I eat therefore I am

How’s our eating habit?

We are what we eat. Deciding to eat healthy may be a struggle for many, but we keep hoping to do so until we reach our momentum and goals. In our desire to change for the better, the first step is to check our current eating habits.

Eating Time. Check what time of the day we usually eat. Do we routinely skip some meals? Which specific time do we usually eat our largest meal? (Suggest to include if there is a difference in terms of health benefit if the largest meal is breakfast, lunch or dinner. What is the implication?)

Eating Place. The meals that we usually eat in a day, where do we eat them?

Eating Preparation. Many eat food that are prepared at home. How about others? Do we often eat in restaurant, office cafeteria, deli or in the homes of others?

Eating at Home. The meals eaten at home, where do we get them? Some would opt for take-out, take-home or take-away foods bought from fast food stores or pre-cooked meals stalls. How often do we eat processed pre-packaged foods? How often do we eat food prepared fresh from the market?

Favorites. List or rank our favorites foods and the foods that we dislike. With our knowledge on good and bad diet, let’s identify the foods that we think will be most difficult to increase or foods most difficult to decrease. Does stress affect our choices and amount of food that we eat? Do we have an idea of serving sizes? For instance, when we are to put food on our plate do we recognize serving sizes?

The First Battlefield. In our fight against unhealthy eating habits, the battle begins in the market or grocery stores. Who is responsible for food shopping and preparation? There is a need to empower the person to make good choices. Interpreting food labels, food pyramids, are some skills that will arm the person and win the first battle. Guides on good food choices, healthy recipes and meal plans can also help assure victory.

What food we buy, what we cook, what we eat, when and where we eat define who we are. Before dietary changes can start, self-awareness is essential.

Consult your nutritionist or doctor for personalized nutritional guides.

Third report of the national cholesterol education program expert panel on detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) Final Report. Circulation. 2002; 106:3143