Is Eating Junk Food Really That Bad?

We get it, we all get it. Saying no to your favorite comfort foods is hard to say no too. So you tell yourself you’re just eating in moderation. Well really, what exactly does that mean? And how do you know you’re actually eating these foods in moderation? Well in this article we’ll discuss with you how to eat the right proportions of your favorite comfort foods. It’s important to watch what you eat only because of the possibility of it getting out of control. Keep on reading to find out how to eat the right portions of your food.

Eating in moderation, what does that exactly mean? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means observing reasonable limits and avoiding extremes in behavior or expression. In simpler terms it means eating only as much food as your body needs and consuming only those foods that are not outside the boundaries of normal human consumption. Often times, people can’t control the amount of foods they eat, and typically these foods are not the healthiest of options. Again, often leading to eating way past our limits. However, you can learn to eat these foods in moderation without having to worry about gaining weight.

What Is Eating In Moderation?

Below are some great tips for eating in moderation, especially if you’re the type of person who is looking to lose weight. It is highly recommended that if you choose to consume these foods, that you also maintain a healthy and clean diet and workout daily. Allow yourself to eat these foods as you cheat meals every week. As mentioned, below are a set of tips for learning how to eat in moderation.

1. Make sure to eat breakfast and get plenty of sleep.
   • Several studies have shown that individuals who are well rested and people who take the time to eat breakfast are less likely to indulge or overeat throughout the day. This often times saves people hundreds of unnecessary calories to over their famished or tired counterparts. If you’re not getting the necessary amounts of sleep or food, your body will source the fuel somewhere else. This is when you start to overeat.
   • By going to bed early you also prevent overeating by opportunistic or habitual eaters, who reach for entire bags of potato chips or pints of ice cream when staying up late.
2. Track all the foods you eat and the beverages you drink in a food diary.
   • Make sure you track the quantity or volume, the type and even the time each food is consumed.
   • Studies have shown that the power of food journals for estimating the quantity and quality of food and calories consumed in an average day or week.
   • Make sure to include weekends, restaurant meals, quick snacks, smoothies and shakes, desserts, and other calorie sources of any type.
3. Use the food journal to identify the calorie hogs, empty calories and hidden calories.
   • Having a written log of the amount and types of food consumed throughout a given day or week can be enough of a wake up call for people to reduce their consumption.
   • Simple sugars, condiments, fatty snacks, desserts, and foods that trigger additional eating can be a great place to start.
   • Try setting yourself small significant goals and achieving them can help mitigate the risk of overeating and even provide the confidence and willpower to take more dietary restrictions.
4. Substitute quality for quantity.
   • Try and add a healthy protein or fat source to small snacks or regular meals.
   • If the feeling of hunger persists 15 minutes after eating, try snacking on foods that carry very few calories despite their volume.
5. Learn how to measure appropriate portions.
   • By serving appropriate portions or requesting half of a restaurant meal to be packaged for leftovers in advance, many people tend to avoid overeating simply by limiting amounts before the food is on the plate.
6. You can allow some treats.
   • Limit these portions to only a few bites. Try waiting a few minutes between each bite to savor and appreciate the food. This can reduce the urge to finish the entire item while still satisfying a sweet or salty craving.
7. Develop a meal plan and try hard to stick to it.
   • Plan out your meals and portion sizes ahead of time can help reduce overeating or mindless munching.
   • Charting out ingredients for each meal and snack in advance also makes it easier to build a balanced, nutritional diet.