Want To Lose Weight? Begin By Changing These 5 Unhealthy Eating Habits

On a weight-loss spree be mindful of the several possible diet-derailing habits that you are sneaking in without even realising it. Every such habit can completely sabotage your weight-loss efforts. To break the trend of unhealthy eating habits, first you need to identify these faulty habits.

Shreya Katyal, Nutritionist, Dietician and Founder of Diets & More lists down some of the most common bad eating and lifestyle habits that can cause you to pack on pounds.

Also Read: Top 10 Dieting Myths Busted

The problem with everyone who is trying to lose weight is ‘unawareness.’ Many of us don’t know that certain eating habits which we are following are doing more harm to our body than any good. Old habits die hard, but if one is serious about eating healthy and losing weight, first, they need to understand unhealthy eating habits and then ditch it completely, says Shreya Katyal.

The Nutritionist and Dietician also added, “The journey of ditching these habits will not be easy, but if practiced one can achieve their goals easily. Go slow and ditch these bad habits in intervals.”

Say Goodbye To Unhealthy Eating Habits And Get Fit

Also Read: Flush Out Those Toxins With 5 Top Detoxing Tips

1. Mixing Is Not Good: Do Not Mix Different Forms Of Carbs At A Time

Did you know the right combination of food is an important criteria for weight loss? We often combine Roti and Rice, Noodles with Rice or Pasta, Bread, and Roti. All these can lead to excessive weight gain. These are known as, ‘Bad food combinations.’ Preferably one should take only one form of carbohydrate at a time. Combining different forms of carbs together leads to overeating.

2. Excess Of Anything Is Bad: Do Not Mix Vegetables, Curd and Pulse Altogether

This one is yet another common unhealthy eating habit which many of us tend to follow, without even knowing that this may result in weight gain. We club at least two things with either roti or rice. Say for example – We take roti with vegetables and pulse or/and curd; or sometimes we opt for rice with pulse and curd. Even though eating vegetables, pulses and curd are healthy, mixing everything together is too much of calorie intake in one go.

Tip: Eat one thing at a time with your roti/rice. Mixing is not good when you are trying to shed those kilos.

3. Cookie Monster: Do Not Have Biscuits, Rusk Or High Fiber Cookies With Tea

We generally have 2-4 biscuits with tea. Don’t we? But, do you know that one high fiber or digestive biscuits amount to 30-40 calories. Now, you can imagine how much calories a chocolate cream biscuit or a cookie will have. On the other hand, all types of cookies, biscuits, rusk, are made of baking powder, sugar, salt, and are not sans oil. We often mindlessly gorge on to many biscuits within a span of 5 minutes while we are having our tea. Result – We consume too many calories. These empty calories don’t even give us a feeling of fullness as they are not packed with any nutrients.

Quick Tip: Instead of having these “Empty Calories” (foods with no nutrition and only calories), it is healthier to eat ghee roasted makhanas, bhuna chana, roasted soya bean nuts, puffed brown rice snack to name a few.

4. Don’t Over Indulge: Do Not Have Main Course And Dessert Together

We are so used to having a dessert or something sweet immediately after our dinner. Well, it is time for a change if you want to lose weight. Make this as a thumb rule – a meal can end without satiating your sweet tooth.

A sweet dish/dessert has at least 300-400 kilocalorie, which may sometimes be even more than the main course meal. So, if you are trying to lose weight, but can’t seem to control your sweet cravings then here’s a suggestion – Eat dessert or a sweet dish as a major meal, rather than having it post dinner. Another option is to have a small piece of jaggery post meal; this will help curb those sweet cravings.

5. Tea Always Is Not A Good Idea: Do Not Mix Solids With Liquids

You should not mix solids and liquids together. Having tea/green tea immediately after your meals is another very common habit people have. Tea has caffeine and this ingredient interferes with food absorption in our body. So, any intake of tea, green tea, coffee or any other liquids just after major meals should be avoided. Maintain a gap of at least 40-45 minutes before having any form of liquids after your major meals.

Green tea anyways should not be taken with food. A better time to have green tea is before a meal rather than after a meal. Having green tea before any major meals help in the activation of the metabolism in our body.

About The Expert: Shreya Katyal, Nutritionist, Dietician and Founder of Diets & More

Dietician Shreya Katyal, aims at lifestyle modification to motivate everyone towards a healthier version of ‘themselves.’ With a diploma degree in Dietetics, Nutrition and Health she has been practicing this for many years now.