Helping Clients Establish New Eating Habits

Changing eating habits is challenging and requires a thoughtful approach. But it’s never too late to help clients make improvements.?Even small changes can add up to significant results over time.

Begin by looking at their current eating routine.

Ask your client to keep a food and beverage diary for a few days. Perhaps you discover that they always reach for a sweet snack right after dinner, or they often stop for a donut on their way to work. Reviewing their food diary will help expose some of the unhealthy habits they’ve acquired over time.

Highlight a few reoccurring habits and triggers that may lead to unhealthy eating.

For example, everyday habits that may lead to weight gain are:

• Eating too fast or eating when not hungry.
• Eating while watching TV.
• Serving extra-large portions.

Recognize their successes and then uncover the environmental food cues or emotional triggers that may encourage the bad eating habit. Common triggers include:

• Coming home after a stressful day at work with no dinner plan.
• Driving past a donut shop on the way to work.
• Feeling bored or anxious and thinking about food might help alleviate the feeling.

Strategize new habits to replace the unhealthy ones.

Let’s say they can’t resist the tortilla chips in the pantry when they make dinner at night. Sometimes those mindless?snacks can become a meal!?Can they avoid buying them at all? Would storing them out of reach or out of eye view help??Then suggest a?healthier snack option?before dinner is ready.

Would it help to have a weekly meal plan??Recommend recipes that are easy to prepare, such as?Easy Avocado and Bean Tacos?or a?Fan Favorite Avocado Toast?to ensure a healthier dinner time.

Sometimes simple tweaks are all it takes to improve the healthfulness of the meal. For example, including fresh avocados at mealtime is a healthful habit toward meeting the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

One-third of a medium avocado contains only 80 calories, contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, and contains a good source of fiber which may also help them?feel fuller faster?and manage weight.

Deciding to change eating habits is a big step. Remind the client that changes don’t happen overnight. Check out?more articles?for helpful resources to pass on to your clients. Visit?Love One Today?and?sign up?to receive our newsletter written exclusively for health professionals.