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May 6

Jason Wanlass Fitness: 7 ways to tweak eating habits

There are so many diets for all kinds of needs: Paleo, Atkins, The Zone Diet, Eating for your blood type. Each author makes a sound argument for the benefits of their approach, while critics will continue to point out their shortcomings.

Im not here to decipher or break down the pros and cons of each. Most plans are effective in helping the dieter consume fewer calories than they burn, resulting in weight loss.

Even so, there is not a one size fits all approach when it comes to nutrition. Many factors, including genetics, environment, food allergies and daily energy demands, will influence how an individual responds to dietary intake. A weekend warrior training for a triathlon will usually have a higher need for carbohydrates, while an office worker who hasnt been physically active for five years may require lower amounts of carbohydrates and a higher intake of proteins and healthy fats.

Regardless of individual differences and nutritional needs, the biggest challenge most people face is consistency. The journey toward ideal health and body weight ultimately comes down to behavioral changes.

Lets face it: Change is hard, especially when it comes to nutrition.

People overestimate how difficult it is and underestimate how long it will take to change bad habits. Numerous studies show that people are typically most successful when they limit their change to one behavior at a time before introducing a new one. But introduce even two new behaviors at once, and the failure rate is nearly 100 percent.

Im offering several nutritional changes everyone can make. Assess which habits you need to work on implementing most, pick one and put all of your focus and effort into it for the next three or four weeks. Once it becomes second nature, you are ready to introduce the next one. Be patient! The goal is permanent change, one step at a time.

1. Slow Down! Many of us eat too quickly. It takes about 20 minutes for the sensation of fullness to kick in. The pathway from stomach to brain and back is long. If you eat too quickly, you are more likely to overeat by the time your brain can communicate that its time to stop. The long-term goal should be taking 15-20 minutes to consume each meal.

This may be too ambitious for a lot of us, but thats OK. Slowing down by just 1-2 minutes can make a big difference. Start there and work toward the 15-20 minute goal.

2. Stop eating when youre 80 percent full: Rather than eating to the point of fullness, focus on eating until you are no longer hungry. In conjunction with slowing down, this will allow time for your brain to communicate that its time to stop eating. Many benefits come of this, including better overall appetite cues, improved digestion, and increased performance with your workouts.

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Jason Wanlass Fitness: 7 ways to tweak eating habits

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