Bad Dining Habits that make you Fat

What could be going wrong with your Dinner?

You are choosing the healthiest food options available and making an effort to eat right, yet you find yourself unable to lose weight and instead find yourself gaining more weight! So what could be wrong, you wonder?

The answer meanwhile lies in not what you eat, but the way you are eating it! Most of us love to dine in big groups where conversation flows in abundance, but did you know that dining with lots of company is one of the reasons, as to why you are becoming fat.

Following is a list of some more ‘bad’ dining habits that contribute to your weight gain,

Bad Dining Habit No. 1 – Mindless Eating

Mindless eating is a very common ‘bad’ dining habit that goes unnoticed by many, leading to weight gain. Mindless eating occurs when an individual eats food while distracted by the TV, Radio, Computer or some other such device.

Distracted eating mostly leads to over eating, as one does not keep count of how much food is ingested. Other times distracted eating leads to under eating, which makes the individual feel hungry soon after dinner and increases cravings for sweet or junk food.

Mindless eating also tends to occur when you snack whilst cooking, such as popping a bit of peas or munching on those ‘Bhajiyas’ while deep frying them, can increase your calorie count significantly.

How to avoid – One can avoid mindless eating by turning the TV or Radio off while dining. As for the eating while cooking is concerned, one needs to make conscious efforts to transfer the cooked items straight to the utensils and not in their own mouths!

Bad Dining Habit No. 2 – Using Large Dishes

Portion control is most often cited as a useful way of controlling your weight. However the presence of big dinner dishes in your kitchen can lead to portion control going out of the window, as a large sized plate amounts to almost double the food on the plate and in your stomach.

And with dinner being the last meal of the day, food takes time to digest as one’s metabolism slows down considerably during the night. This means that a fewer calories have been burnt, and if seen in the long term this leads to weight gain!

How to Avoid – An easy way to avoid this is to buy smaller sized cutlery.

Bad Dining Habit No. 3 – Eating in a large group

Another bad dining habit that actually leads to weight gain is that of eating in large groups. No one enjoys dining alone and when presented with the opportunity of dining with a large group of family or friends, no one refuses!

While dining with others is a great way to socialize, it also leads to the individual losing track of what he is eating and most times indulge in over eating. Moreover sitting at the table with people who keep on ordering for more food can pose problems, as the ordered food will keep on finding it way on your plate!

How to Avoid – The best way to avoid over eating, when in a large group is to first order a soup instead of the entrees and follow it up with a salad or small portions of the main course.

Bad Dining Habit No. 4 – Having a variety of options to choose from

Most people end up overeating in the buffets served during wedding dinners. But with many blaming the large plate that is offered to them, they miss out on another important reason that fuels the feeding frenzy i.e. the variety of food items on offer in the buffet!

The human brain and taste buds are hotwired to become satiated after eating a certain amount of food. However with the option of many food items being on offer, we keep on trying item after item, which results in our taste buds remaining far from satiated and our calorie count on the increase!

How to Avoid – When faced with a buffet, the best way to avoid over eating and gaining weight in the process is to fill up your stomach with water. Drinking at least 2-3 glasses of water before meals goes a long way in avoiding over eating, as water helps in better digestion of the consumed food.

Bad Dining Habit No. 5 – Eating too Fast

Hurried eating or scrambled eating leads to over eating in most cases, however it also has another health risk that is acid reflux. Eating too fast or gobbling up food results in the food being chewed a fewer number of times than necessary i.e. it is not broken down properly before it reaches the stomach, leading to indigestion and gas. Moreover hurried eating makes it a lot more difficult to keep track of what’s being eaten and thus leads to an increase in the calorie count and weight.

How to Avoid – Hurried eating can be avoided if one sets meal timings and adheres to them; this practice also helps in better digestion of the food.

Bad Dining Habit No. 6 – Skipping Dinner altogether!

While the adage ‘Dine lika a Pauper’holds merit, it does not amount to skipping of the dinner altogether. As food is the body’s primary source of fuel, and without it or in the face of its paucity the body cannot function normally. Many of us skip dinner, especially when we return home late or are caught up with work.

People, who regularly skip dinner, put themselves at the risk of an off balance metabolism and a body that has entered into starvation mode – meaning it begins to stash away the fat for future use, which leads to weight gain instead of the desired loss.

How to Avoid – As mentioned before, maintain and stick to your meal timings as once the body’s internal clock gets used to these timings, your body will feel hungry at the stipulated time and you won’t end up skipping any meals!

So now that you know of the ‘bad’ dining habits that can make you fat, we are sure that the TV sets are going to be switched off while you dine, beginning with a soup!

Via :Medimanage