Stephen Covey's theories on learning from the habits of successful people in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
suggest that by emulating the habits of successful people, anyone can
enjoy the life he or she desires. Learn the habits, adopt the habits,
practice the habits, enjoy the success. It really is that basic. Here,
excerpted from Push by Chalene Johnson, the 10 eating habits of successfully fit people.
1. They Tend to Stick to the Same "Daily Menu"
The majority of fit people say they eat virtually the same meals every day, mostly the same breakfast, same lunch, same dinner, and when it comes to snacks and beverages .
. . well, you guessed it, very predictable food. To clarify, they did
not suggest that they eat exactly the same entree for every meal, but
they often chose from three, maybe four things that they like for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There are three possible reasons behind this shared habit among fitness
professionals, individuals who have succeeded at taking off 100-plus
pounds and keeping it off for years, and those who have been trim all
their lives.
First, it allows "careful" eaters to predict their daily calorie
allotment without much effort. Second, perhaps the most fit among us are
entrenched in habit, including the habit of taste. Third, effortlessly
fit folks are in tune with the energy and calorie needs of their bodies.
When they find foods that deliver what they need and that they enjoy,
why look further? Keep in mind, there's a fine line between careful
eating and disordered eating. The careful eater's diet is a habit and
not a matter of control or obsession.
2. They Eat Breakfast
This one common characteristic is nearly universal in statistical studies of people who have achieved and maintained a large weight loss. Eighty percent of those who have been able to maintain a weight loss of at least 30 pounds for at least a year report that they always eat breakfast.
Research has consistently shown that the people who successfully lose
weight are the ones that wake up and eat! Furthermore, people who eat breakfast
regularly have better vitamin and mineral status and eat fewer calories
from fat. Experts agree that the majority of people who struggle with
overeating are those who undereat during the first part of the day,
specifically those who skip breakfast. So it seems that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day!
Why does eating breakfast help people lose and ultimately maintain a healthier weight? One theory suggests that eating a healthy breakfast
reduces hunger throughout the rest of the day, therefore decreasing the
likelihood of overeating and making poor food choices at lunch.
3. They Drink Water
Not soda. Not iced tea. Just plain old water. This is the biggie.
Drinking enough water is a vital part of any conditioning program
because it keeps your body functioning in homeostasis and aids every
aspect of bodily function. Highly successful fit people drink at least
six to eight 12-ounce glasses of water a day, plus more as needed during
exercise. Note: It's possible to drink too much water, which dilutes
the body's electrolytes (potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium). Don't
drink more than a gallon a day unless you're also replenishing your
electrolytes.
4. They Eat Small—And Often
Most people know that small, frequent meals are absolutely the only way
to go. Why? Because when we go longer than 3 hours without eating, our
levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise. And high cortisol levels
signal the body to store fat in the abdominal region. Keep in mind too
that people who skip meals have the highest cortisol levels of all!
Eating small meals more often reduces cortisol levels, research
suggests. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine,
people who ate six small meals a day for 2 weeks, as opposed to three
large meals containing the same total number of calories, reduced their
cortisol levels by more than 17 percent! They lost belly fat, too.
When you eat small, frequent meals long term, the body becomes
efficient at keeping cortisol levels low, which helps both men and women
reduce belly fat.
Eating throughout the day also makes you less tempted by the
monster-size buckets ofpopcorn and supersize fries and drink containers
that include triple and quadruple servings. Guided by their nutritional
needs and deeply rooted habit to eat small meals throughout the day, the
superfit stand steadfast, even in the face of a delicious, jumbo
chocolate-chip muffin.
5. They Eat Whole Foods First
Successful fit people tend to eat mainly whole, unprocessed foods,
including fruits, veggies, and whole grains (and products made from
whole grains). Certainly they enjoy the occasional treat, but 80 percent
of the time or more, their preference leads to whole foods.
Whole, natural foods—apples, steel-cut oatmeal, broccoli, salads,
brown rice—are what food researchers call low-density foods. That is,
they take up a lot of room in your stomach because they contain lots of
fiber, which satisfies hunger with few calories. High-density foods are
the opposite; they are things like butter, oils, candy, or ice cream.
Think about how much frosting you could pack into your stomach if you
really tried. (Okay, don't think about it—it's too gross.) Eating mostly
low-density foods is the easiest way to keep your weight in check
without feeling hungry or like you’re depriving yourself.
6. They Know Their Foods
This characteristic is truly universal among fit people: They know,
generally speaking, every food's calories and approximate protein,
carbohydrate, and fat content. It's not a case of being idiot savants
but rather of having an understanding, a knowledge of food that allows
them to make an educated guess. Their assumptions are almost always
spot-on. This gift affords them the skill of making better food choices
on a moment’s notice.
Just as important: They know what one serving of said food really
looks like. You can show an effortlessly fit person a whole grain
cracker, and even without looking at the label, he or she can accurately
predict how many crackers count as one serving. It’s not a gift,
actually. It's a skill, and all habits are skills you can master.
This skill is easier to acquire than it sounds. A couple of weeks of
label reading is all it takes. There are even apps for your phone and
Web sites that provide this information quickly and for free.
7. They Eat Their Favorite Foods—Carefully
Despite knowing everything about their foods and tending to stick to
the same foods day in and day out, fit people rarely report eliminating
foods. If it's something they crave, they enjoy a little taste. They
know that simply eliminating foods they absolutely love will only set
them up to fail when the temptation is too great. Instead, successfully
fit people know that it's okay to indulge every once in a while. They
savor those moments instead of sucking down the food as if they’re
afraid it's the only time they'll ever see it again.
8. They Don't Keep Red Zone Food in the House
If you look in a successfully fit person's fridge, pantry, or
cupboards, you won't typically find cookies, crackers, chips, chocolate,
full-fat ice cream, or soda. Why? Because they don't crave these
things. They also know you can't eat ’em if you don’t have 'em. Smart,
right?
What's interesting about these trim types is that they don't have the
same inner battle of healthy versus junkie foods that the average
person who struggles with weight might have. They can walk past the
aisle with chips and sodas and think nothing of it. Either they never
developed the junk food habit or they kicked it.
9. They Close the Kitchen after Dinner
Unlike most Americans, successfully fit people eat their final meal
at a reasonable hour, as opposed to eating dinner followed by a lavish
10:00 p.m. snack and another dessert. Most often they go to sleep, not
hungry, but on an empty stomach. This allows them to wake up feeling thin, rested, and hungry for breakfast. It may take a little effort, but going to bed earlier and going to sleep without food awaiting digestion in your stomach
keeps your body’s metabolism in a fat-burning state. Instead of
digesting, which causes restless sleep, your body can focus on other
things—like repairing cells!
10. They're Resourceful and Politely Picky at Restaurants
Successfully fit people find healthful alternatives to selections on any
menu, from a five-star restaurant's to Wendy's. They know that it's the
food choices, not necessarily the restaurant choices, that help them to
stay slim and healthy.
They generally steer clear of fried meat, poultry, and fish. Instead,
they order their protein broiled, steamed, stir-fried, or poached. They
also speak up in restaurants, politely making special requests like
asking that their dish be prepared with little or no butter or sauces
and with dressings on the side.
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