Why we eat badly

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Why we eat badly

Charle Stuart Platkin

NUTRITION

info@... Eating healthfully isn't easy. So

DietDetective.com recently asked more than 300 people what makes it

difficult for them to eat better. Here are the obstacles mentioned

most often and how to overcome them.

Problem: Too many tempting foods

Survey results: 27.7 percent

Facts: This is by far the most common complaint and excuse for why

we can't seem to eat healthfully.

Solution: Planning is one of the only ways to overcome the problem.

Don't think simple willpower is going to get you past indulging in

all those tempting foods. Plan ahead. Think about where you're going

and what healthy foods will be available. Try to mentally rehearse

making " healthier " choices in the most tempting situations.

Problem: Lack of time

Survey results: 16.9 percent

Facts: For Americans rushing to get a healthy meal on the table

between work, soccer, ballet class and sleep, time is often the

missing ingredient. This lack of time leads many people to rely on

unhealthy versions of takeout, fast food and easy-to-fix convenience

foods.

Solution: The truth is that it's not easy to eat healthfully when

you're busy, particularly when it's not a priority in your life.

Even if you have no time to buy healthy food and cook at home, you

still have options. You can make convenience and fast foods work for

you. You can also plan ahead by batch cooking – picking one day of

the week to prepare an entire week's worth of healthy meals.

Problem: High price of eating healthy

Survey results: 14.2 percent

Facts: It may seem cheaper and simpler to eat unhealthy foods. And

in many cases it is. However, according to the USDA Economic

Research Service analysis, more than half of the 69 forms of fruit

and 85 forms of vegetables included in the analysis were estimated

to cost 25 cents or less per serving, and 86 percent of all

vegetables and 78 percent of all fruits cost less than 50 cents a

serving.

Solution: Plan your meals and shopping lists in advance. Search out

coupons and specials on supermarket Web sites. Bring your lunch to

work or school.

Problem: No motivation

Survey results: 9.8 percent

Facts: Healthy food can seem boring and bland. Plus, it takes more

work to eat healthfully.

Solution: Take a few minutes to write down all the reasons you want

to eat healthier. Any time you have doubts and need motivation, you

can think about your list. That's why you need to make sure it is

meaningful. Make eating healthfully more exciting and enjoyable by

learning healthy recipes and finding tasty, healthy restaurants.

Problem: Eat out frequently

Survey results: 8.6 percent

Facts: Up to 50 percent of our food budget is spent eating out, and

foods purchased outside the home are generally higher in calories

and saturated fat and lower in fiber and nutrients such as calcium

than home-prepared foods.

Solution: There are lots of ways to eat out, have a good time

stuffing your face, and still eat healthfully. Start by picking

places that offer healthy choices.

Problem: Unsupportive family members

Survey results: 4.6 percent

Facts: Family members can put a damper on your diet and influence

your behavior.

Solution: Set boundaries for yourself when dining out or eating at

home, and make sure that you keep track of your " difficult " family

eating situations and think in advance about how you're going to

overcome them. Give yourself permission to eat different foods from

the ones they're eating and remain on track.

CONTACT US: Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health

advocate, author of " Breaking the Pattern " (Plume, 2005) and " The

Diet Detective's Count Down " (Simon & Schuster, 2007) and founder of

Integrated Wellness Solutions. Sign up for the free Diet Det