubled our
"Hollywood" foodcheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the
fads.Here in America, we have built a thrivingnumber one source
industry trying toof saturated fat in our diets.- We've cut back on red
control our weight and treat the consequences ofmeat, but have more than made up for the
over-indulgence.loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered
The cost of weight loss and obesity related healthand fried), so
carethat overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat
treatments is staggering...Americans alone spendtoday than we did
around $114back in the 1970's.- We're drinking three times more
billion every year! And even with all this interest incarbonated soft drinks than
losingmilk, compared to the 1970's, when milk
weight, we continue to pack on the pounds likeconsumption was twice
never before...- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adultsthat of pop.- We use 25 percent less butter, but
are either overweight orpour twice as much vegetable
obese...up about eight percent from earlieroil on our food and salads, so our total added fat
estimates.- Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15intake has
percent or almost nineincreased 32 percent.- Sugar consumption has been
million are overweight...triple the rate in 1980!- Nearlyanother cause of our expanding
one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.Forwaistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts.
Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy.People are
Our cushyconsuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they
lifestyle means we expend less energy andneed each day,
consequently need fewerabout 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The
calories to sustain our normal body weight.Thinkadded sugar is
about it for a moment...Entertainment no longerfound mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and
requires energy expenditure. In fact,cookies. In
it's usually quite the opposite. We now entertain1978, the government found that sugars constituted
ourselves inonly 11
the comfort of our own home while watching TVpercent of the average person's calories. Now, this
and munching on ournumber has
favorite snack. Whether it's television, computers,ballooned to 16 percent for the average American
remoteadult and as
controls, or automobiles, we are moving less andmuch as 20 percent for American
burning fewerteenagers!Unfortunately, it would seem that the days
calories. Common activities that were once a part ofof wholesome and
our normalnutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast
routine have disappeared...activities like climbing stairs,food and
pushing a lawn mower or walking to geteating on-the-run. We have gradually come to
somewhere.And please do not misunderstand me...Iaccept that it's
appreciate comfortable"OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of
living just as much as the next person. But, here isconvenience and
thethat larger serving portions equate to better
problem...With all of our modern day conveniencesvalue.It's time recognize that we are consuming too
and "cushy" style ofmany calories and
living we have not adjusted our caloric intake totime to start doing something about it! Each of us
compensate forcan decide
our decreased caloric expenditure. We consumeTODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits
more calorie richWILL become a
and nutrient deficient foods than ever before.normal part of our life!We can begin by exploring our
Consider a few ofvalues, thoughts and habits...
the following examples comparing what we eatslowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy
"today" vs thehabits and
1970's (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):- Weactivities and start living a more productive and
are currently eating more grain products, but almostrewarding life.
all ofAnd remember, it has taken a long time to develop
them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grainbad habits, so
consumptionbe patient as you work toward your goal!The
has jumped 45 percent since the 1970's, from 138information contained in this article is for educational
pounds of grainspurposes
per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percentonly and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat
of the wheator cure any
flour is consumed as whole wheat.- Our consumptiondisease. Consult a health care practitioner before
of fruits and vegetables has increased, butbeginning any
only because French fries and potato chips arehealth care program.